Kurdistan Human Rights Network

Intentional Killing of Unarmed Civilians Amounts to Crimes Against Humanity September 5, 2023 – A new report just released by the Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) and the Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI) reveals shocking state violence by Islamic Republic security forces against unarmed civilians in the predominantly Kurdish city of Javanrud, which occurred during the protests that shook Iran in the...

Iranian security forces today arrested Jina Mahsa Amini's uncle Safa Aeli in Saqqez, Kurdistan Province and took him to an undisclosed location, the Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) has learned. Aeli was arrested without a court warrant at 13:00 local time as he was returning home when security forces raided his house. During the search, the forces confiscated some of his personal belongings and identification documents...

The first court session of Saleh Nikbakht, the lawyer representing the family of Jina Mahsa Amini, took place on 29 August in Branch 28 of the Islamic Revolutionary Court in Tehran on charges of "propaganda activities against the state". Judge Amouzad asked Nikbakht questions about a formal complaint filed by the Ministry of Intelligence, supported by an indictment issued by the Tehran Public and Revolutionary...

As the anniversary of the murder of Jina Mahsa Amini by the government and the beginning of the Woman, Life, Freedom uprising approaches, the security institutions of the Islamic Republic of Iran are carrying out widespread arrests of civilians, activists and the families of those who lost their lives in the uprising throughout Iran, particularly in Kurdish regions. At the same time, many shopkeepers and...

Abdollah Aboubakri, the father of Zanyar Aboubakri, one of the victims of the anti-government protests in Mahabad, West Azerbaijan Province, was detained and threatened for several hours today after being summoned to the Ministry of Intelligence office in the city. Aboubakri was released after signing a written undertaking not to take part in any events during the upcoming anniversary of the Woman, Life, Freedom uprising,...

Iranian security forces today arrested Sharmin Habibi, the spouse of Fereydoun Mahmoudi, one of the victims of the Woman, Life, Freedom uprising in Saqqez, Kurdistan Province. Following her arrest as part of the recent crackdown on Kurdish civilians and activists, security forces took Habibi to an undisclosed location. On 21 August, security forces attempted to arrest Habibi at the home of Fereydoun Mahmoudi's mother in Saqqez,...

The trial of Saleh Nikbakht, the lawyer representing the family of Jina Mahsa Amini, which was scheduled to take place on 1 August and postponed for administrative reasons, has been rescheduled for 29 August at Branch 28 of the Islamic Revolutionary Court in Tehran, the Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) has learned. An informed source who spoke to the KHRN said that "Mr Nikbakht is...

Security forces arrested Kurdish civilians Hossein Mahmoudpour, Hamzeh Ghanei, Omar Hosseinzadeh, Hedi Abdolbakht, and Najmaddin Eisazadeh in Oshnavieh and Piranshahr in West Azerbaijan Province in recent days, taking them to undisclosed locations. The arrests are part of a recent wave of arrests of Kurdish activists and civilians ahead of the anniversary of the Woman, Life, Freedom uprising. The Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) has learned that...

The Intelligence Organisation of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) arrested Reza Babrnezhad, the brother of Mehdi Babrnezhad, who was killed during the Woman, Life, Freedom uprising in Quchan, Razavi Khorasan Province. Babrnezhad was arrested without a warrant after IRGC intelligence agents raided his house on 11 August. During the raid, security forces reportedly broke windows and confiscated Babrnezhad's personal belongings. The charges brought against Babrnezhad and...