Kurdistan Human Rights Network

Security forces in Sanandaj detained Kurdish civilian Zana Manbari at his workplace on February 20, 2024 without presenting a court order. His family and colleagues are currently unaware of his whereabouts, Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) has learnt from its sources. Manbari is the nephew of Peyman Manbari, a protester killed by security forces in Sanandaj during the "Women, Life, Freedom" protests. The precise charges against...

The 2023 Sakharov human rights prize was awarded to Jina Mahsa Amini and the Jin Jiyan Azadi (Women Life Freedom) Movement at a ceremony in the European Parliament today. As Iranian security forces prevented the Amini family from leaving the country, Saleh Nikbakht, the family's lawyer, attended the ceremony on their behalf. Mozhgan Eftekhari, Jina Mahsa Amini's mother, conveyed her message at the ceremony through Mr...

Amjad Amini, the father of Jina Mahsa Amini, the posthumous winner of the 2023 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, issued a statement on 9 December revealing that the recent travel ban imposed on him and his family was ordered by the Ministry of Intelligence. On 8 December, security forces at Tehran's Emam Khomeini Airport prevented the Amini family from travelling to France to attend...

Joint explanation of the Kurdistan Human Rights Network (Network) and the "Abdorrahman Boroumand Center for Human Rights in Iran (ABC): This case is a part of the collaborative documentation of the Kurdistan Human Rights Network and the Abdorrahman Boroumand Center. The Kurdistan Human Rights Network intends to gradually document cases of extrajudicial executions of Kurdish citizens and activists. For this purpose, the network has...

On the anniversary of the death of Mohsen Gheysari, one of the victims of the Jin, Jiyan, Azadi (Woman, Life, Freedom) uprising in Ilam, Ilam Province, at least four civilians, Mohammad Hossein Gheysari (Mohsen's brother), Ali Shirkhani, Mahmoud Sadeghi, and his daughter Hedi Sadeghi, were beaten and arrested by security forces following a memorial service in Ilam on 21 September. Mohammad Hossein Gheysari and Mahmoud...

Iranian security forces continue to prevent commemorations marking the anniversary of the government's killing of civilians during last year's Jin Jiyan Azadi (Woman Life Freedom in Kurdish) uprising. The first anniversary of the killing of at least 17 civilians was disrupted on 21 September as security and military forces maintained a heavy presence in Ilam, Kermanshah, Eslamabad-e Gharb, Quchan, Divandarreh, Qazvin, Shahriar, Varamin and Karaj. The...

Reports from Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) sources indicate that the Islamic Republic of Iran's military-security forces continue to maintain their presence with light and semi-heavy weapons at the entrances to Saqqez, Kurdistan Province, and Bukan, West Azerbaijan Province, closely monitoring the movements of civilians. In both cities, these security forces and special police units remain prominently positioned in the streets and main squares. In addition,...

A year ago, Mahsa Jina Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish Iranian woman, died in the custody of the morality police after being arrested over alleged “improper” hijab in Tehran. Her death ignited a wave of national protests that further challenged the Islamic Republic’s autocratic rule and exposed its human rights violations, including systematic violation of women’s rights. Her death inspired a powerful slogan, that originated...

Widespread general strike On 16 September 2023, coinciding with the first anniversary of Iran's killing of Jina Mahsa Amini and the beginning of the Jin Jiyan Azadi (Woman, Life, Freedom) uprising, many cities in Kurdistan commenced their day with a widespread general strike. This general strike had been called for by Kurdish opposition parties and had garnered support from activists and civilians in Kurdistan. The Kurdistan Human...