Kurdistan Human Rights Network

More than 200 lawyers in Iran have issued a joint statement calling on the head of the country's judiciary to halt the executions of Pakhshan Azizi, Verisheh (Wirishe) Moradi and Sharifeh Mohammadi. In their statement, the lawyers emphasised that the right to life is the most fundamental human right and that executing such sentences not only contradicts Islamic, humanitarian and human rights principles, but also...

We, the undersigned organizations, call on the Iranian judiciary to revoke the death sentences of Pakhshan Azizi, Verisheh (Wirishe) Moradi, and others on death row. We demand fair trials and emphasize that the death penalty is an inhumane form of punishment and an outright breach of human rights that must be abolished from Iran’s legal system. On February 2, 2025, Pakhshan Azizi’s lawyers announced that...

Branch Nine of Iran’s Supreme Court has rejected a request for a judicial review in the case of Pakhshan Azizi, a Kurdish political prisoner sentenced to death, raising concerns that her execution could take place imminently. Amir Raeisian, Azizi’s lawyer, confirmed the ruling in an interview with the Sharq Daily, saying: “The court rejected our request for a retrial on the grounds that the objections...

Businesses in several Kurdish cities, including Sanandaj, Mahabad, Saqqez and Divandarreh, went on a general strike today following a call by Kurdish political parties in response to the death sentences issued against Pakhshan Azizi, Verisheh (Wirishe) Moradi and other Kurdish political prisoners. The strike was also reported in parts of market places in several other cities in Kurdistan. In a show of solidarity, 35 women political...

A group of Kurdish women activists staged a protest today in front of the governor's office in Kurdistan Province to denounce the confirmation of the death sentence against Kurdish political prisoner Pakhshan Azizi. The protesters demanded the immediate cancellation of the sentence and the release of all political and religious prisoners. During the rally, the activists held up pictures of Azizi and chanted slogans against...

A group of civil, human rights, political and media activists from Kurdistan have issued a statement calling for the immediate annulment of the death sentence imposed on Kurdish political prisoner Pakhshan Azizi and a review of her case. The signatories also demanded review of the cases of other death row prisoners in the country. The statement, entitled “Respect the Right to Life”, highlighted the widespread concern...

Branch 39 of Iran’s Supreme Court has upheld the death sentence issued against Kurdish political prisoner Pakhshan Azizi. Azizi's lawyer, Amir Raeisian, informed Sharq Daily of the decision today and criticised the court for ignoring critical evidence. "After Branch 26 of the [Islamic] Revolutionary Court of Tehran issued a death sentence against Ms Pakhshan Azizi, we filed an appeal. However, Branch 39 of the Supreme Court...

The Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) and 17 other human rights organisations have issued a joint statement condemning the death sentences handed down to Kurdish women activists Verisheh Moradi (Wirishe Moradi) and Pakhshan Azizi. The human rights groups criticised the Islamic Republic’s escalating executions, particularly targeting women and Kurds since the Women, Life, Freedom uprising, and highlighted the lack of fair trials and the use...

Pakhshan Azizi, a Kurdish political prisoner on death row, and Verisheh Moradi, a member of the East Kurdistan Free Women Society (KJAR) who faces charges of “armed insurrection” (baghi), have been sentenced to an additional six months’ imprisonment for "disturbing the prison order” in Evin Prison, the Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) has learned. The two political prisoners, who refused to attend the court session,...