Hengaw's annual report: widespread human rights violations in Iran in 2024

Hengaw: Tuesday, December

 

The Hengaw Organization for Human Rights publishes a comprehensive report documenting the alarming extent of human rights violations in Iran throughout 2024. The report reveals a sharp increase in executions, arbitrary arrests, systematic violence, and other forms of abuse, underscoring a year of severe oppression.

 

Based on data compiled by the Hengaw’s Center for Statistics and Documentation:

            •          901 prisoners were executed.

            •          339 Kurdish kolbars were killed or injured.

            •          57 people were victims of landmine and explosive ordnance incidents.

            •          22 prisoners died in Iranian prisons.

            •          1,235 people with verified identities were arrested.

            •          33 political activists and protesters were sentenced to death.

            •          468 political activists were collectively sentenced to 1,682 years, 7 months, and 20 days of imprisonment, along with 94 years of suspended sentences and 2,547 lashes.

            •          At least 182 women were killed by family members due to domestic violence.

 

901 executed in 2024

901 executions carried out in various prisons across Iran during 2024. The identities of 852 individuals have been confirmed by the Hengaw.

Among those executed, 13 individuals were sentenced to death for political or religious activities or for alleged participating in “Woman, Life, Freedom” movement. Of these, 10 were Kurds

Demographics of executed prisoners:

            •          183 Kurdish prisoners (20.5% of the total)

            •          119 Turkish prisoners (13%)

            •          110 Baloch prisoners (12%)

            •          58 Lor prisoners

            •          30 Gilak prisoners

            •          73 Afghan prisoners

Additionally, 30 women and 5 individuals who were under the age of 18 at the time of commuting the crimes were executed.

Crimes leading to executions

The majority of death sentences were related to drug charges:

            •          Drug-related crimes: 472 cases (52% of all executions).

            •          Premeditated murder: 367 cases.

 

Prison conditions: Deaths in custody

According to data compiled by the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, at least 22 prisoners died in Iranian prisons during 2024. These deaths include:

            •          9 individuals who died due to torture, including 5 Kurdish prisoners, 2 Baloch prisoners, and 2 Turkish and Gilak prisoners.

            •          8 individuals who died from lack of access to medical care or delays in being transferred to medical facilities.

            •          5 individuals who died by suicide in custody.

Political prisoners among the deceased:

Of the total, 4 were political prisoners, including 3 Kurds and 1 Baloch.

Breakdown of other deceased prisoners

            •          6 individuals accused of common crimes.

            •          2 individuals accused of theft.

            •          4 individuals accused of premeditated murder.

            •          5 individuals accused of drug-related crimes.

            •          1 individual accused of kidnapping.

Notably, Barzin Hamzehzadeh, a 16-year-old from Sardasht, and Mehran Karami, a Kurdish man from Takab, were arrested during the “Woman, Life, Freedom” movement who died under torture.

Ethnic/national Breakdown

            •          41% (9 individuals) were Kurdish prisoners.

            •          6 were Baloch prisoners.

            •          4 were Turkish prisoners.

            •          2 were Gilak prisoners.

For one prisoner who died in Tehran, detailed information is unavailable, and the case was only reported by state media.

 

Arbitrary arrests: 1,235 cases recorded

In 2024, at least 1,235 individuals were arrested or abducted by security forces, with their full identities verified by the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights.

Of the total cases of arrests, 630 were Kurds (51%), 200 Balochs (16.5%), 113 Turks, 39 Gilaks, 38 Lors, and 26 Arabs.

Additionally, 45 children and teenagers under the age of 18 were arrested, including:

            •          21 Balochs

          •          20 Kurds

            •          2 Lors

            •          2 Turks

Among the detainees were:

            •          137 women

            •          34 teachers and university professors

            •          31 students

            •          37 media activists

            •          28 artists

            •          38 members of justice-seeking families

Religious activists:

127 religious activists were identified among the detainees:

            •          76 Sunni Muslims, the majority of whom are Kurdish or Baloch.

            •          27 Baha’i adherents

            •          10 Christian converts

            •          3 Yarsan adherents

Other detainees include followers of the Gonabadi Sufi order and the Yamani movement.

 

Victims of landmine and explosive ordnance incidents in 2024

In 2024, at least 57 individuals in Iran fell victim to landmine and explosive ordnance incidents. These explosives include remnants of the Iran-Iraq war and mines planted by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

Casualties overview

            •          19 individuals lost their lives.

            •          38 individuals were injured or suffered amputations.

Details of the victims

            •          23 victims were Kurds.

            •          17 victims were Afghan nationals.

            •          The majority of victims included 15 civilians and 16 Kurdish kolbars and Baloch sukhtbars (fuel carriers).

            •          6 members of the Iranian armed forces were also victims of landmine explosions.

Among the victims were:

            •          5 children

            •          4 women

These accounted for 15.8% of the total victims.

This data highlights the ongoing risks posed by landmines in Iran, particularly in border and underdeveloped regions.

Harsh Sentences for political, civil, and religious activists

In 2024, at least 506 political, religious, and civil activists were prosecuted and sentenced by the judiciary of the Islamic Republic of Iran to punishments including execution, imprisonment, and flogging.

Death sentences

            •          38 individuals were sentenced to death, with the sentences of 5 individuals overturned in appellate courts.

            •          Among the 33 individuals still facing execution:

            •          11 are Kurds,

            •          2 are Turks,

            •          4 are Balochs,

            •          2 are Arabs.

Three female prisoners, Pakhshan Azizi, Varisheh Moradi, and Sharifeh Mohammadi, were also sentenced to death. Although Sharifeh Mohammadi’s sentence was overturned, the other two remain at risk of execution.

Additionally, 468 political, religious, and civil activists were sentenced to imprisonment, flogging, and social restrictions.

Over 30% of the convicted individuals (153 people) were Kurds, while 132 others were from other ethnic/national and religious minorities, including Turks, Balochs, Arabs, Lurs, and Gilaks.

The highest number of religious convictions involved 41 Baha’i adherents.

These activists were collectively sentenced to:

            •     1,684 years, 8 months, and 20 days of imprisonment

            •          1,385 lashes

            •          16 years of suspended imprisonment.

Among those convicted were 5 minors, who were sentenced to imprisonment and flogging.

134 women were sentenced to execution, imprisonment, or flogging, constituting 26.5% of all convicted individuals.

 

Kurdish Kolbar casualties: 339 killed and injured

Violence against kolbars (cross-border couriers) significantly increased in 2024:

            •          57 kolbars and traders were killed.

            •          282 kolbars were injured.

Causes of casualties

            •          81% of the victims (42 killed and 231 injured) were targeted by direct gunfire from armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

            •          The remaining cases resulted from landmine explosions, avalanches, hypothermia, and other natural incidents.

Additional details

            •          A 15-year-old kolbar lost his life, and 18 child kolbars were injured.

            •          The highest number of victims was recorded in Kurdistan (Sanandaj- Sine) Province with 157 cases, followed by Kermanshah (Kirmaşan) Province with 150 cases.

 

182 Women Killed in Iran in 2024

At least 182 women were murdered in Iran during 2024. Of these, 28 cases (15.5%) were motivated by so-called “honor” reasons.

Provinces with the highest femicide rates

            •          Tehran: 46 cases

            •          Fars: 15 cases

            •          East Azerbaijan: 13 cases

            •          Razavi Khorasan: 12 cases

            •          Ilam: 9 cases

Most of these femicides were committed by closest relatives to the victims, including husbands, ex-husbands, fathers, brothers, and other family members.

 

Human Rights Situation in 2024

Hengaw’s report on the systematic human rights violations in Iran during 2024 presents a shocking image of the human rights crisis in the country. The significant increase in executions, arbitrary arrests, and the intensification of violence against vulnerable groups, including women, kolbars, and civil activists, are just a fraction of this crisis.

In addition, national, ethnic, sexual, gender, and religious discrimination, along with the severe repression of political and civil activists, reflect the lack of justice and freedom of expression in Iran.

This situation underscores the urgent need for immediate action by the international community and human rights organizations. The Hengaw Organization for Human Rights stresses that the international community must intensify pressure, grounded in the principles of “Responsibility to Protect,” to halt these widespread violations.

 

Femicide and the policies of the Islamic Republic of Iran

The policies of the Islamic Republic of Iran towards women reflect a systematic violation of the rights of women and sexual and gender minorities. These policies include:

 • The devaluation of women’s lives in all political and social dimensions.

 • Femicide is a simple act with no consequences.

 • Misogynistic and honor-based motives, instead of being condemned, are reinforced under this state.

The Islamic Republic of Iran not only perpetuates violence through its policies but also suppresses meaningful change by targeting and arresting activists who work to expose such abuses. Hengaw warns that the numbers of femicide are significantly higher than what is reported in the media. Moreover, the absence of reliable data on political and social violence against sexual and gender minorities in Iran remains a pressing concern.

Hengaw urges the international community and the people of Iran to strongly oppose the normalization of violence against women and sexual and gender minorities. The organization stresses the importance of supporting activists who confront and reveal these violations. Hengaw calls for decisive and effective measures from the international community and human rights organizations to end this alarming situation and ensure the full protection of the human rights for women and minorities.