Special reports Archives – Page 3 of 4 – KHRN

January 5, 2020

Report: 79 Kurdish Border Porters, Tradesmen Died,165 Injured in 2019

Paris, January 05, 2020 – The Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) announced that 79 Kurdish border porters –known as Kolbar-  and tradesmen have been killed and another 66 have been injured by the Islamic Republic of Iran’s military forces, or due to natural disasters along the Kolbari routes in 2019. According to the statistics compiled by the KHRN, 57 people were killed by direct shootings of the Iranian…

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January 1, 2020

KHRN Uncovers Child Abuse, Torture, Murder of Civilians in Marivan

Iranian security and military authorities have resorted to widespread suppression, violence against civilians, torture, murder and even sexually abusing children. following the November protests shook several Iranian cities. According to the Kurdistan Human Rights Network’s (KHRN) investigation, more than a thousand civilians have been arrested in the Kurdish cities alone and the fate of some of them still remains unclear.  The KHRN has interviewed a number of eyewitnesses and informed…

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September 8, 2019

Over 40 Kurdish Activists Detained, Interrogated in Sanandaj

The Iranian Ministry of Intelligence has arrested “more than 40 Kurdish activists and civilians” in the cities of Sanandaj, Kamyaran, Marivan, Saqqez, Baneh and Divandarah over the past months for “political and religious activities,” local sources told the Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN). The KHRN has learned that detainees are all currently held at the Ministry of Intelligence Detention Centre “undergoing interrogation and pressure.” The KHRN…

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February 6, 2019

Special Report: 40 Sunni Prisoners Pressured to Make False Confessions in TV Documentary

According to the information obtained by Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN), more than 40 Sunni civilians in various cities of Kurdistan have been arrested by security forces on charges of religious activities during the past seven months. These people from Sanandaj, Kamyaran, Marivan, Baneh and Saqqez are all currently being held at the Ministry of Intelligence Detention Centre in Sanandaj. A number of these detainees…

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January 24, 2019

Special Report: Iran invents scenario to execute Kurdish activists

Ten detained Iranian Kurdish activists are under pressure to make false confessions, with influential imams and officials demanding their immediate execution. Recent changes to the administrators and security apparatus of Iran’s Kurdestan province and other Kurdish populated regions are the main factors behind the alarming security measures used to crack down on Kurdish activists. The arrests were made following militarisation of Kurdish cities, towns and villages in Iran, where Kurdish…

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November 28, 2018

Civil Protesters Summoned, Interrogated and Threatened with Murder by Security Forces

Since the victory of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Revolution, Kurdistan has always witnessed massive civil protests for various reasons. Recent protests concerned the execution of political prisoners, support for the referendum on the independence of the Iraqi Kurdistan, Iran’s attack on the headquarters of democratic parties in the Kurdish region, the high rate of inflation and education reformation. According to Article 27 of the Constitution…

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November 1, 2018

The Protected Areas of Shaho and Kosalan Destroyed by Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps

Since 2008, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) have destroyed a large part of Shaho and Kosalan areas known as protected areas by building military bases in the highlands of Shaho and Koshelan mountains in addition to carrying out massive military operations on the pretext of fighting the forces of Kurdish parties. The Protected areas of Shaho and Kosalan with an area of 57,236…

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November 14, 2017

People in the earthquake-stricken areas of Kermanshah: We do not want condolences, we need help

Two days after the strong earthquake (measuring 7.2 magnitude on Richter scale) hit many Kurdish areas in western Iran, the residents of the earthquake-stricken areas in the Qasr-e-Shirin, Sar-Pol-e Zahab and Salas-Babajani cities have reported that government officials are neglecting the relief efforts to these areas. Moreover, the office of Kermanshah Forensic Medicine has reported 460 deaths and 7460 injured people. But residents of the…

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November 4, 2017

The Fourth anniversary of Sherko Moarefi execution, audio of his last talk before death

Kurdistan Human Rights Netwrok (KHRN)- Sherko Moarefi, a native of the Kurdish border town of Baneh, was 33 at the time of his arrest by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps in a village near his hometown in October 2008. He was tried by the Islamic Revolutionary Court in Saqez, which sentenced him to death on charges of: – Membership in an outlawed Kurdish party, the Komalah…

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NEWS

Heavy security presence as Iran tries to prevent Newroz in Kurdish cities

Iranian military and security forces have intensified efforts to prevent Newroz celebrations in Kurdish cities, setting up checkpoints and deploying heavily armed units in…

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Fate of four Kurdish women activists unknown after arrest by Ministry of Intelligence

The whereabouts of Kurdish women activists Leyla Pashaei, Soheyla Motaei, Soma Mohammad-Rezaei and Baran Saedi, who were arrested by agents of the Ministry of…

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Three prisoners given one month to avoid amputation sentence

Prisoners Hadi Rostami, Mehdi Shahivand, and Mehdi Sharafian, all sentenced to amputation, have been given one month to obtain the consent of the plaintiff…

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Iran arrests four Kurdish women activists after Women’s Day events

Ministry of Intelligence forces arrested four Kurdish women activists on 10 March reportedly linked to International Women’s Day events in Sanandaj, Kurdistan Province. Leyla…

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Teachers’ union activist released on bail after being formally charged

Abdollah Rezaei, a teachers’ union activist from Harsin, Kermanshah Province, has been temporarily released on bail after being formally charged in connection with his…

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Kurdish activist arrested without warrant in Sanandaj

Ministry of Intelligence forces today arrested Kurdish civil rights activist Baran Saedi without a warrant in Sanandaj, Kurdistan Province, and took her to an…

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Security forces arrest two Kurdish men in Bukan

Security forces arrested Kurdish civilians Peyman Esmaeilpour and Behrouz Farhang last week in Bukan, West Azerbaijan Province. Peyman Esmaeilpour, from the village of Haji-Lak…

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Women in Sanandaj mark International Women’s Day despite security pressures

A group of women’s rights activists, labour activists, trade unionists, and the Mothers for Peace movement gathered today in Sanandaj, Kurdistan Province, to mark…

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Security services threaten Kurdish activists against Women’s Day gatherings

Several women’s rights and labour activists in Sanandaj, Kurdistan Province, have been summoned and threatened by security services ahead of International Women’s Day. The…

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Kurdish activist released on bail in Sanandaj

Parvin Adwai, a civil rights activist and former political prisoner from Marivan, Kurdistan Province, has been provisionally released on bail from the women’s ward…

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Fate of Kurdish teacher unknown after arrest by security forces

Arezou Jalilzadeh, a Kurdish teacher from Sardasht, West Azerbaijan Province, who was arrested by security forces on 3 March, remains in detention and her…

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Monthly Report of February 2025

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 February to 28 February.

 

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

 

Iran executed at least eight prisoners in February, five being on charges of “premeditated murder”, two on drug-related charges and one for rape, according to KHRN’s findings.

 

While seven of the executions took place in Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj, Alborz Province, Dizel Abad Prison in Kermanshah, Kermanshah Province, and Mahabad Central Prison in West Azerbaijan Province, one prisoner was publicly executed in Esfarayen, North Khorasan 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

 

In February, a Kurdish woman was reported to have been the victim of femicide. On 17 February, Seyyedeh Donya Hosseini, a 23-year-old woman, was stabbed to death by her father in Kermanshah, Kermanshah Province.

 

Kolbars

 

In this period, at least one man was killed while working as a kolbar in the border areas. Amin Hosseini, a 47-year-old kolbar from Sarvabad, Kurdistan Province, died after being caught in an avalanche in the border region of Marivan, Kurdistan Province, on 9 February.

 

Detentions and arrests

 

In February, Iranian forces arrested at least 30 people, at least five of whom were sent to prison to serve sentences ranging from three to six months.

 

Sentences

 

During this period, Iranian courts sentenced at least four people to prison sentences ranging from three to 24 months.

  • Executions
  • Femicide
  • Kolbars
  • Detentions and arrests
  • Sentences
NameFromCharged withDate of ExecutionLocation of Execution
1Afshin AmiriKermanshah, Kermanshah ProvinceDrug trafficking2 FebDizel Abad Prison, Kermanshah
2Shahin MehdikiaMahabad, West Azerbaijan ProvinceRape20 FebMahabad Central Prison
3Behrouz Safari Ghaleh-ZanjiriKermanshah, Kermanshah ProvincePremeditated murder26 FebDizel Abad Prison, Kermanshah
4Mostafa Hazhir-PirouzAsadabad, Hamadan ProvinceDrug trafficking27 FebGhezel Hesar Prison in Karaj
5Amir JafarpanahBijar, Lorestan ProvincePremeditated murder27 FebGhezel Hesar Prison in Karaj
6Alireza BasatiniyaIlam, Ilam ProvincePremeditated murder27 FebGhezel Hesar Prison in Karaj
7Sajjad EghbaliKuhdasht, Lorestan ProvincePremeditated murder27 FebGhezel Hesar Prison in Karaj
8Shoayb RezapourEsfarayen, North Khorasan ProvincePremeditated murder28 FebBehesht Bridge in Esfarayen (public execution)
NameDate of IncidentLocation of IncidentExplanation
1Seyyedeh Donya Hosseini17 FebKermanshah, Kermanshah Province23 years old, murderer: father, method of murder: stabbing
NameFromKilled/DeathDate of IncidentLocation of IncidentExplanation
1Amin HosseiniSarvabad, Kurdistan ProvinceKilled9 FebMarivan, Kurdistan ProvinceKilled in avalanche
NameFromActivityDate of ArrestLocation of ArrestLocation held and latest status
1Soroush Nour-BakhshMahabad, West Azerbaijan ProvinceStudent of Global Music Performance1 FebMahabad, West Azerbaijan Province.
2Rahbar MahmoudzadehOshnavieh, West Azerbaijan ProvinceFormer university lecturer2 FebOshnavieh, West Azerbaijan Province.
3Goran Khoda-MoradiSanandaj, Kurdistan ProvinceCivilian2 FebSanandaj, Kurdistan ProvinceImprisoned to serve 6 months in Sanandaj prison
4Danesh SharghiSanandaj, Kurdistan ProvinceCivilian2 FebSanandaj, Kurdistan ProvinceReleased on bail
5Hawre ShafeiSaqqez, Kurdistan ProvinceCivilian3 FebSaqqez, Kurdistan Province.
6Ahmad HassanzadehBukan, West Azerbaijan ProvinceDadkhah/justice-seeking family member4 FebBukan, West Azerbaijan ProvinceImprisoned to serve 3 months in Bukan prison
7Kamran SakhtemangarSanandaj, Kurdistan ProvinceLabour activist and former political prisoner5 FebSanandaj, Kurdistan Province.
8Servat SohrabiJavanrud, Kermanshah ProvinceCultural activist5 FebKermanshah, Kermanshah Province.
9Yousef (Ehsan) KaramatNaqadeh, West Azerbaijan ProvinceCivilian6 FebNaqadeh, West Azerbaijan ProvinceImprisoned to serve 6 months in Naqadeh prison
10Ghane KhateriSanandaj, Kurdistan ProvinceCivil rights activist6 FebSanandaj, Kurdistan ProvinceReleased on bail
11Omid Fagheh HosseinzadehMahabad, West Azerbaijan ProvinceCivilian11 FebMahabad, West Azerbaijan Province.
12Yahya MoradiJavanrud, Kermanshah ProvinceDetainee of 2022 anti-government protests11 FebJavanrud, Kermanshah Province.
13Diako KhezriMahabad, West Azerbaijan ProvinceDadkhah/justice-seeking family member12 FebMahabad, West Azerbaijan Province.
14Peyman EsmaeilpourBukan, West Azerbaijan ProvinceCivilian13 FebBukan, West Azerbaijan Province.
15Sherko TabnakBukan, West Azerbaijan ProvinceFormer political prisoner15 FebBukan, West Azerbaijan ProvinceImprisoned to serve 4 months in Bukan prison
16Javad SavariDivandarreh, Kurdistan ProvinceDadkhah/justice-seeking family member16 FebDivandarreh, Kurdistan Province.
17Shirzad NamdariSanandaj, Kurdistan ProvinceCivilian16 FebSanandaj, Kurdistan Province.
18Edris MohammadzadehMahabad, West Azerbaijan ProvinceCivilian22 FebMahabad, West Azerbaijan Province.
19Nima GhorbanzadehMiandoab, West Azerbaijan ProvinceCivilian23 FebMiandoab, West Azerbaijan Province.
20Behzad BarjastehMiandoab, West Azerbaijan ProvinceCivilian23 FebMiandoab, West Azerbaijan Province.
21Keyvan BarjastehMiandoab, West Azerbaijan ProvinceCivilian23 FebMiandoab, West Azerbaijan Province.
22Shahab TavanMiandoab, West Azerbaijan ProvinceCivilian23 FebMiandoab, West Azerbaijan Province.
23Sedigh AbbasnezhadMiandoab, West Azerbaijan ProvinceCivilian23 FebMiandoab, West Azerbaijan Province.
24Aziz AziziMahabad, West Azerbaijan ProvincePakhshan Azizi’s father23 FebMahabad, West Azerbaijan Province.
25Mobin MajidzadehMiandoab, West Azerbaijan ProvinceCivilian23 FebMiandoab, West Azerbaijan Province.
26Mohammad-Mirza RahmaniKamyaran, Kurdistan ProvinceCivilian26 FebKamyaran, Kurdistan Province.
27Musa TabeiKamyaran, Kurdistan ProvinceCivilian26 FebKamyaran, Kurdistan Province.
28Jabbar EbrahimiKamyaran, Kurdistan ProvinceCivilian26 FebKamyaran, Kurdistan Province.
29Hemin EbrahimiKamyaran, Kurdistan ProvinceCivilian26 FebKamyaran, Kurdistan Province.
30Hiwa BahmanBukan, West Azerbaijan ProvinceCivilian26 FebBukan, West Azerbaijan ProvinceImprisoned to serve 6 months in Bukan prison
NameFromType of ActivityCharges AgainstSentenceDate of SentenceIssuing CourtExplanation
1Arman ShadivandDarrehshahr, Ilam ProvinceArtistInsulting the leader, propaganda against the state24 months imprisonmentEarly FebBranch Two of Islamic Revolutionary Court in Ilam
2Yousef Haji-KhoshOshnavieh, West Azerbaijan ProvinceMember of the Central Council and Executive Committee of the Kurdish United FrontUnknown10 months imprisonment17 FebIslamic Revolutionary Court in Oshnavieh
3Hamid ChapatiOrumiyeh, West Azerbaijan ProvinceCivil rights activistPropaganda against the state3 months imprisonment18 FebIslamic Revolutionary Court in Orumiyeh
4Mina SoltaniBukan, West Azerbaijan ProvinceDadkhah/justice-seeking family memberPropaganda against the state, presence of women in public spaces and in plain view without the Islamic hijab8 months imprisonment and fine of 10 million rialsLate FebBranch 101 of the Second Criminal Court of Bukan