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...

Imprisoned Kurdish rapper Saman Yasin, who was arrested by Iranian security forces during anti-government protests in Tehran last September, has described in a new audio file the physical and psychological torture he has endured, including staged executions and the infliction of a nose injury, as a result of intense interrogation by security officers aimed at extracting forced "confessions". The message was recorded before Yasin was...

Iran today executed prisoners Rahman Ebrahimi, Kiyoumars Rezaei and Behrouz Rahmani on drug-related charges at Karaj's Ghezel Hesar Prison. The three prisoners were transferred to solitary confinement for execution on 22 August. Kiyoumars Rezaei and Rahman Ebrahimi were both from Kuhdasht, Lorestan Province, and were arrested about a decade ago and sentenced to death in a joint case related to drugs. Another co-defendant in their case, Moslem...

As part of the ongoing wave of arrests, five Kurdish civilians have been arrested in Oshnavieh, Mahabad, Kamyaran, and Piranshahr, on the eve of the anniversary of the government's killing of Jina Mahsa Amini and the Woman, Life, Freedom movement. The identities of these civilians are: Mobin Dahar, Samad Shaboyi, Amir Seyyedi, Afshin Saedi, and Moein Sharafian. On 17 August, security forces arrested a young man,...

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,...

Death row prisoner Shorash Morovvati was executed today on charges of "premeditated murder" in Sanandaj Central Prison in Kurdistan Province. On 1 October 2022, during the prisoners' protests in Sanandaj prison, Morovvati was tortured by prison guards and transferred to the Ministry of Intelligence detention centre. In July, after 10 months of interrogation and torture by the Ministry of Intelligence, he was returned to prison. On 14...

Iranian security forces have arrested five more Kurdish civilians as part of the recent wave of arrests of Kurdish civilians and activists in Mahabad, Marivan, Javanrud and Kamyaran on the eve of the anniversary of the Woman, Life, Freedom uprising. The identities of these civilians are: Amanj Khasteh, Zana Parvaneh, Moein Faghihi, Hesam Karami, and Sirvan Karami, the Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) has learned. On...

Kurdish political prisoner Towhid Darvish, who was arrested during last year's anti-government protests in Tabriz, East Azerbaijan Province, has attempted suicide in recent days to protest against being held in a state of uncertainty in the city prison. During his suicide attempt, part of his neck was cut with a sharp object. After being transferred to the prison infirmary and receiving medical treatment, he was...

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...