Annual reports Archives – KHRN

April 14, 2026

Kurdistan Human Rights Network’s Annual Report – 2025

In 2025, Iran faced a series of unprecedented and multi-layered developments across the military, political and social spheres, developments that have cast serious uncertainty over the country’s

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April 24, 2025

Kurdistan Human Rights Network’s Annual Report – 1403

Annual Report of 1403 Following the death of Ebrahim Raisi, the former president and a member of the “Death Committee” responsible for the killings of political prisoners in the summer of

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January 16, 2025

Kurdistan Human Rights Network’s Annual Report – 2024

This report examines instances of human rights violations against Kurdish civilians in Iran during 2024. As in previous years, these violations stem from factors such as language, religion, culture,

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October 10, 2024

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 least 138 Kurdish prisoners in various prisons across

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April 5, 2024

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 March 2024). As in previous years, the rights of Kurdish people

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January 9, 2024

Kurdistan Human Rights Network’s Annual Report – 2023

This 2023 report details human rights violations of the Kurds in Iran. As in previous years, the violations span across the spectrum of linguistic, religious, cultural, gender, sexual orientation,

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April 27, 2023

Annual Report Mar 2022 – Mar 2023

This annual report covers the human rights situation of Kurds in Iran from 21 March 2022 to 21 March 2023. As in previous years, the violation of the rights of Kurdish people on the basis of their

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January 18, 2022

Annual Report 2021

This report addresses the human rights situation in 2021 in relation to the Kurdish people in Iran. As in previous years, the rights of Kurdish people have continued to be violated due to their

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March 1, 2021

Annual report: 52 Kurdish kolbars died, 147 injured in 2020

Paris, 1 March 2021 – The data compiled by the Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) suggest that in 2020, at least 52 Kurdish civilians, who were left with no other choice but to carry goods on

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NEWS

Authorities continue to block urgent medical transfer for Zeynab Jalalian

Zeynab Jalalian, the longest-held and only female political prisoner serving a life sentence in Iran, is being denied transfer to…

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Security forces arrest five Kurdish citizens without warrants

Five Kurdish citizens have been arrested by security forces in Bukan, Orumiyeh, Piranshahr, Ilam, and Bukan in recent days, with…

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Landmine blast kills young Kurdish man in Saqqez

Peyman Rahmanpour, a 21-year-old man from the village of Khorkhoreh in Saqqez, Kurdistan Province, has been killed by a landmine…

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Prisoner executed in Kermanshah after premeditated murder conviction

Mohammad-Taghi Shah-Veysi, a Kurdish prisoner from Kermanshah Province, has been executed at Kermanshah Central Prison (also known as Dizel Abad…

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Monthly Report of April 2026

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

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Iran secretly executes Kurdish political prisoner Mehrab Abdollahzadeh in Orumiyeh

Kurdish political prisoner Mehrab Abdollahzadeh has been executed in secret at Orumiyeh Central Prison, without any notification to his family…

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Iran secretly executes two men accused of espionage in Orumiyeh

Iranian authorities secretly executed prisoners Nasser Bakerzadeh, a Kurdish Sunni, and Yaghoub Karimpour, an Azerbaijani Turkic Yarsan citizen with a…

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Imminent execution feared as three prisoners transferred to unknown locations

Concerns have mounted over the imminent execution of death row prisoners Nasser Bakerzadeh, Yaghoub Karimpour, and Mehrab Abdollahzadeh, following their…

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Three death row prisoners in Orumiyeh transferred to unknown locations

Three prisoners sentenced to death at Orumiyeh Central Prison – Nasser Bakerzadeh, Yaghoub Karimpour, and Mehrab Abdollahzadeh – were abruptly…

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Iran sentences detained mother to death without legal counsel

Maryam Hodavand, a woman held in Evin Prison following her arrest during the December 2025/January 2026 uprising, has been sentenced…

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Death row Kurdish political prisoner transferred to solitary for protesting guard’s abuse

Mehrab Abdollahzadeh, a Kurdish political prisoner under sentence of death at Orumiyeh Central Prison, has been transferred to solitary confinement…

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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 citizens 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 April to 30 April 2026.

 

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.

 

Detentions and arrests

 

In April, at least 12 individuals were arrested across West Azerbaijan, Kurdistan, and Ilam provinces. Those arrested included two language teachers, while in 10 cases their specific activities remain unknown.

 

Of the total number of arrests, 10 were made in West Azerbaijan Province, one in Kurdistan Province, and one in Ilam Province.

 

Sentences

 

In April, Mohsen Eslamkhah, a 20-year-old Kurdish citizen who was arrested in connection with the “Women, Life, Freedom” uprising in Bukan, was sentenced to death on charges of “enmity against God” (moharebeh) by Branch One of the Islamic Revolutionary Court in Mahabad.

 

Additionally, Branch 39 of the Supreme Court upheld the death sentence of Nasser Bakerzadeh, a 26-year-old Kurdish prisoner in Orumiyeh Central Prison; he was subsequently executed on 2 May.

 

Three PDKI members killed in IRGC attacks in Iraqi Kurdistan

 

On 17 April, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) killed at least three members of the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (PDKI) in drone and missile strikes on civilian camps and party installations in Erbil Governorate, Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

 

The attacks took place despite a two-week ceasefire having been announced between the United States, Israel, and Iran, at the time, and killed Neda Miri from Sanandaj, Samira Allah-Yari from Divandarreh, and Shahin Azarbarzin from Piranshahr.

  • Detentions and arrests
  • Sentences
NameFromActivityDate of ArrestLocation of ArrestExplanation
1Yousef KarimiBukan, West Azerbaijan ProvinceUnknown3 AprBukan, West Azerbaijan ProvinceFate unknown
2Alan HekmatiradMahabad, West Azerbaijan ProvinceEnglish language teacher7 AprMahabad, West Azerbaijan ProvinceSent to Naqadeh Prison on temporary detention order
3Sahar MehdiSaqqez, Kurdistan ProvinceUnknown16 AprSaqqez, Kurdistan ProvinceFate unknown
4Masoud (Soran) AbdollahzadehNaqadeh, West Azerbaijan ProvinceUnknown19 AprNaqadeh, West Azerbaijan Province.
5Maryam DavoudianBukan, West Azerbaijan ProvinceUnknown20 AprBukan, West Azerbaijan ProvinceSent to Orumiyeh Central Prison on temporary detention order
6Behrouz HemmatiAbdanan, Ilam Province42 years old, unknown22 AprAbdanan, Ilam ProvinceFate unknown
7Ezzaddin PasopishPiranshahr, West Azerbaijan ProvinceUnknown25 AprPiranshahr, West Azerbaijan ProvinceTaken to a security detention centre in Orumiyeh for interrogation
8Vahed BoroumandPiranshahr, West Azerbaijan ProvinceUnknown25 AprPiranshahr, West Azerbaijan ProvinceFate unknown
9Seyyed Anvar AlaviOshnavieh, West Azerbaijan ProvinceUnknown27 AprOshnavieh, West Azerbaijan ProvinceFate unknown
10Kamran RasoulnezhadSardasht, West Azerbaijan Province19 years old, unknown28 AprSardasht, West Azerbaijan ProvinceFate unknown
11Yousef KolounkzadehOrumiyeh, West Azerbaijan ProvinceKurdish language teacherLate AprMahabad, West Azerbaijan ProvinceFate unknown
12Mamand KhodadadiNaqadeh, West Azerbaijan ProvinceUnknownLate AprNaqadeh, West Azerbaijan ProvinceFate unknown
NameFromType of ActivityCharges AgainstSentenceDate of SentenceIssuing CourtExplanation
1Mohsen EslamkhahBukan, West Azerbaijan ProvinceUnknownEnmity against God (moharebeh)Death penaltyMid AprBranch One of Islamic Revolutionary Court in Mahabad.
2Nasser BakerzadehOrumiyeh, West Azerbaijan ProvinceUnknownEspionage for IsraelDeath sentence upheld25 AprBranch 39 of Supreme Court.