Pakhshan Azizi, an Iranian Kurdish civil activist, has been sentenced to death, according to reports that circulated on social media on July 24, 2024. Azizi’s death sentence has triggered a wave of protests in the Kurdish-majority regions of Iran, particularly in the cities of Sanaa, Saqiz, and Sardasht. Alongside Azizi, Varisha Moradi, another ethnic Kurdish woman, also faces a similar fate, intensifying the public outcry.
The Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) has confirmed the arrest of several individuals involved in the protests against the death sentences. Six individuals were detained in Sanaa, while three others were taken into custody in Saqiz and Sardasht by the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence. These arrests followed a series of peaceful strikes organized by six Kurdish political parties aimed at preventing the executions of Azizi and Moradi.
The strikes, which were meant to be a peaceful form of civil disobedience, faced a strong response from Iranian security forces. Market representatives were reportedly threatened, shops were sealed, and authorities took various measures to suppress the protests in an attempt to maintain order in the region.
The growing unrest and arrests highlight the ongoing tension between the Kurdish population and the Iranian government, especially in regard to issues of ethnic and political freedom. As the situation unfolds, the international community continues to monitor the human rights implications of the ongoing crackdown on these peaceful demonstrations.
