Kurdistan Human Rights Network

In recent years, holding Newroz ceremonies in the form of large public celebrations with Kurdish symbols, lighting fires, collective dances, epic songs and in many cases political slogans has become a tradition in the cities and villages of Kurdistan. This tradition, apart from its cultural aspect and the Newroz calendar occasion, has roots in the mythological interpretation of Newroz as a symbol of struggle...

Iranian security forces arrested four Kurdish civilians in the cities of Oshnavieh and Shahin Dej in West Azerbaijan Province on 11 May and took them to undisclosed locations, the Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) has learned. Loghman Haji-Khosh, a civilian from the village of Kohneh Qaleh in Oshnavieh, was summoned by telephone to the Ministry of Intelligence in the city before being arrested. At the same...

Security forces today arrested five Kurdish civilians in the cities of Bukan and Shahin Dej, West Azerbaijan Province, allegedly in connection with their participation in Newroz (also known as Nowruz in Persian) celebrations. Edris Haji-Rasoulpour, the brother of Mohammad Haji-Rasoulpour, who was killed during the Women, Life, Freedom anti-government uprising in Bukan, was arrested without a warrant during a raid on his home in the...

Security forces arrested Abdollah Barzegar, the Imam and prayer leader of the village of Kaneh Mashkeh of Sardasht, West Azerbaijan Province, on 7 May and took him to an undisclosed location. The Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) has learned that security forces raided Barzegar's home at 03:00 local time on 7 May and arrested him without a judicial warrant. The specific charges against the Sunni Kurdish...

Security forces arrested Kurdish activists Ayoub Rasoulzadeh and Haji Barzeh on 8 May in Piranshahr, West Azerbaijan Province, and took them to an undisclosed location. The Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) has learned that Rasoulzadeh, an environmental activist, and Barzeh, a civil rights activist and brother of the Kurdish political prisoner Bapir Barzeh, were arrested without a warrant. The exact location of the activists' detention and...