Press Releases Archives – KHRN

September 10, 2024

Rights groups urge Iran to revoke death sentence of Kurdish activist Pakhshan Azizi

The Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) and 25 other human rights organisations have issued a joint statement condemning the death sentence handed down to Kurdish woman activist Pakhshan Azizi. The groups call for the immediate cancellation of the sentence and Azizi’s release. Expressing “deep concern” about the fate of political prisoners facing death sentences in Iran, the letter reads in part: “We strongly condemn the issuance…

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September 19, 2023

Iran’s Year of Defiance and Repression: How One Woman’s Death Sparked a Nationwide Uprising

A year ago, Mahsa Jina Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish Iranian woman, died in the custody of the morality police after being arrested over alleged “improper” hijab in Tehran. Her death ignited a wave of national protests that further challenged the Islamic Republic’s autocratic rule and exposed its human rights violations, including systematic violation of women’s rights. Her death inspired a powerful slogan, that originated…

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August 29, 2023

Condemn mass arrests of Kurds in Iran ahead of protests anniversary

As the anniversary of the murder of Jina Mahsa Amini by the government and the beginning of the Woman, Life, Freedom uprising approaches, the security institutions of the Islamic Republic of Iran are carrying out widespread arrests of civilians, activists and the families of those who lost their lives in the uprising throughout Iran, particularly in Kurdish regions. At the same time, many shopkeepers and…

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August 11, 2021

Statement on assassinations of Mousa Babakhani and Behrouz Rahimi

The Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (KDPI) issued a statement on 8 August 2021 and said Mousa Babakhani, a member of the party’s central committee, was assassinated in Erbil, Kurdistan Region of Iraq. It blamed the Islamic Republic of Iran for the assassination of its senior member. Mousa Babakhani, born in 1981 in Bilavar, Kermanshah province, joined the KDPI in 1999. He was based at…

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March 12, 2021

Iranian and international NGOs call for support to the renewal of the UNSR mandate on human rights violations in Iran

In a joint letter on 12 March, thirty nine Iranian and international human rights organisations have called on the member states of the United Nations Human Rights Council to support the renewal of the mandate of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran at the 46th session of the Human Rights Council. The organisations also urged the member states…

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February 3, 2021

Joint Letter: Urgent International Action Needed to Secure Release of Kurdish Activists and Others Arbitrarily Detained in Iran

Thirty six civil society and human rights organisations have called on international community in a joint letter on 3 February to take urgent action over the “arbitrary” detentions of Kurdish civilians and activists in the recent wave of arrests in Iran. They expressed their concern over the risk of torture, enforced disappearances, and other abuses faced by the detainees for the peaceful exercise of their…

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December 8, 2020

Joint Call on States to Support the Resolution on Human Rights in Iran

Monday, 7 December 2020 TO: All Permanent Missions to the United Nations in New York Your Excellencies, The undersigned national, regional and international civil society organizations urge your government to support resolution A/C.3/75/L.31/Rev.1 on the promotion and protection of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, adopted by the General Assembly’s Third Committee, when it comes for adoption by its plenary later this month. This resolution provides…

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September 10, 2020

Statement of KHRN in Defence of Asylum Rights of Anwar Nilufari and Other Asylum Seekers

Anwar Nilufri, an Iranian Kurdish asylum seeker, has been on hunger strike for more than two months in front of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees in Athens, Greece. Unfortunately, so far, no official authorities, institutions, and governments have taken any action towards granting him asylum or transferring him to a safe third country. Anwar Nilufri told the Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) about his…

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December 10, 2019

Joint Civil Society letter in Support of the UNGA Resolution on Human Rights in Iran

Monday, 9 December 2019 To: All Permanent Missions to the United Nations in New York Your Excellencies, The undersigned national, regional and international civil society organizations urge your government to support resolution A/C.3/74/L.27, adopted by the General Assembly’s Third Committee on 14 November 2019, when it comes for adoption by its plenary later this month.   As the situation in Iran has been marked in recent weeks by another human rights crisis, in addition to…

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PUBLICATIONS

Monthly Report of November 2024

In its monthly reports, the Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) highlights cases of human rights violations in Kurdistan and violations of the rights of…

KHRN’s special report on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women

The following report, published to mark 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, documents cases of femicide, arrests, sentencing,…

Monthly Report of October 2024

In its monthly reports, the Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) highlights cases of human rights violations in Kurdistan and violations of the rights of…

Iran executed at least 138 Kurdish prisoners over past year

On 10 October 2024, marking the World Day against the Death Penalty, the Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) has documented the execution of at…

Monthly Report of September 2024

In its monthly reports, the Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) highlights cases of human rights violations in Kurdistan and violations of the rights of…

Monthly Report of August 2024

In its monthly reports, the Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) highlights cases of human rights violations in Kurdistan and violations of the rights of…

Monthly Report of July 2024

In its monthly reports, the Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) highlights cases of human rights violations in Kurdistan and violations of the rights of…

Monthly Report of June 2024

In its monthly reports, the Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) highlights cases of human rights violations in Kurdistan and violations of the rights of…

Monthly Report of May 2024

In its monthly reports, the Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) highlights cases of human rights violations in Kurdistan and violations of the rights of…

Monthly Report of April 2024

In its monthly reports, the Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) highlights cases of human rights violations in Kurdistan and violations of the rights of…

Kurdistan Human Rights Network’s Annual Report

This report addresses the violations of the human rights of Kurdish civilians in Iran during the Iranian year 1402 (21 March 2023 – 19…

Monthly Report of November 2024

In its monthly reports, the Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) highlights cases of human rights violations in Kurdistan and violations of the rights of Kurdish civilians in different regions and cities across Iran.

This report includes all cases recorded and reported by KHRN from across Iran through its own sources and verification mechanisms from 1 November to 30 November.

The restrictive environment for independent human rights organisations in Iran, coupled with the pressures faced by individuals subjected to human rights violations and their families, make it difficult to publish accurate and comprehensive reports.

It is therefore important to note that the statistics and information presented in this report do not cover all cases of human rights violations. This report is the result of examining news and reports published by the KHRN and fact-checking of reports published by other human rights organisations and news websites.

Executions

According to KHRN’s findings, Iran executed at least 15 prisoners in November.

While 12 of the men were executed on drug-related charges, two were executed for “premeditated murder” and one for “rape”.

Of the 15 cases, seven were executed in Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj, Alborz Province.

*Explanation: The KHRN, recognizing the fundamental right to life, publishes and records news and execution statistics without regard to the ethnic background of individuals and the location of the execution. All cases reported to the organisation by credible sources are published after thorough fact-checking.

Femicide

During the past month, one woman was killed by her husband with a blow to the head and another was stabbed to death by her husband. Both cases took place in Ilam, Ilam Province, over alleged “family disputes”.

Kolbars and tradesmen

In November, one kolbar died after suffering a cardiac arrest while working in the border areas of Nowsud, Kermanshah Province; three other kolbars were shot and wounded by Iranian border guards in Nowsud and Sardasht, West Azerbaijan Province; and one suffered an ankle injury as a result of a landmine explosion in Nowsud.

Landmine explosions

On 14 November, a civilian, Ahmad Ali Mohammadi, was killed in a landmine explosion in Ilam, Ilam Province.

Detentions and arrests

Over the past month, Iranian forces have arrested at least 21 people, including activists and children.

At least seven of the detained civilians were sent to Mahabad, Tehran, Sanandaj, Marivan and Oshnavieh prisons to serve their sentences.

Sentences

In November, Iranian courts sentenced at least 12 people to punishments ranging from three months in prison to the death penalty.

Verisheh Moradi (Wirishe Moradi), a Kurdish political prisoner and a member of the East Kurdistan Free Women Society (KJAR), was among those sentenced to death. Branch 15 of the Islamic Revolutionary Court in Tehran convicted her on charges of “armed insurrection” (baghi).

  • Executions
  • Femicide
  • Kolbars
  • Landmine explosions
  • Detentions and arrests
  • Sentences
NameFromCharged withExecution dateExecution locationExplanation
1 Omid Sheikh-Kanlou MilanSalmasRape3 Nov Orumiyeh Central Prison
2 Faramarz Entesari Nurabad, Lorestan Province Drugs6 NovGhezel Hesar Prison in KarajArrested 7 years ago
3 Jalil EghbalzadehSahneh Drugs6 NovGhezel Hesar Prison in KarajArrested 4 years ago
4 Mojtaba Ghassemi HarsinPremeditated murder6 NovGhezel Hesar Prison in Karaj
5 Mohsen Moradi Nurabad, Lorestan Province Drugs13 NovGhezel Hesar Prison in Karaj
6 Jafar Rastegar Harsin Drugs13 NovGhezel Hesar Prison in Karaj
7 Hamzeh TarkashvandKangavar Drugs13 NovGhezel Hesar Prison in Karaj
8Amanj AziziRabat, Sardasht Drugs15 NovOrumiyeh Central PrisonArrested 8 years ago
9 Rahim FaghiriSalmas Drugs17 Nov Birjand Central Prison 34 years old
10 Mostafa SouriKangavar Drugs20 NovDieselabad Prison, Kermanshah
11 Shir-Ali TarkeshbandSahneh Drugs20 Nov Lakan Prison in Rasht55 years old, arrested 4 years ago
12 Amir-Hossein Pataghi Sarpol-e Zahab Drugs21 Nov Hamadan Central Prison33 years old, arrested 5 years ago
13 Meysam NouriQorveh Drugs21 Nov Hamadan Central Prison
14 Moslem Jafari Nurabad, Lorestan Province Drugs24 NovGhezel Hesar Prison in Karaj
15 Jahangir (Moslem) RahimiSaqqezPremeditated murder26 Nov Saqqez Prison
NameIncident locationIncident dateExplanation
1 Unknown Ilam20 NovKilled by husband with a blow to the head due to alleged “family disputes”
2UnknownIlam29 Nov46-year-old, stabbed to death by husband due to alleged “family disputes”
NameFromIncident locationIncident dateDead/InjuredExplanation
1 Mardin ShokriPavehNowsud2 NovInjuredShot by border guards
2 Jabbar Zarei Sardasht Sardasht5 NovInjuredShot by border guards
3 Asaad Firouzbakht JavanrudNowsud5 NovInjuredShot by border guards
4 Ahmad Rezaei JavanrudNowsudMid NovInjuredSuffered ankle injury in landmine explosion
5 Mohammad Karim Azagh SarvabadNowsud23 NovDied Cardiac arrest during work as kolbar
NameFromIncident locationIncident dateKilled/InjuredExplanation
1 Ahmad Ali Mohammadi Ilam Ilam14 NovKilled
Name FromDetention locationDetention date ActivityLocation held and latest status
1 Zhina Modares Gorji Sanandaj Sanandaj2 Nov Women’s rights activistTaken to Sanandaj prison to serve 16-month sentence
2 Morteza Seydi Kamyaran TehranEarly Nov Labour activistTaken to Tehran’s Evin Prison to serve 2-year sentence
3 Hemin Mohammadi Sanandaj Sanandaj5 NovCivilian
4 Jafar Ardalan SanandajSarvabad5 NovCivilianBeaten and arrested
5 Mohammad Karimi SanandajSarvabad5 NovCivilianBeaten and arrested
6 Hamid Salehinezhad SanandajSarvabad5 NovCivilianBeaten and arrested
7 Sina Asadi Hakim SanandajSarvabad5 Nov 15-year-old childBeaten and arrested
8 Masoud MohammadiBukanBukan6 NovCivilian
9 Amir Babuoli Mahabad Mahabad7 NovCivilianTaken to Mahabad prison to serve 7-year sentence
10 Adel Pirouzi Marivan Marivan9 NovCivilianTaken to Marivan Prison to serve 1-year sentence
11 Mohammadreza Gheytarani Mahabad Mahabad12 Nov Arrested during Women, Life, Freedom uprisingTaken to Mahabad Prison to serve 6-month sentence
12 Reza Ahmadpour BanehBaneh14 NovCivilian
13 Mohammad RasoulpourOshnaviehOshnavieh16 NovCivilianTaken to Oshnavieh prison to serve 1 year and 6 months in prison
14 Pouria Ahmadi Sanandaj Tehran17 Nov Civil rights activist and former political prisonerTaken to Tehran’s Evin Prison to serve 3-month sentece
15 Seyran Khosravi Sanandaj Sanandaj19 Nov Civil activist
16 Fereydoun Soltani Takab Takab22 NovCivilian
17 Hiva BahmanBukanBukan24 NovCivilian
18 Behzad DadkhahSaqqezSaqqez25 NovCivilian
19Amir Mohammad-KhaniDivandarrehDivandarreh27 Nov Civil rights activist and former political prisoner
20Abdollah GholizadehBukanBukan30 NovCivilianBeaten and arrested
21Hemin GholizadehBukanBukan30 NovCivilianBeaten and arrested
NameFromCharged withDate sentencedIssuing courtSentenceExplanation
1 Edris Ali SardashtEspionage for Israel5 Nov Branch Two of Islamic Revolutionary Court in OrumiyehDeath penalty
2 Azad Shojaei SardashtEspionage for Israel5 Nov Branch Two of Islamic Revolutionary Court in OrumiyehDeath penalty
3 Rasoul Ahmad Rasoul Sulaymaniyah, Kurdistan Region of IraqEspionage for Israel5 Nov Branch Two of Islamic Revolutionary Court in OrumiyehDeath penalty
4 Nasser BekrzadehOrumiyehEspionage for IsraelEarly Nov Branch Two of Islamic Revolutionary Court in OrumiyehDeath penalty
5 Verisheh Moradi SanandajArmed insurrection (Baghi)10 Nov Branch 15 of Islamic Revolutionary Court in TehranDeath penalty
6Srwa ShiriBukan Propaganda against the state in favour a Kurdish opposition partyMid Nov Branch 101 of Bukan Criminal Court Two 8 months imprisonment
7Peyman ShiriBukan Propaganda against the state in favour a Kurdish opposition partyMid Nov Branch 101 of Bukan Criminal Court Two6 months imprisonment
8 Ali Allah-Veysi Sanandaj Acting against national security17 Nov Branch One of Islamic Revolutionary Court in Sanandaj 1 year and 6 months imprisonment
9 Srwa Pour-Mohammadi Sanandaj Forming or joining a group with the intention of disrupting national security25 Nov Court of Appeal of Kurdistan Province 5 years imprisonmentKurdish language teacher, boeard member of Nozhin Socio-Cultural Association
10 Edris HajipourBukan Propaganda against the state 26 Nov Branch 101 of Bukan Criminal Court Two 3 months imprisonment
11 Hemin Ebrahim HamzehBukan Propaganda against the state 26 Nov Branch 101 of Bukan Criminal Court Two 3 months imprisonment
12 Rashid RahimiBukan Propaganda against the state 26 Nov Branch 101 of Bukan Criminal Court Two1 year imprisonment