Iranian Kurdistan: At Least 86 Kurdish Civilians Detained
86 civilians have allegedly been detained in Bokan after a general strike.
Iranian securities forces have detained a large number of Kurds following a general strike on the 19th anniversary of the assassination of the Kurdish leader Dr. Abdulrhaman Ghassemlou. Since July 14 [2008], at least 86 Kurds have been detained in the city of Bokan. These individuals were later sent to prison in the cities of Uromieh and Miandoab. The Islamic Republic of Iran has also started a massive confiscation campaign of satellite TV dishes in the cities of Iranian Kurdistan. In the last two days, thousands of dishes have been confiscated by the Iranian security forces.
In addition, the security forces have padlocked hundreds of Kurdish shops in the cities of Piranshahr and Oshnavieh, thus deepening the existing economical distress in the Kurdish cities.
The Kurdish people in Iranian Kurdistan embarked on a general strike to condemn the state terror of Islamic Republic and, in particular, the assassination of the Kurdish leader Dr. Ghassemlou by the agents of the Islamic Republic on July 13, 1989.
Dr. Abdoulrahman Ghasemlou and his aides Abdollah Ghaderi Azar and Dr. Fazel Rasoul were assassinated by the agents of Iranian regime on July 13, 1989 while negotiating with representatives of the Islamic republic of Iran in Vienna, Austria. Dr. Ghasemlou was General-Secretary of Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (KDPI).
KDPI is concerned about the fate of the detainees. Given the Iranian regime’s past behaviour, we know that the detainees will be subject to severe torture and even face arbitrary execution. Therefore, we call upon the International Community to condemn the Iranian regime’s unjustified and violent response to the peaceful protests by the Kurdish people. We also call upon the International Community and human rights organisations to put pressure on the regime to release the detainees.
