Empowering Voices for Justice
Explore the courageous journey of Behrooz Mohammedi, a Kurdish-Iranian activist fighting against oppression and advocating for justice through his powerful narratives and unwavering spirit.
Our Mission
Our Vision
Join us in amplifying the voices of those silenced by tyranny, as we share stories of resilience, resistance, and the relentless pursuit of justice for all oppressed communities.
Justice Denied, Voices Alive
Across Kurdistan and Iran, countless Kurds have been killed for demanding freedom, dignity, and basic human rights. Journalists, activists, and protesters have been executed, shot in the streets, or left to die in prison. Their only crime was speaking the truth.
This section remembers their names and their sacrifices — because every life taken is proof of the injustice we are fighting against. Their voices live on through our protests, our chants, and our resistance.
Shivan Qaderi
Killed: 9 July 2005 – Mahabad, Iran
Shivan was a well-known Kurdish activist and opposition supporter in Iran. He spoke openly against the oppression of Kurds and the lack of basic freedoms under the Iranian state. On 9 July 2005, Iranian security forces tracked him down in Mahabad and shot him dead while he was reportedly trying to escape arrest. His body was tied to a military vehicle and dragged through the streets — a deliberate act meant to terrify the Kurdish population. Shivan’s killing was not only an execution, but a public warning that the government would brutally silence anyone who dared to speak out.
( https://www.hrw.org/news/2005/08/10/iran-security-forces-kill-kurdish-protestors )
Sherko Moarefi
Executed: 4 November 2013 – Saqqez Prison, Iran
Sherko was a Kurdish political activist accused of being linked to opposition groups such as Komala. His activism challenged the state’s harsh treatment of Kurds, demanding equality and justice. Despite international campaigns to stop his execution, the Iranian government hanged him in secret at Saqqez prison in 2013. His family was given no prior notice, and his lawyer learned of the execution only after it was carried out. Sherko’s death was intended to make an example out of him — showing that Kurdish voices for justice would be met with the full cruelty of the state.
( https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/may/01/kurdish-activist-sherko-moarefi-facing-execution )
Farhad Salimi
Executed: January 2024 – Iran
Farhad was a Kurdish Sunni man who spent years in prison before being executed. His trial was shockingly short, lasting only minutes, and the evidence against him was based on a “confession” taken under torture. Human rights groups repeatedly warned that his sentence was unlawful, but the Iranian regime ignored every appeal. In January 2024, he was hanged in secret, and his family was denied the chance to say goodbye. Farhad’s death is a chilling example of how executions are used as weapons of fear against Kurds.
Pakhshan Azizi
Sentenced to Death: July 2024 – Tehran, Iran
Pakhshan is a Kurdish social worker and activist who dedicated her life to supporting vulnerable women and children. She was arrested in 2023, accused of “armed rebellion” — a common false charge used by the regime against Kurds. In July 2024, she was handed a death sentence despite having no evidence of violence against her. Pakhshan’s case shows how Kurdish women are doubly targeted: once for being Kurdish, and again for daring to stand up for human rights. Her sentencing is not only an attack on her, but a warning to every Kurdish woman who dreams of freedom.
( https://www.amnesty.org.uk/urgent-actions/kurdish-woman-activist-sentenced-death )
Reza Rasaei
Executed: 6 August 2024 – Kermanshah, Iran
Reza was a Kurdish protester and father who joined the “Woman, Life, Freedom” demonstrations after the killing of Mahsa Amini. He stood up against the brutality of the Iranian state and demanded a life of dignity for his people. In January 2023, he was arrested and accused of killing a Basij militia member during the protests. His trial was rushed, closed to the public, and built on a forced confession extracted under torture. Reza was secretly executed in Dizelabad Prison in August 2024. His body was not returned to his family. Reza’s death is a symbol of how the Iranian regime uses executions to crush the Kurdish voice of resistance.
Sumayya Rashidi
Killed: 2023 – Qarchak Prison, Tehran
Sumayya was a Kurdish political prisoner who died in custody inside the notorious Qarchak Prison. Known for its inhumane conditions, Qarchak is a place where women are subjected to overcrowding, torture, and neglect. Reports from inside the prison revealed that Sumayya had been denied medical treatment despite serious health problems. She died alone, abandoned by the very authorities meant to ensure her safety. Her death is part of a pattern — where Kurdish prisoners are not only jailed for their beliefs, but slowly killed through deliberate neglect.
( https://hawarnews.com/en/political-prisoner-passed-away-in-irans-qarchak-prison )
Ayoub Karimi
Executed: November 2023 – Iran
Ayoub was imprisoned for nearly 14 years before the Iranian authorities decided to end his life. In 2018 he was convicted on vague charges of “corruption on earth,” a term often used by the regime to silence political opponents. His trial lacked transparency, and his right to a proper defense was denied. In November 2023, he was executed without warning. Rights organisations condemned the act as a deliberate political killing, meant to remind Kurds that even after years behind bars, the regime can still take your life.
( https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-karimi-executed-coreced-confession/32707055.html )
Abbas Kurkuri (Mojahed Kurkur)
Executed: June 2025 – Sheiban Prison, Ahvaz
Abbas, also known as Mojahed Kurkur, was accused of taking part in the 2022 protests that spread across Iran after the killing of Mahsa Amini. He was branded as an “enemy of God” and charged with “spreading corruption on Earth.” These accusations are often used by the Iranian state to justify executions against protesters. His hanging was carried out suddenly in June 2025, without transparency, and his family was kept in the dark until it was too late. Abbas’s execution was not about justice — it was about sending a message of fear to every Kurdish protester.
Mohsen Shekari
Executed: 8 December 2022 – Tehran, Iran
Mohsen was among the first protesters to be executed in Iran after the Mahsa Amini protests began. He was accused of blocking a road and injuring a paramilitary officer during demonstrations. His trial lasted only weeks and offered no fair defense. His execution shocked the world, showing that the regime would answer peaceful chants with the noose. His name is remembered in every protest chant as one of the first lives taken by the regime in this uprising.
Mohammad Ghobadlou
Executed: 23 January 2024 – Raja’i Shahr Prison, Karaj
Mohammad was a young protester with bipolar disorder who took part in the 2022 uprising after Mahsa Amini’s death. He was arrested for allegedly driving his car into security forces during a demonstration. His trial ignored medical reports and was condemned as unfair by Amnesty International. Despite his disability, he was executed at just 23 years old. His killing showed the world how far Iran will go to crush the protest movement.
Javad Rouhi
Killed: 31 August 2023 – Custody in Nowshahr Prison, Iran
Javad was a Kurdish protester arrested during the nationwide demonstrations. Videos of him chanting “Woman, Life, Freedom” spread online, making him a target for the regime. He was tortured in prison, denied medical care, and eventually killed behind bars. Officials called it “sudden illness,” but rights groups confirmed it was torture and neglect. Javad’s death turned him into another martyr of the Kurdish protest movement.
Majidreza Rahnavard
Executed: 12 December 2022 – Mashhad, Iran
Majidreza, a young Kurdish protester, was arrested after taking part in demonstrations. He was accused of stabbing two Basij militia members, but his trial was rushed and based on coerced evidence. Less than a month after his arrest, he was publicly hanged from a crane in Mashhad to intimidate others. His public execution was a brutal message from the Iranian government: protest, and you will die.
