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May 30, 2025 – Kurdish/Iraq –
In a report dated May 30, 2025, the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights detailed escalating threats and judicial harassment against Kurdish journalists Keyhan Mohammadi-Nejad and Sina Ghasemizadeh. Both journalists, originally from Urmia and currently based in Erbil, Iraq, have been targeted by Iranian security agencies, notably the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), for their human rights advocacy and reporting.
The IRGC has intensified efforts to silence these journalists by summoning, interrogating, and verbally abusing their relatives in Iran. This tactic aims to pressure Mohammadi-Nejad and Ghasemizadeh into ceasing their activities. Additionally, legal proceedings have been initiated against them on charges such as “propaganda against the state,” “insulting religious sanctities,” and “actions against national security”—common allegations used to suppress dissent in Iran.
Both journalists have been active in the “Jin, Jiyan, Azadi” (Woman, Life, Freedom) movement, managing prominent news platforms focused on Urmia and collaborating with Kurdish-language and international media outlets. Their work, particularly in documenting state violence and promoting civil rights, has drawn significant attention and scrutiny from Iranian authorities.
Recent developments include explicit threats sent via social media and private messages from accounts linked to Iranian security agencies, warning of “physical elimination” should they continue their work. These threats have caused deep concern among their families and highlight the grave risks faced by journalists and human rights defenders operating in exile.
Hengaw unequivocally condemns all acts of intimidation, harassment, and threats against its collaborators and independent journalists by the Islamic Republic of Iran. The organization urges international human rights institutions and press freedom organizations to monitor the situation of Mohammadi-Nejad and Ghasemizadeh closely, and to extend protective measures and support by international human rights standards.
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