Kurdistan Human Rights Network

Iran has sentenced to death 27-year-old Kurdish prisoner from Orumiyeh Shahin Vasaf on charges of espionage for Israel, a reliable source told Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN). This is the first time a credible source confirms his death sentence, issued on 2 October 2023. Shahin Vasaf, along with another Kurdish citizen Naser Vasaf, was detained by the intelligence forces in Orumiyeh on 21 September 2022. They...

The Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office in Kamyaran, Kurdistan Province, has charged civilian Pouria Javaheri with offences including "enmity against God" (moharebeh), which carries the death penalty in Iran, and referred his case to Branch One of the Islamic Revolutionary Court in Sanandaj, Kurdistan Province. Javaheri, who is currently being held in temporary detention in Kamyaran Prison, is at risk of being sentenced to death...

Branch Two of the Islamic Revolutionary Court of Orumiyeh has sentenced Kurdish political prisoner Nayeb Askari again to death on charges of "enmity against God" (moharebeh) through "membership" in the Kurdistan Free Life Party (PJAK). In 2018, the Islamic Revolutionary Court of Orumiyeh sentenced him to death on the same charge in absentia. The sentence was overturned after his appeal against the ruling and was referred...

The Branch Three of the Islamic Revolutionary Court of Orumiyeh has sentenced civilians Nasim Namazi, Vafa Hanareh, Aram Omari Berdiani, Rahman Parhazou and Mansour Rasouli to death on charges of "participation in intelligence cooperation and espionage for Israel" over the past few weeks. The court also sentenced five other civilians, Kamran Hanareh, Fakhroddin Doudkanlou Milan, Ashkan Osmannezhad Ganduk, Hassan Omarpour, and Amir Moshtagh Gangachin, to...

Iran executed prisoners Rashid Lavandpour and Khalegh Khezrzadeh in Karaj and Bandar Abbas central prisons today. Lavandpour, who comes from the village of Khargoush in Orumiyeh, West Azerbaijan province, was sentenced to the death penalty several years ago on drug-related charges. The prisoner was transferred to solitary confinement at Karaj Central Prison yesterday and was executed this morning. Khezrzadeh, 32, who comes from Piranshahr, West Azerbaijan province,...

In March, Iranian security forces detained dozens of Kurdish activists and the individuals who organise annual Newroz (also Nowruz in Persian) celebrations in the Kurdish cities and villages in Iran. These activists were summoned by intelligence institutions, were threatened and were forced to sign written pledges prohibiting participants from using Kurdish symbols and playing happy and epic songs; such as the Kurdish national anthem. The pledges...

Iran has sentenced a Kurdish political prisoner named Firouz Musalou to the death penalty in recent weeks over membership in the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). Branch 2 of the Islamic Revolutionary Court of Orumiyeh, northwestern Iran, charged Musalou with "armed insurrection" (baghi). Musalou was held in temporary detention for 33 months before the court issued the sentence. The last hearing of the political prisoner's case was held...

Iran has carried out today the death sentences of three prisoners in the western province of Ilam. Prisoners Sobhan Shohani, Mohammad Karimnezhad, and Hamed Manouchehri had been sentenced to "retribution in kind" (qisas) on the accusation of committing "premeditated murder". On 19 January, they were transferred to solitary confinement in Ilam Central Prison for the execution of their sentences. Shohani has been in prison for about two...

Branch 31 of Iran’s Supreme Court in Qom has upheld the death sentence of Kurdish political prisoner Shaker Behrouz. In January, Branch 1 of the Criminal Court of Orumiyeh had sentenced Behrouz to the death penalty for alleged “premeditated murder” of a member of the IRGC. On 28 September, the Supreme Court’s verdict, which was confirmed ten days ago, was notified to the prisoner in Orumiyeh...