Since yesterday, the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) continue to be present at Azadi Square in Kermanshah and Sananda where protesters have gathered after the Ukrainian passenger jet was shot down by IRGC. Eyewitnesses in the Sanandaj and Kermanshah have told the Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) that security equipped with water spray vehicles had been present at Azadi (Iqbal) Square in Sanandaj and Azadi…
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Althought the Iranian security forces had urged the families of casualties of the November protests not to hold mourning ceremonies, Kurdish civilians held a mourning ceremony for Mina Sheikhi in the city of Saqqez and five other victims killed in the city of Marivan, local sources told the Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN). “On 26 December, the family of Mina Sheikhi and a group of…
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Iranian security forces and riot police have been widely deployed to Saqqez, Bukan, Marivan, Sanandaj, Javanrood, Kermanshah, and Ilam on the 40th day of the nationwide killing of protesters on 16 November, a source told the Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN). Some of these cities are only witnessing the special forces of the police. However, in cities such as Marivan, Kermanshah, and Javanrood, both the police…
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Kurdish civil society and environmental activist Simko Maroufi from Bukan was sentenced to two years in prison on charges of “disturbing public order” by participating in a rally condemning the Turkish army’s attack on the Kurdish-led Democratic Autonomous Administration in the north and east of Syria, known as Rojava. The hearing of the charges against Simko Maroufi was held at Branch 4 of the Bukan…
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The security forces in Kermanshah, Javanrood, Ravansar, and Marivan have visited a number of families of those killed in the November protests offering registering their dead beloved ones as martyrs of the Islamic Republic, a source told the Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN). According to statistics compiled by KHRN, at least 24 Kurdish civilians have so far been confirmed dead in the cities of Javanrood, Kermanshah,…
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Three Kurdish civilians Saed Banafshi, Ibrahim Hossein Nejad and Nafeh Minayi detained during the November protests in the cities of Sanandaj and Saqqez were released on bail on 12 December, a source told the Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN). Ibrahim Hossein Nejad and Nafeh Minayi arrested during the recent protests in the city of Saqqez, were released on 10 December after completing their interrogation on…
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Azeri social media activist Hossein Habibvand detained during the November protests in Orumiyeh was released from Orumiyeh Central Prison on 10 December on a bail of 50 million tomans, a source told the Kurdish Human Rights Network (KHRN). Hossein Habibvand was transferred to the Orumiyeh prison after several days of interrogation at the detention centre of one of the Orumiyeh Intelligence Bureau offices. During the past few days,…
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Two of the detainees of the November protests in Orumiyeh, Parviz Naseri and Mansour Zinalali Zadeh, were transferred to the central prison of the city, a source told the Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN). Parviz Naseri, a resident of the Islamabad neighborhood of Orumiyeh, was arrested by the Intelligence Service agents about nine days ago upon a temporary arrest warrant issued by a prosecutor. Mansour Zeinali Zadeh, Another civilian of…
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Mojgan Kavoosi, a Kurdish writer and cultural activist of Kelardasht, remains detained for further interrogation following a temporary arrest warrant issued by the Intelligence Unit of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in Sari, a local source told the Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN). Kavoosi was arrested on 18 November by the Intelligence Department of IRGC at her home in Noshahr of Mazandaran Province. Ever since, she…
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In its monthly reports, the Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) highlights cases of human rights violations in Kurdistan and violations of the rights of Kurdish civilians in different regions and cities across Iran.
This report includes all cases recorded and reported by KHRN from across Iran through its own sources and verification mechanisms from 1 March to 31 March.
The restrictive environment for independent human rights organisations in Iran, coupled with the pressures faced by individuals subjected to human rights violations and their families, make it difficult to publish accurate and comprehensive reports.
It is therefore important to note that the statistics and information presented in this report do not cover all cases of human rights violations. This report is the result of examining news and reports published by the KHRN and fact-checking of reports published by other human rights organisations and news websites.
Executions
According to KHRN’s findings, Iran executed at least four prisoner in March for “premeditated murder”.
Two of the prisoners were executed in Mahabad Prison, in West Azerbaijan Province, and two in Ilam Central Prison.
*Explanation: The KHRN, recognizing the fundamental right to life, publishes and records news and execution statistics without regard to the ethnic background of individuals and the location of the execution. All cases reported to the organisation by credible sources are published after thorough fact-checking.
Femicide
In the first half of March, three women were killed by their male family members in Orumiyeh and Kermanshah.
Landmine explosions
In March, landmine explosions resulted in injuries to four people, including two kolbars, in Mehran in Ilam Province, Paveh in Kermanshah Province, and Marivan in Kurdistan Province.
Kolbars and tradesmen
In March, at least five kolbars were shot dead by Iranian border guards, two died of frostbite, two died as a result of falling from the border heights, one was tortured to death by Iranian security forces, one died of a heart attack, one died in a road accident and another died as a result of the overturning of a car chased by police.
A total of 60 kolbars were injured during this period. Of these, 38 were shot by Iranian border guards, nine fell from heights at the border, four were injured in landmine explosions, three were beaten by border guards, two were beaten by Iraqi border guards, two were injured in road accidents, one was injured by stones thrown by border guards, and one was injured in a car that fell from heights at the border.
The identities of three of the kolbars injured in falls from border heights remain unknown and are therefore not included in the table in this report.
Detentions and arrests
Throughout March, Iranian forces arrested at least 20 civilians, including a child and two artists.
At least four of the detained civilians were sent to prisons in Marivan, Saqqez, Naqadeh, and Ilam to serve prison sentences.
Sentences
In the past month, Iranian courts have sentenced at least four people to punishments ranging from three months to 13 years in prison.
Security forces wound two young men
On 21 March, security forces attacked a group of young people in Kermanshah, Kermanshah Province, for playing music and having fun. As a result of the forces’ shooting, two Kurdish youths, Mohammad Ahmadian and Arman Basiri, were seriously injured in the leg.
The incident took place in the Eastern Park near the historical site of Tagh-e Bostan.