According to the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Shia clergy forms the cornerstone of the Islamic government. Granting such broad authority to the Shia religious establishment has also enabled it to dominate and interfere in the religious affairs of other religious minorities. As a result, millions of Sunni citizens—particularly in Kurdistan, Sistan and Baluchestan, Golestan (the Turkmen Sahra), and parts of western Khorasan—are deprived of equal rights to religious freedom, participation in religious life, and representation in official institutions. Their religious affairs are placed under the supervision of state-created bodies such as the “Management of Grand Islamic Centers.”
From a judicial standpoint, an unlawful special court known as the “Special Court for the Clergy” has been established to prosecute religious scholars, including Sunni clerics. This court does not meet the definitions and recognized legal standards of an actual court under international human rights law.
Originally created to control dissident Shia clerics, the Special Court for the Clergy has now become a judicial arm of the security apparatus for suppressing independent and community-backed religious leaders in Kurdistan. It has been consistently criticized in human rights reports for violating fair trial principles, bringing vague and broad charges, and depriving defendants of fundamental rights.
According to Hana Human Rights Organization’s investigations, since the start of 2025, several Kurdish clerics have been arrested and prosecuted following fabricated scenarios by security agencies.
1. Mamosta Mohammad Khezrnezhad
- Age: 45
- Place of religious activity: City of Bukan
- Charges: “Corruption on Earth,” “Damaging the territorial integrity or independence of the country,” “Propaganda against the state”
- Sentence: Death penalty and 16 years imprisonment — issued by Branch 3 of Urmia Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Reza Najafzadeh
- Background of arrest: Detained during the “Woman, Life, Freedom” uprising (2022)
Mamosta Mohammad Khezrnezhad, a prominent Sunni Shafi’i scholar, became a target of severe judicial and security action for his outspoken support of justice and freedom. The issuance of both a death sentence and lengthy imprisonment—especially with its confirmation by the Supreme Court and conflicting reports on whether the sentence was revoked—has created an atmosphere of deep concern and uncertainty. This case is a clear example of the instrumental use of capital punishment to silence independent religious voices.
2. Mamosta Barzan Maleki
- Place of religious activity: Sheikhin Mosque – Sanandaj
- Charge: Propaganda against the state
- Sentence: One year imprisonment, permanent defrocking, lifetime ban from delivering sermons — issued by the Special Court for the Clergy in Hamedan
- Background: Multiple arrests, repeated summons, and prevention from traveling to Zahedan
Mamosta Barzan Maleki, Friday prayer leader and instructor of religious sciences, has repeatedly faced security pressure for delivering critical sermons and supporting the civil demands of the people of Kurdistan. His permanent defrocking and lifetime ban from sermon delivery are not only personal restrictions but deliberate acts aimed at removing religious authority and silencing critical voices in Sunni mosques.
3. Mamosta Ayat Gholami
- Place of religious activity: Mohammad al-Mustafa Mosque – Kermanshah (former prayer leader)
- Charges: Propaganda against the state, spreading falsehoods, disturbing public opinion
- Sentence: Two years imprisonment (one year to be served) — issued by the Special Court for the Clergy in Hamedan
- Background of pressure: Banned from religious activity since July 2024, arrested and temporarily released on bail of 7 billion IRR (~$14,000)
Mamosta Ayat Gholami, a Sunni cleric and well-known religious figure in Kermanshah, has been targeted for his critical stances, including condemning the execution of Mamosta Mohammad Khezrnezhad, opposing the killing of cross-border couriers (kolbars), and refusing to support state-run elections. His imprisonment and removal from religious duties form part of the state’s policy to fully control Sunni mosques.
4. Mamosta Saber Khodamoradi
- Place of religious activity: Sanandaj
- Charge: Propaganda against the state
- Sentence: 15 months imprisonment — issued by the Special Court for the Clergy in Hamedan (July 12, 2025)
Mamosta Saber Khodamoradi, an active preacher in Sanandaj, was prosecuted for expressing independent religious and social views. His trial in a court lacking both religious and legal authority to handle Sunni clerics’ cases is a clear example of religious discrimination and denial of a fair trial.
5. Mamosta Salam Mahmoudian
- Place of religious activity: Bivaran-e Sofla village – Sardasht
- Charges: Supporting the “Woman, Life, Freedom” uprising and protesting the killing of kolbars
- Actions against him: Repeated summons to the Special Court for the Clergy in Orumiyeh, threats, psychological pressure, and fabricated security cases
Mamosta Salam Mahmoudian, Friday prayer leader of Bivaran-e Salafi, has been repeatedly targeted for expressing solidarity with protesters and denouncing the killing of kolbars. These pressures are aimed at forcing him into silence and withdrawing from public engagement, in clear violation of religious freedom, freedom of expression, and the right to civic participation.
6. Mamosta Hassan Khezri
- Place of religious activity: Bivaran-e Olya village – Sardasht
- Charges: Supporting the “Woman, Life, Freedom” uprising and protesting the killing of kolbars
- Actions against him: Repeated summons to the Special Court for the Clergy in Orumiyeh, threats, psychological pressure, and fabricated security cases
Mamosta Hassan Khezri, Friday prayer leader of Bivaran-e Olya, like his counterpart in Bivaran-e Sofla, is being continuously prosecuted for supporting victims of kolbar killings and opposing discriminatory state policies. These actions form part of a broader strategy to remove religious leaders aligned with their local communities.
7. Mamosta Loghman Amini
- Place of religious activity: Chahar Yar-e Nabi Mosque – Sanandaj
- Charge: Not officially announced (arrested for political-religious reasons linked to critical activities)
- Previous sentence (June 2023): 11 years imprisonment, two years exile, permanent defrocking, and lifetime ban from sermon delivery (Special Court for the Clergy in Hamedan)
- Background of recent arrest: Detained on April 20, 2025, via a phone summons without a judicial warrant; held for 38 days; temporarily released on bail
Mamosta Loghman Amini, Friday prayer leader and religious sciences instructor in Sanandaj, is one of the most well-known Sunni clerics in Kurdistan. He has repeatedly been targeted for his critical views and support for the people’s civil demands. In his most recent detention—despite suffering from colon cancer—he was denied access to medical care and adequate nutrition. Preventing his release, even after official promises, and intensifying security pressures on him represent the deliberate use of medical deprivation as a tool against sick prisoners.
The examination of these cases demonstrates the coordination between security agencies and the Special Court for the Clergy in systematically suppressing independent Kurdish clerics, most of whom have supported the demands and rights of the people. Historically and theologically, the establishment of such a special court for prosecuting Sunni clerics has no precedent. From the perspective of international obligations, the actions of security agencies and the Special Court for the Clergy are in clear violation of Iran’s international commitments, particularly the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
The Hana Human Rights Organization expresses concern over the ongoing suppression of independent Kurdish clerics and calls for the urgent attention of relevant UN special rapporteurs on this matter