Masoud Kurdpour

Masoud Kurdpour

He is a journalist and the editor-in-chief of the Mukrian News Agency, which specializes in news related to Kurdistan and human rights in this province. He has been summoned, arrested, and sentenced t prison several times for his activities. He was also arrested during the national uprising in reaction to Mahsa Amini's murder.

  • <coverage-outsourcing id='4068'> He was arrested by security forces in his residence in Bukan and transferred to the Bukan Intelligence Ministry office. After completing the initial interrogation process he was transferred to Bukan Central Prison. </coverage-outsourcing>
  • <coverage-outsourcing id='4069'> He was transferred to Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court. His charge was announced as "Propagating against the system by speaking and interviewing with foreign media". He was not given the right to an attorney during this period. </coverage-outsourcing>
  • <coverage-outsourcing id='4070'> He was sentenced to one year in prison </coverage-outsourcing>
  • <coverage-outsourcing id='4071'> The defendant was released after serving his one year sentence. The Committee to Review Administrative Violations in Western Azerbaijan ruled that after his 21.5 year tenure as a teacher, he was to commit to early retirement due to his teaching of human rights in prison. </coverage-outsourcing>
  • <coverage-outsourcing id='4058'> <reference source='https://tavaana.org/fa/content/%D8%A8%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%AF%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%86-%DA%A9%D8%B1%D8%AF%D9%BE%D9%88%D8%B1%D8%9B-%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%88%DB%8C%D8%A7%D9%86-%DA%A9%D8%B1%D8%AF%D8%B3%D8%AA%D8%A7%D9%86'> He was arrested while visiting the Mahabad Intelligence Ministry office. He was there to check in on the status of his brother, Khosro Kordpour, who had been arrested two days prior in his residence. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
  • <coverage-outsourcing id='4059'> <reference source='https://tavaana.org/fa/content/%D8%A8%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%AF%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%86-%DA%A9%D8%B1%D8%AF%D9%BE%D9%88%D8%B1%D8%9B-%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%88%DB%8C%D8%A7%D9%86-%DA%A9%D8%B1%D8%AF%D8%B3%D8%AA%D8%A7%D9%86'> The defendant was transferred from the Mahabad Intelligence Ministry to the Urmia Intelligence Ministry's lock-up with his brother. During his incarceration in solitary confinement in Mahabad he lost 20 kilograms of weight. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
  • <coverage-outsourcing id='4065'> Masoud Kurdpour and his brother were allowed to visit with their family separately for 15 minutes at the Urmia Intelligence Ministry lockup. During their time in solitary they were denied visits and phone calls. </coverage-outsourcing>
  • <coverage-outsourcing id='4060'> He was transferred to Mahabad Central Prison along with his brother. </coverage-outsourcing>
  • <coverage-outsourcing id='36556'> <reference source='https://tavaana.org/fa/content/%D8%A8%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%AF%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%86-%DA%A9%D8%B1%D8%AF%D9%BE%D9%88%D8%B1%D8%9B-%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%88%DB%8C%D8%A7%D9%86-%DA%A9%D8%B1%D8%AF%D8%B3%D8%AA%D8%A7%D9%86'> He was arraigned by Branch 2 of Mahabad's Revolutionary Court without having an attorney present. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
  • <coverage-outsourcing id='4061'> <reference source='https://tavaana.org/fa/content/%D8%A8%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%AF%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%86-%DA%A9%D8%B1%D8%AF%D9%BE%D9%88%D8%B1%D8%9B-%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%88%DB%8C%D8%A7%D9%86-%DA%A9%D8%B1%D8%AF%D8%B3%D8%AA%D8%A7%D9%86'> The first trial session for Khosro and Massoud Kordpour was held in Branch 1 of Mahabad's Revolutionary Court presided by Judge Javadikia while the Kordpour brothers were transferred to the courthouse in shackles. His charges were "Assembly and collusion against national security" , "Publishing falsehood" and " Insulting the Supreme Leader." </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
  • <coverage-outsourcing id='36557'> During the appeal court session, the brothers said all their activities were journalistic in nature and they have not committed any crimes. Later, the appeal court of West Azarbaijan confirmed their conviction on assembly and collusion to act against national security verbatim and cleared them of the charge of propaganda against the state. Based on the final verdict, Khosrow Kurdpour was sentenced to five years in prison in exile and also exile to Kerman, and Masoud Kurdpour was sentenced to three years in prison. </coverage-outsourcing>
  • <coverage-outsourcing id='4067'> Six members of the Iranian Parliament, from the mainly conservative faction, penned a letter to the President requesting his review of the case against the Kordpour brothers. In this letter the President was asked to help ensure justice was served in the case. The letter was signed by Abed Fatahi of Urmia, Mohammad Ghasim Osmani of Bukan, Abdolkarim Hosseinzadeh of Naghadeh and Oshnovie, Hamed Ghader Marzi of Ghorveh and Dehgolan, Omid Karimian of Marivan and Salar Moradi of Sanandaj, Kamyaran, and Divan Dareh. </coverage-outsourcing>
  • <coverage-outsourcing id='4064'> <reference source='https://tavaana.org/fa/content/%D8%A8%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%AF%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%86-%DA%A9%D8%B1%D8%AF%D9%BE%D9%88%D8%B1%D8%9B-%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%88%DB%8C%D8%A7%D9%86-%DA%A9%D8%B1%D8%AF%D8%B3%D8%AA%D8%A7%D9%86'> The sentences of the Kurpour brothers were communicated. According to the ruling of Judge Javadikia at the first branch of the revolutionary court of Mahabad, Khosrow Kurdpour was sentenced to five years in prison for assembly and collusion to act against national security and one year in prison for propaganda against the state. The ruling states that Khosrow Kurdpour must be exiled to Tabriz for the duration of his prison sentence. He was also sentenced to exile in Kerman for two years. Masoud Kurdpour was sentenced to three years in prison for assembly and collusion to act against national security and was cleared of the charge of insulting the leader. They were also accused of spreading corruption on earth during the research phase but it seems they have either been cleared of it or have not been prosecuted for it. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
  • <coverage-outsourcing id='4062'> The second trial session for the Kordpour brothers began. </coverage-outsourcing>
  • <coverage-outsourcing id='4066'> The Austrian organization Sudwind announced the Kordpour brothers as the recipients of their international RAHA award for their human rights' work </coverage-outsourcing>
  • <coverage-outsourcing id='4072'> He was transferred to Bukan Prison </coverage-outsourcing>
  • <coverage-outsourcing id='4974'> He was released from prison </coverage-outsourcing>
  • <coverage-outsourcing id='43097'> <reference source='https://twitter.com/hra_news/status/1572545865503440896?s=20&t=1QtkDKuUXeb4WmZvfyEC5w'> According to HRANA, Masoud Kurdpour and his brother Khosrow Kurdpour were arrested by the security forces in Bukan. They were arrested during the nationwide uprising in reaction to Mahsa Amini's murder. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
  • <coverage-outsourcing id='43251'> <reference source='https://ifj-farsi.org/?p=8359'> The International Journalists Federation released a statement addressing the Iranian officials asking them to end the incarceration of journalists and allow free access to the internet. the federation's secretary general said: > We ask the Iranian authorities not to use the national uprising as an excuse to crack down on media. Every Iranian citizen deserves to know what is going on. He also demanded for journalists be released. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
  • <coverage-outsourcing id='43255'> <reference source='https://mukriannewsagency.com/?p=4531'> Mukrian reported that since his arrest Mr. Kurdpour has had no contact with his family. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
  • <coverage-outsourcing id='43253'> <reference source='https://cpj.org/2022/09/names-of-journalists-arrested-in-irans-anti-state-protests/'> The Committee to Protect Journalists released the names of 40 journalists who were arrested at the same time as the national protests in reaction to Mahsa Amini's murder. The international organization demanded the immediate and unconditional release of all reporters who were arrested for reporting on Mahsa Amini's death and the resulting protests. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
  • <coverage-outsourcing id='43099'> <reference source='https://ifj-farsi.org/?p=8618'> The International Federation of Journalists reported that Masoud Kurdpour is still incarcerated and Khosrow Kurdpour has been released. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
  • <coverage-outsourcing id='43262'> <reference source='https://t.me/kashowra/14047'> He went on a hunger strike. It was reported by the Teachers' Coordination Council that he is in the Urmia Intelligence Ministry lockup and has not had any contact with family in 10 days. IranWire reported that Mr. Kurdpour was earlier able to have a brief family visit in the presence of his interrogators. According to the source, he was initially held in solitary and in terrible condition for the first few days, and later he was moved to public cells. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
  • <coverage-outsourcing id='45278'> <reference source='https://www.hra-news.org/2022/hranews/a-38070/'> His trial for the charges of disrupting public order and propaganda against the state was held via video conference. At the end of the session, his attorney announced that they have put up the bail and demanded Mr. Kurdpour's release. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
  • <coverage-outsourcing id='46861'> <reference source='https://t.me/tehran_association_journalists/961'> The Telegram channel of the Journalists Guild of Tehran province reported that there are 35 medical activists currently under arrest across the country. According to the report, based on unofficial and official consensus, the number of arrested journalists is about 70, and some have been released on bail. The report states that a significant number of journalists have been summoned and interrogated during the wave of arrests after the national uprising in 2022. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
  • <coverage-outsourcing id='46862'> <reference source='https://t.me/tehran_association_journalists/980'> The committee following up on arrested journalists reported that 23 more journalists are still in custody. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
  • <coverage-outsourcing id='46860'> <reference source='https://kurdpa.net/fa/news/2023/02/15'> The first branch of the revolutionary court of Bukan sentenced him to nine months in prison for propaganda against the state and eight months in prison for disrupting public order (Article 134: Nine months enforceable). He was transferred from Miandoab Prison to Bukan Prison. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
  • <coverage-outsourcing id='47514'> <reference source='https://kurdpa.net/fa/news/2023/02/53'> He was released from prison. On February 5th, 2023, the Islamic Republic's Judiciary issued a memo that announced the beginning of the process of releasing some of the protesters arrested during the 2022 national uprising. According to the judiciary's Mizan website, and latest comments made by the spokesperson for the judiciary, this "pardon" is in honor of the anniversary of the Islamic Revolution and contingent on the prisoners expressing regret; The pardon is not extended to cases with charges such as "connection to dissident groups", and "destruction of public property". However, many of the released prisoners have posted videos and notes saying they never requested a pardon and never expressed regret. There are even videos of female activists taking off their hijab and chanting against the Islamic Republic in front of the prison moments after their release. The release of prisoners being called a pardon has caused massive reaction online and some activists on social media and human rights organizations consider it a PR stunt to repair some of the damage to Ali Khamenei's image. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>