Kurdistan Human Rights Association-Geneva Report Released; Arrests, Torture, Killings, and Executions of Kurdish Citizens Continue

The Kurdistan Human Rights Association-Geneva has published its latest report on human rights violations in Iranian Kurdistan. This 17-page report, in English, is organized into various sections and covers events from January 1 to May 22, 2023. It includes updated data and analyses regarding the human rights situation in Kurdistan, prepared for the attention of the UN Special Rapporteur, human rights organizations, media, governments, and public opinion regarding human rights in Iran. The report also addresses the suppression of recent protests in predominantly Kurdish provinces, which began following the death of Mahsa Amini. The death of this young girl, who was in the custody of Iran's morality police, led to nationwide protests. The report states that the government of Ebrahim Raisi continues its security approach towards Iranian Kurdistan and other ethnic and religious groups, similar to previous Islamic Republic administrations. Furthermore, harassment, imprisonment, torture, executions, and indiscriminate killings of Kolbars (border porters) are alarmingly high. This report specifically addresses recent crackdowns, executions, political prisoners, indiscriminate killings of Kolbars, and incidents caused by landmines affecting Kurdish civilians. The Kurdistan Human Rights Association-Geneva provides detailed data collected in various sections in Persian as an appendix to its annual report on human rights violations in Kurdistan. According to this association, Iranian officials refrain from providing accurate information regarding executions, landmines, Kolbars, and other issues that particularly affect members of ethnic and religious minorities. The report states that, for example, 86% of recent executions have not been announced by the government, and for this reason, the association gathers its insights through various methods such as interviews with victims' families and their lawyers, or contacting and obtaining information from institutions and organizations, local networks and groups, sources within government bodies, monitoring official government statements, or receiving information from unofficial news agencies. Regarding killed Kurdish protesters, the report states that since the beginning of protests in Kurdistan, from September 19, 2022, to May 23, 2023, the Kurdistan Human Rights Association-Geneva has identified at least 140 killed Kurdish protesters based on its research and field contacts. Among these deceased, 10 were women and 17 were under 18 years old, and 22 Kurdish citizens also died outside Kurdish provinces. Since the beginning of nationwide protests, at least 490 protesters have been killed, of which 445 were men and 45 were women. In this list, 145 deceased were Kurdish and 135 were Baluch. Additionally, 10 Kurdish protesters were killed under torture in Iranian prisons. In another section of the report, it is stated that from September 16, 2022, to May 23, 2024, at least 150 Kurdish protesters were severely injured due to direct fire from security forces. Among these, 15 were women, and many victims lost body parts, including their eyes. During this same period, 2,129 Kurdish protesters were arrested by Iranian security forces, of which at least 300 were women. Among the 490 killed in nationwide protests, 275 were Kurdish and Baluch citizens, making up over 56% of the deceased, while Kurds and Baluch account for about 20% of Iran's 85 million population. This statistic indicates the deadly repression of the Islamic Republic against ethnic minorities. According to data collected by the Kurdistan Human Rights Association-Geneva, from January 1 of this year to May 23, 2023, at least 319 prisoners, including eight women, have been executed in Iran. Among these, at least 102 were Kurdish and 58 were Baluch. Eighteen prisoners were executed on political and security charges, including seven Kurds, three Arabs, and one Baluch, with six being Afghan nationals. Statistics show that Kurdish and Baluch citizens constitute 50% of all executions in Iran, while they make up 20% of the country's 85 million population. Regarding political prisoners, based on data collected by the Kurdistan Human Rights Association-Geneva, from January 1 of this year to May 23, 2023, at least 490 Kurdish citizens, including 36 women and 29 religious leaders, were arrested, with at least 150 of them sentenced to long prison terms. Among this group, the imprisonment of 103 individuals is related to nationwide protests, accused of fabricated crimes such as 'propaganda against the regime,' 'acting against national security,' and 'membership in various groups.' Among the convicted are 15 women and three citizens under 18 years old. Therefore, the total number of citizens arrested by Iranian security forces, including those related to recent protests, is 2,129, with at least 300 of them being women. Kurdish political prisoners make up nearly half of all political prisoners in the country. The Kurdistan Human Rights Association-Geneva has received reports of extrajudicial executions of 23 border porters known as Kolbars from January 1 of this year to May 23, 2023, along with 59 others who were injured as Kolbars at the border. They were injured during events such as direct shootings by border guards or landmine explosions. Thus, the total incidents for Kolbars during this time period amount to 82.