Kurdistan Human Rights Network

The Ministry of Intelligence arrested Hazhar Mahmoudi, the manager of the Shnoyakam Instagram page, along with four collaborators, after summoning them in Oshnavieh, West Azerbaijan Province, on 20 May. The detainees, including photographer Delshad Shadab, presenters Baset Ghaderzadeh and Zaher Hajipour, and Kurdish language teacher Sami Mahmoudi-Aghdam, were taken to an undisclosed location. The arrests are reportedly linked to the recent Newroz celebrations, which have come...

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...

The fate of Bardin (Hamzeh) Jafari, a Kurdish artist from Gilan-e Gharb, Kermanshah Province, who was arrested four days ago without official charges, remains unknown. The Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) has learned that Jafari was arrested during a raid on his home in Gilan-e Gharb on 3 May by armed officers of the Intelligence Organisation the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The artist was arrested...

Kurdish civilians Mohsen Ghader-Rash and Omid Ghadernezhad were arrested after they were summoned by the Intelligence Organisation of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in Miandoab, West Azerbaijan Province, on 17 April. The duo were arrested for taking part in the Newroz (also known as Nowruz in Persian) celebrations and taken to Miandoab Prison, the Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) has learned. Security institutions, including the...

Security forces arrested Kurdish civilians Kamran Badbrout and Faraj Arsan on 3 April and took them to an undisclosed location for their participation in the Newroz (also known as Nowruz in Persian) celebrations in Malekshahi, Ilam Province. The Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) has learned that security forces raided the duo's home in Malekshahi and arrested them without a warrant. Thousands of people attended the Newroz...

Thousands of people attended today's Newroz (also known as Nowruz in Persian) celebrations in Gilan-e Gharb, Kermanshah Province, despite challenges and threats by security forces to prevent the event. After a group of civil and cultural rights activists in Gilan-e Gharb announced plans to hold a Newroz celebration on 21 March, security forces recently pressured and threatened the organisers to cancel the event. The Kurdistan Human...

Iranian security forces have detained six Kurdish civilians in Oshnavieh, West Azerbaijan province, on 10 April and taken them to the detention facility of the Ministry of Intelligence in the city. The names of these civilians are Saman Rasoulzadeh, Sanan Rasoulzadeh, Ashkan Shikak, Reza Eslamdoust, Sina Ghaderzadeh, and Diako Khalili. Reportedly, security forces raided the civilians' houses and detained them without presenting an arrest warrant. The Ministry...

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...

Iranian security forces have arrested dozens of Kurdish civilians and activists during and after the annual Newroz (also Nowruz in Persian) celebrations in Kurdistan in the past few weeks. The security agencies of the Islamic Republic of Iran have summoned and interrogated dozens and warned them against holding Newroz celebrations in public. The Intelligence Organisation of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the Ministry of Intelligence,...