Introduction
The Statistics Center of the Hana Human Rights Organization publishes its monthly report on the human rights situation in Kurdistan for January 2026. The data and information contained in this report have been collected through field investigations, interviews with victims of human rights violations and their families, as well as the review of documentation and information from informed sources, and have subsequently been verified by independent sources.
Although during January—coinciding with the killing of protesters on January 8 and 9—the internet in Iran was completely shut down for 16 days, making access to statistics and information nearly impossible, Hana made every effort to ensure that the collected information is as accurate and reliable as possible.
Accordingly, this report includes only those cases for which the Hana Organization has been able to verify the accuracy and credibility of the information.
Arbitrary Arrests
In January 2026, the Hana Statistics Center recorded 272 cases of arbitrary arrest of Kurdish citizens in various cities and villages across Kurdistan by security forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Based on the recorded data, the number of arrests in January 2026 shows a significant increase compared to January 2025. In January 2025, a total of 122 arrests were documented, whereas this figure rose to 272 in January 2026. This change represents an increase of approximately 123 percent in the number of arrests during the period under comparison, indicating a substantial escalation in the trend of arrests in January 2026.
Among those arrested are 16 women, 23 children, and 5 environmental activists.
According to the conducted investigations, most of these arrests were carried out without summonses or judicial warrants and occurred primarily in the provinces of Kermanshah and illam. The charges raised mainly include participation in recent protests, cooperation with Kurdish opposition parties, civil and labor activism, media activities, and the publication of content on social media platforms.
Right to Life and Unlawful Use of Force
During the protests this month, security forces used live ammunition against protesters, resulting in the killing of a large number of citizens. The Hana Human Rights Organization has so far verified the identities of 238 Kurdish citizens killed in various cities across Iran, among whom 24 were women and 23 were children.
These actions constitute a clear violation of the right to life and represent the disproportionate and unlawful use of force.
Right to Life and the Death Penalty
In January 2026, at least 10 Kurdish citizens were executed in various prisons across Iran. Among them, one individual was executed on charges related to drug offenses, and nine individuals were executed on charges of premeditated murder.
It should be noted that over the past year, a total of 205 Kurdish citizens have been executed in various prisons throughout Iran.
Overall Assessment of the Human Rights Situation in Kurdistan – January 2026
An examination of this month’s data indicates that the human rights situation in Kurdistan remains critical and unstable. Based on the collected information, a large number of citizens have been arrested by the security forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran in connection with the recent protests in Iran. These arrests have largely been carried out on a wide scale and without adherence to fair trial guarantees.
Furthermore, during the protests this month, security forces used live ammunition against protesters, resulting in the killing of many citizens. These actions constitute a clear violation of the right to life and the disproportionate and unlawful use of force.
Taken together, these events demonstrate a serious escalation in human rights violations and underscore the urgent need for accountability of those responsible, in accordance with the international obligations of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Hana Human Rights Organization
5 February 2026
Use of these statistics is permitted provided the source is cited.