Oct 06, 2016

Iranian Kurdistan: Local Activists Condemn Oppressive Practices of Iranian Authorities


Large-scale protests in the cities of Mariwan and Mahabad were organized by Kurdish activists as anger against the Iranian regime’s policies of arbitrary arrests and executions have increased in recent weeks and months. The protests [4 October 2016] took place after Iranian authorities raided numerous houses in Mahabad, detaining leading Kurdish civil rights activists with no justification.

The article below is courtesy of ARA news

Hundreds of Kurds took to the street in western Iran on Tuesday to protest against what they called the “oppressive practices” of Iranian authorities.  Activists organised protests in the cities of Mariwan and Mahabad in Iranian Kurdistan. Dewran Rida, a Kurdish rights activist told ARA News: “The [protests’] main goal was to break the silence and express our outrage about the arbitrary arrests and mass executions in Iran.”

Tuesday’s protests came just one day after the Iranian security forces raided a number of houses in Mahabad and its countryside, and arrested dozens of Kurdish activists. “Iranian forces stormed houses in Mahabad city and the village of Qere Gul, and arrested dozens of civilian activists. This has raised the people’s outrage,” Kurdish political activist Halmand Mihemendi told ARA News. “We took to the street today to express our condemnation to such suppressive practices.”

According to Mihemedi, who has previously been arrested by Iranian paramilitary forces, most of the arrestees are being tortured regardless of the charge.  “And a majority of those detained by the authorities are being executed. This has been taking place in Iran on a daily basis,” he said.

Speaking to ARA News, Mihammed Salih Qadiri, a member of the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran (KDP-I), said: “The Iranian regime always tries to export its problems, accusing the opposition forces of being backed by foreign countries. However, we stress that so far there has been no foreign support for the Kurdish people in Iran.” Qadiri said that it would be better for the West to support the “nations inside Iran” rather than making deals with the Iranian government. “The Iranian regime is a threat for all of the Middle East, and the West should understand this,” he said.

Clashes first erupted between Kurdish Peshmerga and Iranian Revolutionary Guards on June 15. They have continued unabated.

Photo Courtesy of ARA News