Iran’s Supreme Court has upheld a 16-month prison sentence against Osman Esmaeili, a labour activist and former political prisoner, the Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) has learned. Today, Esmaeili received a notice from Branch Two of the Enforcement of Judgements Office of the Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office in Saqqez, Kurdistan Province, ordering him to appear in court within ten days to begin serving his…
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Branch One of the Islamic Revolutionary Court in Sanandaj, Kurdistan Province, has sentenced Srwa Pour-Mohammadi and Edris Menbari, two members of the Nozhin Socio-Cultural Association, to ten years in prison. The activists were charged with “forming or participating in groups or associations with the aim of undermining national security”, the Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) has learned. The verdict was notified to the activists’ lawyers on…
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Branch Four of the Islamic Revolutionary Court in Kermanshah, Kermanshah Province, has sentenced environmental activist Yasser Nouri to four months in prison for allegedly engaging in “propaganda against the state”. Nouri’s trial took place in recent days and he was informed of the verdict today, the Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) has learned. Nouri, a former political prisoner and environmental activist from Javanrud, Kermanshah Province, was…
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Branch Nine of Iran’s Supreme Court has upheld a 62-month prison sentence, plus one day, for Kurdish writer and researcher Mozhgan Kavousi. Presiously, Branch One of the Islamic Revolutionary Court in Sari, Mazandaran Province, sentenced Kavousi to 39 months in prison on charges of “assembly and collusion against national security”, 15 months and one day in jail on charges of “insulting the supreme leader”, and…
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Kurdish political prisoner Nayeb Askari, who was previously sentenced to death in absentia by the Branch Two of the Islamic Revolutionary Court in Orumiyeh, West Azerbaijan Province, on charges of “armed insurrection” through membership of the Kurdistan Free Life Party (PJAK), has been sentenced to death again following a retrial request and several in-person court sessions at the same branch. The Kurdistan Human Rights Network…
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Saleh Nikbakht, the lawyer representing the family of Jina Mahsa Amini, has been sentenced to one year in prison and banned from social media for two years by Branch 28 of the Islamic Revolutionary Court in Tehran. The court, presided over by Judge Amouzad, convicted Nikbakht of the charge of “propaganda against the state”, the Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) has learned. Nikbakht’s lawyer, Ali Rezaei,…
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Branch Two of the Kermanshah Criminal Court One has sentenced Yarsani Kurdish civilian Reza (Gholamreza) Rasaei to death, payment of blood money, one year of imprisonment and 74 lashes. Rasaei was convicted of “participating in premeditated murder” of Nader Beyrami, the head of the Intelligence Organisation of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in Sahneh, Kermanshah Province, as well as “participating in the intentional infliction…
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Kurdish civil rights activist Edris Menbari, who is a member of the Nozhin Socio-Cultural Association in Sanandaj, Kurdistan Province, has been sentenced to one year in prison and 40 lashes on charges of “disturbing public order”. Menbari’s trial took place on 10 October, in absentia, with neither he nor his legal representatives present, at Branch 106 of the Sanandaj Criminal Court Two, presided over by…
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Kurdish political prisoner Sakine Parvaneh has been handed a sentence of seven years and six months by the Islamic Revolutionary Court in Mashhad, Razavi Khorasan Province. Parvaneh was convicted on charges of “propaganda against the state”, “assembly and collusion”, and “insulting the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran”. The political prisoner was recently transferred from the women’s ward of Mashhad Central Prison to Branch…
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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.