Kurdistan Human Rights Network

The following report, published to mark 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, documents cases of femicide, arrests, sentencing, dismissals of Kurdish women activists, and the condition of Kurdish female political prisoners in Iran over the past year, from 26 November 2023 to 25 November 2024.

Based on direct sources of the Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) and verified through other credible sources, this report records 18 cases of femicide, 14 arrests and imprisonments, and 16 sentences issued to Kurdish women activists during this period.

Given the ban on independent human rights organisations in Iran and the pressure faced by victims, their families, and associates, accessing comprehensive and accurate information on all human rights violations is significantly constrained. Therefore, it must be emphasised that the statistics and information presented in this report do not capture all cases of human rights violations.

At least 18 Kurdish women were victims of femicide over the past year. Of these, seven were killed after seeking or obtaining divorce, four due to family disputes, one for rejecting a marriage proposal, two for “honour-related” motives, and one during an altercation with her in-laws. The motives for the remaining three murders remain unclear.

The methods of killing included six cases of gunfire, three cases of strangulation, three of beating or being struck with heavy objects, two cases of burning, three stabbings, and one case with the method unspecified.

Except for one case, the perpetrators in all incidents were male family members. Specifically, 11 women were killed by their husbands or ex-husbands, four by their fathers, one by her father-in-law, one by a suitor, and one by her son-in-law. In two cases, the perpetrators committed suicide after the murder.

Regarding marital status, 13 victims were married, three were single, and one was divorced. The marital status of one victim remains unknown.

The victims’ ages ranged from 18 to 50, with two of them being child brides.

Eleven murders occurred in urban areas and seven in rural settings. Geographically, five cases were reported in Ilam Province, four in West Azerbaijan, four in Kermanshah, three in Kurdistan Province, one in North Khorasan, and one involved a woman from Ilam killed in Hormozgan Province.

1. Marzieh (Sonia) Shesh-Yekani, from the village of Rahmanabad in Kangavar, Kermanshah Province, and mother of two, was murdered by her husband on 25 November 2023 due to alleged “family disputes”. She was reportedly repeatedly subjected to domestic violence.
2. Roya Amini, 24, from the village of Hangravan in Orumiyeh, West Azerbaijan Province, was killed on 8 December 2023 by her father-in-law with a gun during an argument between her in-laws.
3. Ziba Sayyad, 27, from the village of Hesar Kani in Orumiyeh, and mother of two, was shot dead by her ex-husband (her cousin) in a street in Orumiyeh on 10 March 2024, ten days after their divorce due to domestic abuse.
4. Maryam Razmjou, a PhD student in Radiation Oncology from Kermanshah, Kermanshah Province, was shot dead along with her mother, Parivash Bayat, on 14 March 2024 by her ex-husband.
5. Parivash Bayat, the mother of Maryam Razmjou, was also killed on 14 March 2024 during the same incident.
6. Bayan Amiri, from the village of Qeshlaq in Ravansar, Kermanshah Province, and mother of one, was murdered by her husband on 2 April 2024. The husband deliberately drove their car, carrying her and their child, into the Daryan Dam, drowning Bayan, who was pregnant with their second child.
7. Shahin Goyli, a mother of one from Sanandaj, Kurdistan Province, was killed by her husband on 1 May 2024 after she demanded a divorce following a dispute with him. The husband set her and himself on fire and both died from severe burns. 
8. Kobra Delavar, 50, a retired health worker from Zarrinabad, Dehloran, Ilam Province, was killed by her husband with a heavy object. The motive was cited as “family disputes.”
9. Arezou Hassani, from Eyvan-e Gharb, Ilam Province, was fatally stabbed by her husband on 19 May 2024. The motive remains unclear.
10. Leyla Paymard, a 32-year-old mother of two, from the village of Khorenj in Piranshahr, West Azerbaijan Province, was burned alive by her husband on 16 June 2024 while she slept and died four days later due to severe injuries. She had reportedly sought separation due to domestic abuse.
11. Narmin Pirahman, a 27-year-old mother of two from Sanandaj, was stabbed to death by her husband on a street in Sanandaj on 23 June 2024. A victim of child marriage, Narmin had been married at 14 to a man with a history of violence and became a mother at 15.
12. Marzieh Gholampour, a mother of one from Bojnurd, North Khorasan Province, was shot dead by her husband on 6 July 2024. A victim of child marriage, Gholampour was married off at the age of 14, subjected to repeated violence and murdered after seeking a divorce.
13. Maria Shir-Mohammadi, from Eyvan-e Gharb, and living in Bandar Abbas, was shot dead by a suitor on 16 July 2024 after rejecting his marriage proposal. The perpetrator subsequently committed suicide.
14. Aida Heydarian, 31, from Sanandaj and an employee of the Iranian Red Crescent pharmacy, was fatally stabbed by her husband on 17 July 2024. The motive remains unknown.
15. Janeh Choupani, a 22-year-old mother of two from the village of Kouzeh Rash in Salmas, West Azerbaijan Province, was strangled by her father on 27 July 2024 for “honour-related” reasons.
16. Mobina Zeynivand, 18, from the village of Gorz-e Langar in Darreh Shahr, Ilam Province, was shot dead by her father on 26 August 2024. Her father was reportedly angered by her relationship with a boy from a rival family. Her funeral was held with a large crowd in attendance.
17. A 36-year-old woman from Ilam was killed by her father with a cold weapon on 7 September 2024 due to alleged “family disputes”.
18. A 40-year-old woman from Ilam was killed by her husband with a blow to the head on 10 November 2024. The motive for the murder was cited as “family disputes”.

Over the past year, at least 11 Kurdish women have been arrested by security forces in Kurdish cities on various political charges and three others have been sent to prison to serve their sentences. At least 14 Kurdish women have been sentenced to punishments such as execution, imprisonment, flogging and more on political charges. Additionally, two women have been dismissed from their jobs for their trade union activities.

1. Sonia Sharifi, one of the detainees of the Women, Life, Freedom uprising in Abdanan, Ilam Province, was arrested on 26 February 2024, after being summoned to the city’s prosecutor’s office. She was released after providing a written commitment to cease online activities.
2. Zahra Nabizadeh, one of the detainees of the Women, Life, Freedom uprising in Mahabad, West Azerbaijan Province, was arrested on 28 May 2024 after she was summoned to the Ministry of Intelligence. She was released on bail a few weeks later.
3. Afsaneh Shahi, an athlete from Bukan, West Azerbaijan Province, was arrested without a warrant on 30 May 2024 when Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) intelligence agents raided her family home. She was transferred to the Intelligence Organisation of the IRGC detention centre in Orumiyeh and released on bail after a few weeks.
4. Farideh Veysi, a civil rights activist from Paveh, Kermanshah Province, was arrested on 24 July 2024 after attending the funeral of environmental activist Esmaeil Karimi in Kamyaran, Kurdistan Province. She was released after 24 hours.
5. Solmaz Hassanzadeh, was beaten and arrested on 30 July 2024 in Bukan, West Azerbaijan Province, on the birthday of her brother Mohammad Hassanzadeh, who was killed during the Women, Life, Freedom uprising. Solmaz was placed in solitary confinement in Orumiyeh prison, denied legal representation and visits, and interrogated. She went on hunger strike in protest and was released on bail of 50 billion rials (nearly 70,000 USD) on 13 August after 16 days in prison.
6. Manizheh Khoshnoud was arrested by security forces at her family home in Bukan, West Azerbaijan Province, on 31 July 2024 and was released on bail a few weeks later.
7. Firmesk Babaei, a Kurdish activist from Paveh, Kermanshah Province, was arrested on 12 August 2024 after being summoned by the Ministry of Intelligence and was released on bail after several days in detention.
8. Maria Khani, a civil rights activist from Gilan-e Gharb, Kermanshah Province, was arrested at her family home on 13 August 2024 by IRGC intelligence agents. She was taken to the IRGC detention centre in Kermanshah and released on bail a few days later.
9. Galawezh Mohammadi Arshad, from Mahabad, West Azerbaijan Province, was arrested by security forces on 14 August 2024 and was released on bail two weeks later.
10. Mina Soltani, the mother of Shahryar Mohammadi, a protester killed during the Women, Life, Freedom uprising, was arrested on 11 September 2024 in Bukan, West Azerbaijan Province. She was released on bail from Orumiyeh prison on 1 October.
11. Srwa Shiri, from the village of Taraqeh in Bukan, West Azerbaijan Province, was arrested by security forces on 25 September 2024 and released on bail a few days later.
12. Maryam Rashidi, from Maku, West Azerbaijan Province, was arrested by agents of the Ministry of Intelligence at her home in the city on 21 October 2024 and taken to an undisclosed location. After spending a month in a security detention centre in Maku, she was transferred to Orumiyeh Central Prison.
13. Seyran Khosravi, a civil rights activist from Sanandaj, was arrested by agents of the Ministry of Intelligence at her family home in the city on 19 November 2024 and transferred to a solitary confinement cell at the Juvenile Detention Centre of Sanandaj.
14. Elham Ghaderi, from Piranshahr, was arrested by agents of the Ministry of Intelligence at her family home in the city on 20 November 2024 and taken to the detention centre of the Ministry of Intelligence in Orumiyeh.

1. Zhila Hojabri, a political activist from Marivan, Kurdistan Province, was sent to the women’s ward of the Juvenile Detention Centre of Sanandaj, Kurdistan Province, in late January 2024 to serve a three-year and eight-month prison sentence. She was released under electronic monitoring with an ankle tag in June 2024.
2. Sorayya Gheytaran, from Piranshahr, West Azerbaijan Province, began serving a nine-month prison sentence in Orumiyeh Central Prison on 3 August 2024.
3. Zhina Modares Gorji, a journalist and women’s rights activist, started serving a two-year and four-month prison sentence in Sanandaj Prison on 2 November 2024.

1. Pakhshan Azizi, a Kurdish political prisoner, was sentenced to death and four years of imprisonment on 23 July 2024 by Branch 26 of the Islamic Revolutionary Court in Tehran, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari, on charges of “armed insurrection” (baghi) and “membership in opposition groups”.
2. Verisheh Moradi (Wirishe Moradi), a Kurdish political prisoner and a member of the East Kurdistan Free Women Society (KJAR), was sentenced to death on 10 November 2024 by Branch 15 of the Islamic Revolutionary Court in Tehran, presided over by Judge Abolghassem Salavati, on charges of “armed insurrection” (baghi).

1. Sorayya Gheytaran was sentenced to nine months of imprisonment by Branch One of the Islamic Revolutionary Court in Mahabad in winter 2023-24 on charges of “acting against national security” through collaborating with the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (PDKI).
2. Bayan Farajollahi, from Sanandaj, was sentenced to one year in prison on 21 January 2024 by the Islamic Revolutionary Court in Sanandaj on charges of “propaganda against the state in favour of a Kurdish opposition party”.
3. Samira Ahmadi, from Saqqez, Kurdistan Province, was sentenced by Branch 105 of Saqqez Criminal Court Two to eight months of imprisonment and 70 lashes on 6 February 2024 on charges of “preparing materials to commit crimes to disrupt public order”.
4. Soma Pour-Mohammadi, a Kurdish language teacher and board member of the Nozhin Socio-Cultural Association, was sentenced to 10 years in prison and exile to Kermanshah Prison by Branch One of the Islamic Revolutionary Court in Sanandaj on 20 April 2024 on charges of “forming groups to disrupt national security.” She was acquitted upon appeal.
5. Zhina Modares Gorji, a journalist and women’s rights activist, was initially sentenced to 21 years in prison and exile to Hamadan Prison in June 2024 on charges of “forming an illegal group with the aim of overthrowing the regime”, “collaborating with hostile groups and states”, and “propaganda against the state”. This sentence was later reduced to two years and four months in October 2024 upon appeal.
6. Mozhgan Kavousi, a writer and researcher from Kelardasht, Mazandaran Province, was sentenced to one year in prison in the form of open prison in August 2024 by Branch Two of the Islamic Revolutionary Court in Sari on charges of “assembly and collusion against national security”, “insulting the Leader”, and “propaganda against the state”.
7. Parshang Azizi, the sister of Pakhshan Azizi, was sentenced to one year of imprisonment on 22 September 2024 for “aiding a criminal in escaping justice”.
8. Zahra Sajedinia, from Bukan, West Azerbaijan Province, was sentenced to 10 months in prison on 29 September 2024 by Branch 101 of Bukan Criminal Court Two for “propaganda against the state”.
9. Solmaz Hassanzadeh, from Bukan, West Azerbaijan Province, was sentenced to one year in prison on 29 October 2024 by Branch 101 of Bukan Criminal Court Two for “propaganda against the state”
10. Susan Hassanzadeh, from Bukan, West Azerbaijan Province, was sentenced to three months in prison on 8 October 2024 by Branch 101 of Bukan Criminal Court Two on charges of “propaganda against the state” and “membership in opposition groups”.
11. Manizheh Khoshnoud, from Bukan, West Azerbaijan Province, was sentenced to 10 months of imprisonment by Branch 101 of Bukan Criminal Court Two on 12 October 2024 for “propaganda against the state”.
12. Srwa Shiri, from the village of Taraqeh in Bukan, West Azerbaijan Province, was sentenced to eight months of imprisonment by Branch 101 of Bukan Criminal Court Two in November 2024 for “propaganda against the state”.
13. Golaleh Vatan-Doust, a lawyer and women’s rights activist from Marivan, Kurdistan Province, who was arrested during the Women, Life, Freedom uprising, was tried by the Branch One of the Islamic Revolutionary Court in Sanandaj, presided over by Judge Karami. She was convicted on charges of “acting against national security by forming or leading groups”, “assembly and collusion against national security”, and “propaganda against the state” and sentenced to six years and seven months of suspended imprisonment. No further information is currently available regarding the status of this women’s rights activist’s case.

1. Roya Hashmati, from Sanandaj and living in Tehran, was sentenced to 74 lashes and fined 12,5 million rials for posting images of herself without mandatory hijab on social media. She was charged with “propaganda against the state”, “appearing in public without observing Islamic dress codes”, “violating public decency, producing indecent content and encouraging moral corruption”. Her flogging sentence was executed on 3 January 2024 at the Enforcement of Judgements Office of the Tehran Seventh District Prosecutor’s Office.

1. Somayeh Akhtar-Shomar, an active member of the Marivan Teachers’ Union in Kurdistan Province, was dismissed from the Ministry of Education by the Primary Disciplinary Committee of Civil Servants in Kurdistan Province. The written dismissal, issued on 17 March 2024 and communicated to her in June 2024, cited her charges as “publishing offensive material and spreading false information against the state”, “active membership in unlawful teachers’ trade union channels”, “designing exam questions in support of protesters”, and “supporting opposition groups”. Akhtar-Shomar had served as an English teacher for 17 years.
2. The Administrative Court of Justice upheld the dismissal of Firmesk Fattahi, a teacher from Marivan, Kurdistan Province, which had earlier been issued by the Central Selection Committee of the Ministry of Education. Fattahi, who had 14 years of experience as a teacher and preschool manager, was dismissed in March 2023 on the grounds of “failing to meet the criteria for being deemed suitable for selection”.

On the second anniversary of the Women, Life, Freedom uprising, the Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office in Sanandaj initiated cases against several teachers’ union activists in Kurdistan, including Nasrin Karimi and Fatemeh Zand-Karimi, summoning them for questioning.

• Zeynab Jalalian, the longest-serving female political prisoner in Iran, is currently serving her 17th year of a life sentence in Yazd Prison. She has been denied access to medical care and in-person family visits. Over the past four years, she has only been permitted one family visit. Jalalian, born in 1982 in the village of Dim Qeshlaq in Maku, West Azerbaijan Province, was arrested on 26 February 2008 in Kermanshah. Following months of solitary confinement and severe torture, she was convicted of “enmity against God” (moharebeh) through membership in the Kurdistan Free Life Party (PJAK). Initially sentenced to death, her sentence was later commuted to life imprisonment.
• So’ada Khadirzadeh, arrested on 14 October 2021, is now in her fourth year of imprisonment in the women’s ward of Orumiyeh Central Prison. She was convicted of “aiding and abetting murder” and “helping a suspect escape”, receiving a sentence of 12 years and six months from Branch Three of the Mahabad Criminal Court. Amnesty International has reported that Khadirzadeh was denied access to a lawyer throughout her imprisonment, a violation of fair trial standards.
• Sakineh Parvaneh, from Quchan in Razavi Khorasan Province, has been imprisoned in Evin Prison since 3 April 2024. She was sentenced to seven years and six months by Branch One of the Islamic Revolutionary Court in Mashhad on charges of “propaganda against the state”, “assembly and collusion”, and “insulting the Leader of the Islamic Republic”. Her sentence was linked to a video she shared at the grave of Ali Mozaffari, a protester killed during the Women, Life, Freedom uprising.
• Hajar Saeidi, a long-time activist for women’s and labour rights, was sentenced to two years of imprisonment by Branch One of the Islamic Revolutionary Court in Sanandaj for “assembly and collusion against national security”. This sentence was later reduced to one year on appeal. Saeidi was transferred to Sanandaj Prison on 18 November 2024 to serve her sentence and has been denied medical leave and access to medical care.
• Jiyan (Seyran) Aghaj, a Kurdish political prisoner who holds Turkish citizenship, was arrested in autumn 2022-23 in Orumiyeh and taken to the city’s central prison after five months of interrogation. Over the past two years, she has been repeatedly taken back to the detention facilities of the Ministry of Intelligence and the IRGC in Orumiyeh for further questioning. In 2023, she was sentenced to eight years in prison for “membership of opposition groups” and the sentence was later reduced to five years on appeal.