For more of the latest Kurdish news, see these sources:
ANF English https://anfenglishmobile.com/
Al-Monitor https://www.al-monitor.com
CHRI https://www.iranhumanrights.org/
Esta https://esta.krd/en
HANA https://hana-hr.org/
Hawar News https://hawarnews.com/en/
Hengaw https://hengaw.net/en
HRANA https://www.en-hrana.org
Iran Human Rights https://iranhr.net/en/
KHRN http://kurdistanhumanrights.org/en
KMMK https://kmmk-ge.org/
Kurdistan Press Agency https://kurdpa.net/en
Kurdistan24 https://www.kurdistan24.net/en
Rudaw https://www.rudaw.net/english
NEWS
- Jina Mahsa Amini’s father threatened for family’s commemoration plans
- FM says Iraq starts relocating Iranian Kurdish fighters from Iran border
- Poet and Writer Habib Mousavi Sentenced to One Year in Prison
- PJAK: Handing over our weapons is out of the question
- Four citizens of Sanandaj were sentenced to death and 65 years in prison
- Security forces storm meeting of environmental group, arrest members
- Femicide: 14-year-old girl shot dead by cousin in Sarpol-e Zahab
- Iran arrests founders of Roznewbar Kurdistan Science Institute
- Jina Amini to be remembered at her grave
- Political organisations in Eastern Kurdistan call for a general strike on 16 September
- Iran journalist says was sexually assaulted during arrest
- Two female journalists sentenced to 3 years in prison
- Rising Suicides Among Children Under Eighteen; Linked to Economic Poverty and Social Issues
- Iran court summons 27 amnesty-released protesters
- Iranian authorities rearrest journalist Nazila Maroofian
- Iranian singer Yarrahi sent to prison
- Iran warns September deadline for Iraq to evacuate opposition groups will not be extended
- Over 2,000 hectares of forest burned in Iran’s Kurdistan province this year: Official
- 25 women killed in Iran during August
- The arrest and uncertain fate of Farzad Javid, an environmental activist hailing from Marivan
- Controversial headscarf law passed in Iran
- The Arrest and Abeyance of Child Rights Activist Ghazaleh Zare in Khorramabad
- Short film tells the story of the ‘Jin, Jiyan, Azadî’ rebellion
- Over 15 citizens detained in Mahabad and Oshnavieh by the Iranian forces
- Iran and US reach agreement over prisoners
OPINION, COMMENTARY, ANALYSIS
- Iran’s New Hijab Bill Stirs Controversy and Concern
- Tortured Protester Dies in Iranian Prison After Death Sentences Thrown Out
- Condemn mass arrests of Kurds in Iran ahead of protests anniversary
- Iran renews ultimatum for Iraq to disarm Kurdish opposition groups
- Arrests of Women Activists Escalate Across Iran Ahead of “Woman Life Freedom” Anniversary
- Statement on assassinations of Mousa Babakhani and Behrouz Rahimi
REPORTS
- The Death Penalty; Main Tool of Political Repression in the Year of Woman, Life, Freedom Movement
- The “Woman, Life, Freedom” Movement: A Report on the Human Rights Violations and Harsh Sanctions of Kurdish Protesters by the Islamic Republic of Iran (Rep. No. 1)
- Mahboubeh Roshandel 200th Woman Executed in Iran Since 2010
- Massacre in Kurdish City by Islamic Republic Forces Exposed in New Report
- The apprehension of 264 citizens by the government forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran transpired in August 2023
- Statistics of human rights situation in August 2023, in Iranian Kurdistan
- Surge in Executions of Prisoners in Iranian Prisons in August 2023
- August 2023: Human rights violations in Iranian Kurdistan
- Hengaw’s report on the arrest of 70 members of the plaintiffs’ families—four of them sentenced to imprisonment and flogging
- 4 kolbars injured in attacks by Iranian forces
———————
NEWS
- Jina Mahsa Amini’s father threatened for family’s commemoration plans
13 September 2023 | KHRN
Amjad Amini, the father of Jina Mahsa Amini, has been summoned and interrogated by the Ministry of Intelligence in Saqqez, Kurdistan Province, four times in the past two weeks.
- FM says Iraq starts relocating Iranian Kurdish fighters from Iran border
13 September 2023 | ESTA
Iraq has started relocating Iranian Kurdish groups from Iraq’s Kurdish region frontiers with Iran to camps far from the border as part of a security agreement between Baghdad and Tehran, Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein said on Tuesday.
- Poet and Writer Habib Mousavi Sentenced to One Year in Prison
12 September 2023 | HRANA
Habib Mousavi, a poet and writer, has been handed a one-year prison sentence by the Gorgan Criminal Court. Mousavi’s attorney, Ramezan Haji Mashhadi, was officially notified of his conviction for “disseminating false information on the Internet.”
https://www.en-hrana.org/poet-and-writer-habib-mousavi-sentenced-to-one-year-in-prison/
- PJAK: Handing over our weapons is out of the question
12 September 2023 | ANF
The deadline set by Iran for the Iraqi central government in Baghdad to disarm Kurdish groups in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq will expire next week. According to its co-chair, the Party for a Free Life in Kurdistan (PJAK) will vehemently defend itself against this.
https://anfenglishmobile.com/features/pjak-handing-over-our-weapons-is-out-of-the-question-69266
- Four citizens of Sanandaj were sentenced to death and 65 years in prison
12 September 2023 | HANA
During the last few days, the first branch of Sanandaj Revolutionary Court sentenced a citizen named “Yousef Ahmadi” to execution and three other citizens named “Mohammed Karimi”, “Baaset Karimi” and “Mohammad Feizi” on the charge of cooperation with opposition parties and the verdict of “Baghi”.
- Security forces storm meeting of environmental group, arrest members
11 September 2023 | KHRN
Security forces raided the annual meeting of the Chya the Green Organisation in the village of Nachi in Marivan, Kurdistan Province, on 10 September, arresting at least 25 members.
- Femicide: 14-year-old girl shot dead by cousin in Sarpol-e Zahab
11 September 2023 | KHRN
Mahya Naderi, a 14-year-old girl, was shot dead by her cousin with a hunting rifle in Sarpol-e Zahab, Kermanshah province. According to reports, the incident took place with the knowledge of Mahya’s father and was allegedly linked to her “romantic involvement with a boy and running away from home”.
- Iran arrests founders of Roznewbar Kurdistan Science Institute
10 September 2023 | ANF
The Iranian state closed the Roznewbar Kurdistan Science Institute, which has been providing Kurdish education for 6 years in the cities of Qorveh and Dehgolan in Rojhilat. The institute was closed on 3 September on the grounds of “promotion and recognition of the Kurdish language”.
- Jina Amini to be remembered at her grave
09 September 2023 | ANF
Kurdish woman Jina Mahsa Amini was arrested by the so-called morality police on 13 September 2022 during a family visit in the Iranian capital Tehran because she did not wear her hijab as prescribed. She was severely tortured and fell into a coma in custudy, and died on 16 September at the intensive care unit of Kasra Hospital in Tehran.
https://anfenglishmobile.com/kurdistan/jina-amini-to-be-remembered-at-her-grave-69223
- Political organisations in Eastern Kurdistan call for a general strike on 16 September
06 September 2023 | ANF
Parties and political movements from Rojhilat (Eastern Kurdistan/Western Iran) are calling for a general strike in Kurdistan on the first anniversary of the “Jin Jiyan Azadî” (Woman, Life, Freedom) resistance on 16 September.
- Iran journalist says was sexually assaulted during arrest
06 September 2023 | Al-Monitor
An Iranian journalist who interviewed the father of Mahsa Amini said she was sexually assaulted during her latest arrest and was now on hunger strike in prison, according to an audio message published Wednesday by several Persian media outlets and rights groups.
- Two female journalists sentenced to 3 years in prison
04 September 2023 | ANF
Defense lawyer Amir Raisian said that his client, journalist Elnaz Mohammadi, was acquitted in the trial where she was tried on the charge of “collaboration with the foreign government”.
- Rising Suicides Among Children Under Eighteen; Linked to Economic Poverty and Social Issues
02 September 2023 | Hengaw
The suicide rate among individuals under the age of 18 in the cities of Kurdistan has reached a concerning level. In just the past eighteen days of the previous month, there were at least 13 recorded cases of suicide in this age group.
- Iran court summons 27 amnesty-released protesters
01 September 2023 | KHRN
Branch One of the Islamic Revolutionary Court in Ilam, Ilam Province, has summoned 27 protesters from Abdanan, Ilam Province, who were previously arrested during last year’s anti-government protests in the city but released under an amnesty.
- Iranian authorities rearrest journalist Nazila Maroofian
31 August 2023 | ANF
Iranian authorities have arrested at least 95 journalists since September 2022, when the death in morality police custody of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini sparked nationwide protests. Iranian journalist Nazila Maroofian, 23, was arrested again on Wednesday, August 30, this time at her home in Tehran, IranWire reported.
- Iranian singer Yarrahi sent to prison
31 August 2023 | ANF
Iranian pop singer Mehdi Yarrahi, who was taken into custody on the instructions of the Tehran prosecutor’s office, was sent to prison. Yarrahi was taken into custody on Monday after he released a song called “Roosarito” (Your hijab) against the compulsory hijab.
https://anfenglishmobile.com/human-rights/iranian-singer-yarrahi-sent-to-prison-69068
- Iran warns September deadline for Iraq to evacuate opposition groups will not be extended
28 August 2023 | Rudaw
Iran on Monday ruled out an extension of a September deadline previously given to Iraq to disarm Kurdish opposition groups based in the Kurdistan Region and expel them from the border areas.
https://www.rudaw.net/english/middleeast/iran/28082023
- Over 2,000 hectares of forest burned in Iran’s Kurdistan province this year: Official
27 August 2023 | Rudaw
Over 2,000 hectares of forest have been burned as a result of forest fires in Iran’s Kurdistan province this year, a local official in the province said on Saturday, with rights groups criticizing the lack of government response.
https://www.rudaw.net/english/middleeast/iran/27082023
- 25 women killed in Iran during August
27 August 2023 | ANHA
Violence against women continues in Iran. Since the beginning of August alone at least 25 women have been killed in mysterious circumstances, where most of these suspicious deaths were recorded as “suicides”.
https://hawarnews.com/en/haber/25-women-killed-in-iran-during-august-h37687.html
- The arrest and uncertain fate of Farzad Javid, an environmental activist hailing from Marivan
25 August 2023 | Hengaw
For the last 11 days, Farzad Javid, an environmental activist and a member of the Chya Green Association of Marivan, has been detained by Iranian government forces in this city, and currently, there is no available information regarding his fate.
- Controversial headscarf law passed in Iran
23 August 2023 | ANF
About a year after the death of Jina Mahsa Amini, a commission of the Iranian parliament approved a tightening of the headscarf requirement. The new hijab law provides for even harsher penalties for violations. In the case of multiple violations, these include a fine of more than 5,000 euros, a ban on leaving the country and imprisonment of up to 15 years.
https://anfenglishmobile.com/women/controversial-headscarf-law-passed-in-iran-68922
- The Arrest and Abeyance of Child Rights Activist Ghazaleh Zare in Khorramabad
19 August 2023 | Hengaw
Ghazaleh Zare, an activist for the rights of working and homeless children residing in Khorramabad, was apprehended 26 days ago and is presently confined within the detention center of the Intelligence Department in this city.
- Short film tells the story of the ‘Jin, Jiyan, Azadî’ rebellion
19 August 2023 | ANF
A short film was made about the ìJin, Jiyan, Azadi’ rebellion that started in Iran and Rojhilat after a young Kurdish girl, Jîna Amini, was murdered while in custody of the “morality police” in Tehran, after being arrested on 16 September 2022.
- Over 15 citizens detained in Mahabad and Oshnavieh by the Iranian forces
15 August 2023 | Hengaw
More than 15 citizens from Mahabad and Oshnavieh were arrested by the Iranian authorities, including four young people from Mahabad, Sherko Nasiri, Hiwa Shebang, Ashkan Rasouli, and Hidayat Khasteh, as well as two people, Sherwan Khzri and Ayoub Mirzaei, from Oshnavieh…
- Iran and US reach agreement over prisoners
11 August 2023 | ANF
Iranian-American citizens Siamak Namazi, Emad Sharqi, Morad Tahbaz and another unnamed detainee left Evin prison on Thursday and were sent to house arrest. The release of another US detainee was reportedly part of the negotiations. The fifth detainee in the agreement had been placed under house arrest a few weeks ago.
https://anfenglishmobile.com/news/iran-and-us-reach-agreement-over-prisoners-68755
OPINION, COMMENTARY, ANALYSIS
- Iran’s New Hijab Bill Stirs Controversy and Concern
07 September 2023 | HRANA
A new report by Human Rights Activists (HRA) provides a comprehensive assessment of Iran’s controversial “Bill to Support the Family by Promoting the Culture of Chastity and Hijab.” The bill has sparked international concern over increased restrictions on women’s rights and personal freedoms.
https://www.hra-iran.org/en/uncategorized/irans-new-hijab-bill-stirs-controversy-and-concern
- Tortured Protester Dies in Iranian Prison After Death Sentences Thrown Out
01 September 2023 | CHRI
The death of Javad Roohi, aged 35, in Iranian state custody, following his arrest during anti-state protests and subsequent torture during interrogations, demands a comprehensive investigation by the independent UN Fact-Finding Mission in Iran and a strong response from the international community, the Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI) said today.
- Condemn mass arrests of Kurds in Iran ahead of protests anniversary
29 August 2023 | KHRN
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.
- Iran renews ultimatum for Iraq to disarm Kurdish opposition groups
28 August 2023 | Al-Monitor
Iran warned Monday that it would not extend a September deadline for Iraq to disarm and evacuate Iranian Kurdish opposition groups based in camps within Iraqi territory, calling their presence a “dark stain” on otherwise friendly relations and raising fears of further Iranian attacks.
- Arrests of Women Activists Escalate Across Iran Ahead of “Woman Life Freedom” Anniversary
21 August 2023 | CHRI
The recent detention of at least 22 activists in Iran in less than a month, the majority of them women, signals the onset of intensified state repression in anticipation of the approaching anniversary of Iran’s “Woman Life Freedom” protest movement, said the Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI).
- Statement on assassinations of Mousa Babakhani and Behrouz Rahimi
11 August 2023 | KHRN
The Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (KDPI) issued a statement on 8 August 2021 and said Mousa Babakhani, a member of the party’s central committee, was assassinated in Erbil, Kurdistan Region of Iraq. It blamed the Islamic Republic of Iran for the assassination of its senior member.
REPORTS
- The Death Penalty; Main Tool of Political Repression in the Year of Woman, Life, Freedom Movement
13 September 2023 | IHR
A new analysis by Iran Human Rights shows that in the year following the outbreak of the “Women, Life, Freedom” nationwide protests in Iran, Islamic Republic authorities have used the death penalty to instil societal fear in order to prevent further protests.
https://iranhr.net/en/articles/6198/
- The “Woman, Life, Freedom” Movement: A Report on the Human Rights Violations and Harsh Sanctions of Kurdish Protesters by the Islamic Republic of Iran (Rep. No. 1)
11 September 2023 | Hengaw
The Iranian authorities have subjected hundreds of Kurdish citizens to unfair trials and harsh sentences following the Woman, Life, Freedom Movement. The Hengaw Organization for Human Rights documented the legal proceedings against these citizens, who participated in or supported the movement, and verified the identities of approximately 202 detainees so far.
- Mahboubeh Roshandel 200th Woman Executed in Iran Since 2010
07 September 2023 | IHR
Of the 200 women executions recorded by Iran Human Rights since 2010, 94 were executed for drug-related charges, 90 for murder, four for “participating in immoral sexual acts and misusing drugs,” two for espionage and one for moharebeh (enmity against god). The charges against nine of the women are unknown.
https://iranhr.net/en/articles/6187/
- Massacre in Kurdish City by Islamic Republic Forces Exposed in New Report
04 September 2023 | CHRI
A new report just released by the CHRI and the KHRN 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 fall of 2022.
https://iranhumanrights.org/wp-content/uploads/Massacre-in-Javanrud-Iran-Violations-Report.pdf
- The apprehension of 264 citizens by the government forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran transpired in August 2023
02 September 2023 | Hengaw
Based on the statistics registered in the Statistics and Documents Centre of the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, in August 2023, government forces in Iran arrested at least 264 citizens, marking a 17% increase of 39 cases compared to July, when 225 citizens were detained.
- Statistics of human rights situation in August 2023, in Iranian Kurdistan
01 September 2023 | HANA
In August 2023, at least 101 Kurdish citizens were summoned and arrested, 6 people were executed, 23 Kolbers and businessmen were killed and injured, 9 workers were killed while working, at least 5 people committed suicide and 7 environmental activists were arrested.
- Surge in Executions of Prisoners in Iranian Prisons in August 2023
01 September 2023 | Hengaw
Over the past month, a minimum of 74 prisoners in the Islamic Republic of Iran have faced capital punishment executions, marking a 21% increase compared to July 2023, when 61 executions were recorded.
- August 2023: Human rights violations in Iranian Kurdistan
31 August 2023 | KHRN
The Kurdistan Human Rights Network’s (KHRN) recent investigations have revealed numerous cases of human rights violations against Kurdish civilians and activists from Iran in August 2023.
- Hengaw’s report on the arrest of 70 members of the plaintiffs’ families—four of them sentenced to imprisonment and flogging
31 August 2023 | Hengaw
According to the documents registered in the Statistics and Documents Center of Hengaw, since March 21, 2023 (5 months and 8 days equivalent to 163 days), at least 70 members of the petitioner families have been arrested by the Iranian security institutions, with Sanandaj with 24 cases at the top of this list, Piranshahr with 7 cases, and Isfahan with 5 cases coming after.
- 4 kolbars injured in attacks by Iranian forces
19 August 2023 | ANF
According to Kolbarnews, attacks by Iranian regime forces in the border regions of Bane and Nawsoud left 4 kolbars injured. On August 12, forces of the Iranian regime opened fire on a group of kolbars within the boundaries of the Kermanshah province…from the beginning of 2023 to 17 July, Kolbarnews registered 11 kolbars killed and 59 injured, for a total of 70 incidents.
https://anfenglishmobile.com/kurdistan/4-kolbars-injured-in-attacks-by-iranian-forces-68891