Starting on 15 November 2019, mass protests have erupted in Iran in response to a three-fold rise in petrol costs. Protesters have called for improved living conditions amidst high levels of corruption, unemployment, poverty and discrimination across the country. Some reports have indicated that protests have occurred in 500 locations in at least 120 cities in 28 provinces, including in Isfahan, Tehran, Shiraz and…
Read more
Kurdish human rights defenders from East Kurdistan / Iran have written a letter to Kumi Naidoo, Secretary-General of Amnesty International. In this letter they express their concern about the violent and degrading treatment of Kurdish and non-Kurdish activists, who were protesting last week in the London office of Amnesty International against the global silence regarding the extensive hunger strike of Kurdish political prisoners in…
Read more
Friday 15 March 2019 TO: Member states of the United Nations Human Rights Council Your Excellency, We, the undersigned Iranian and international human rights organisations, urge your government to support resolution A/HRC/40/L.15 renewing the mandate of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, to be tabled during the 40th session of the Human Rights Council. The renewal of this mandate is…
Read more
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.3/73/L.42 on the promotion and protection of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, which has been presented to the Third Committee in the framework of the 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly. This…
Read more
On Saturday morning, Sept 8, 2018, three Kurdish political prisoners called Ramin Hossein Panahi, Zanyar Moradi and Loghman Moradi were executed in Rajai Shahr prison in Karaj. The transfer of Ramin Hossein Panahi from Sanandaj prison to Rajai Shahr prison and transfer of Zanyar and Loghman Moradi to solitary confinement had increased fears about their imminent execution. However, it was expected that the widely…
Read more
TO: Member states of the United Nations Human Rights Council Your Excellency, We, the undersigned Iranian and international human rights organizations, urge your government to support the renewal of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, during the 37th session of the UN Human Rights Council. The Iranian authorities have consistently failed to take action on vital reforms that…
Read more
To: Member States of the United Nations General Assembly Your Excellency, We, the undersigned human rights and civil society organizations, urge your government to vote in favor of Resolution A/C.3/72/L.41 on the promotion and protection of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, presented before the Third Committee in the framework of the 72nd session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). By the end…
Read more
On Thursday, March 16, Kurdistan Human Rights Network joined 40 human rights groups calling on the UN Human Rights Council to support the resolution to renew the mandate of the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran. A vote on the resolution is scheduled to take place during the 34th session of the United Nations Human…
Read more
In this joint statement, 20 human rights groups call on the Iranian authorities to stop the harassment, intimidation and prosecution of human rights defenders seeking truth and justice on behalf of individuals who were summarily executed or forcibly disappeared during the 1980s and their families. Over the past few months, several human rights defenders have been subjected to harassment, reprisals or prosecution on vague…
Read more
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 September to 30 September.
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 five prisoners in September.
While four of these men were executed on charges of “premeditated murder”, one was executed for drug-related charges.
*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
On 7 September, a young woman was killed by her 70-year-old father over alleged “family disputes” in Ilam, Ilam Province.
Kolbars and tradesmen
In September, Fardin Rostamnezhad, a kolbar from Paveh, Kermanshah Province, died from his injuries almost 18 months after he was shot by border guards.
Additionally, at least three kolbars were injured by Iranian border forces; two were shot and one was beaten.
Detentions and arrests
Over the past month, Iranian forces have arrested at least 42 people, including activists, children, and members of dadkhah families (a Persian term used for victims’ relatives and survivors seeking truth and justice).
At least three of the detained civilians were sent to Naqadeh and Orumiyeh prisons to serve their sentences.
Sentences
In September, Iranian courts sentenced at least nine people to punishments ranging from fines to two years in prison.
Additionally, the Supreme Court upheld the death sentence of Hatem Ozdemir, a Kurdish political prisoner with Turkish citizenship, on charges of “enmity against God” (moharebeh).