18 Kurdish prisoners were executed in the prisons of the Islamic Republic of Iran in January 2023

Hengaw: January 31, 2023

In the first month of 2023, at least 18 Kurdish prisoners have been executed in Iranian prisons, which is equivalent to 30% of the total executions that have been carried out in Iran during this period.

Based on the statistics registered in the Statistics and Documents Center of the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, at least 18 Kurdish prisoners were executed during January this year, which is equivalent to one-third of the total execution of Kurdish citizens in 2022. Hengaw previously stated in a report that at least 52 Kurdish citizens were executed in 2022.

In January, 60 prisoners were executed in Iranian prisons, 18 of whom, or 30% of all citizens executed in Iran, were Kurdish prisoners.

Mohammad Mahdi Karami, a Kurdish political prisoner from Bijar who was arrested and sentenced to death during the popular resistance of Karaj city, was executed during this period.

It should be mentioned that 12 cases of Kurdish citizens who were executed were executed in prisons outside Kurdistan, including Karaj, Arak, and Bandar Abbas.

Referring to the statistics of ‌the Hengaw Organization, the execution of a Kurdish prisoner has been published in official sources, and the executions of 17 other prisoners have not been announced in governmental and judicial sources.

Separation by the charges

Political prisoners: 1 case equals 5.5% of all cases.
Prisoners accused of intentional murder: 5 cases, equal to 28% of all cases.
Prisoners accused of drug-related crimes: 12 cases, equal to 66.5% of all cases.

Separation by prisons

Karaj Central Prison: 8 cases
Kermanshah Central Prison: 2 cases
Selmas Central Prison: 2 cases
Arak Central Prison: 3 cases
Bandar Abbas Central Prison: 1 case
Ilam Central Prison: 1 case
Mako Central Prison: 1 case