Facebook Instagram Twitter

Search
Search

UNPO Welcomes the Acquittal of Soma Pourmohammadi, Arbitrarily Detained by the Iranian Authorities Since January 2023

This is a welcomed development as well as a reminder of the need to reinforce calls for the release of the remaining members of the Nojin Association.

The Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO) celebrates the Iranian Court of Appeal’s decision to acquit Soma Pourmohammadi, a prominent defender of Kurdish cultural and political rights, and member of the Nojin Cultural Association. This ruling represents a positive step toward judicial transparency in a country that has repeatedly been condemned by the international community for its treatment of human rights defenders, especially those belonging to ethnic or religious minorities.

The Nojin Cultural Association, whose Board of Directors Soma Pourmohammadi is a member of, has been promoting the rights of the Kurdish community with a special focus on the right to freely teach the Kurdish language. The Association also works to raise public awareness of the Iranian Government’s policies and attempts to eliminate Kurdish culture as well as their gross violations of the civil and political rights of the Kurdish community.

Over the course of 2022 and 2023, members of Nojin –namely, Idris Manbari, Serwe Pourmohammadi, Seywan Ebrahimi, and Soma Pourmohammadi– were arrested and tried on false accusations of “forming an illegal group” and “spreading propaganda against the regime”. Soma Pourmohammadi was unjustly detained for her peaceful activism, which focused on the promotion of the Kurdish language, culture, and identity in Iran.

Since 2012, the UNPO and our partner organisations, have been working tirelessly to raise awareness on the violation of civil and political rights of ethnic and religious minorities in Iran. Throughout 2022-2024 we have been making submissions to various UN mechanisms, including the OHCHR Working Group Against Arbitrary Detention, calling for the necessary pressure and scrutiny to be applied towards the Islamic Republic of Iran. Soma’s acquittal is a triumph for human rights defenders everywhere and a testament to the power of advocacy and solidarity on a global scale. However, this victory will not be complete until all Nojin Association members are acquitted and released.

The UNPO remains deeply concerned about the continued detention of the other members of the Nojin Association, and we reiterate our call for the Iranian Government to cease the persecution of peaceful activists who seek only to protect their cultural heritage.

As we celebrate Soma Pourmohammadi’s acquittal, we will continue our advocacy on behalf of all those who face unjust imprisonment for peacefully standing up for their rights.

Related news

Stay updated with the latest news

October 25, 2024

UNPO Celebrates the Release of 7 OLF Leaders, Arbitrarily Detained by Ethiopian State Authorities 4 Years Ago

October 24, 2024

UNPO and ANC Submit UPR report Highlighting Judicial Bias and Human Rights Violations Against Catalans

October 21, 2024

Transnational Repression: Reflecting on Kurdish Struggles and the Global State of Democracy – A paper by Dr. Ali Abdelzadeh

Scroll to Top
Subscribe to our Newsletter

By joining you accept receiving commercial communications from UNPO. You can retire your consent whenever you want in our privacy policy.

Dr Liam Saddington

Dr. Liam Saddington is a political and environmental geographer focused on the geopolitical impacts of climate change, particularly for small island states and the rising sea levels. His research on the UK’s evolving role in the South Pacific offers key insights into environmental degradation and displacement. He co-developed the Model UNPO, bringing conflict resolution and debates on human rights and environmental justice to UK schools. He serves as the academic advisor for the UNPO Youth Network and contributes to study sessions in partnership with the Council of Europe, contributing his expertise to global advocacy efforts.

Alexandra Gavilano

Alexandra Gavilano is an environmental scientist and climate justice decolonisation and democracy activist. With a focus on environmental protection, democratic decision-making, and personal and collective adaptation, Gavilano brings a wealth of experience in grassroots activism and advocacy to UNPO. As a climate and food justice activist, Gavilano has co-launched initiatives and associations that address social and ecological challenges. Her focus lies on system change for environmental protection, strengthening of democratic decision-making, and personal and collective deep adaptation. She serves as UNPO’s Sustainable Empowerment Campaign advisor.

Prof Francesco Palermo

Francesco Palermo is a professor of comparative constitutional law at the University of Verona and Director of the Institute for Comparative Federalism at Eurac Research in Bolzano/Bozen. He worked for the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities and was member and president of the Council of Europe’s Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities. From 2013 to 2018 he served as a non-party member of the Italian Senate, Member of the Scientific Committee of the Fundamental Rights Agency of the EU for the term 2018-2023 and Constitutional Adviser to the Council of Europe’s Congress of Local and Regional Autonomies since 2019. He has authored over 300 publications, including 11 monographs and 36 edited volumes. He serves as UNPO’s Democratic Pluralism advisor.

Dr Tenzin Dorjee

Tenzin Dorjee, also known as Tendor, is a Tibetan writer, activist, and scholar based in New York, specializing in nonviolent resistance and the intersection of religion, politics, and conflict. His work, including the book ‘The Tibetan Nonviolent Struggle’, reflects his deep commitment to human rights and political change. He combines academia and activism, with a strong academic background from Brown and Columbia, he has also led organizations like Students for a Free Tibet and the Tibet Action Institute.

Prof Fiona McConnell

Fiona McConnell is a Professor of Political Geography at the University of Oxford and a Tutorial Fellow in Geography at St Catherine’s College, Oxford. Her research, which began with a focus on the exiled Tibetan government, now explores governance beyond the state and the articulation of political legitimacy by marginalized communities. Since joining the UNPO in 2012, she has been instrumental in developing the Unrepresented Diplomats Training Program and the Model UNPO, and co-authored influential reports on compromised spaces. As a political geographer, Fiona’s research aims to develop new areas of thinking regarding governance beyond the state, and has been Awarded the Philip Leverhulme Prize and the Back Award. Fiona’s work continues to shape the discourse on self-determination and diplomacy.

Dr Michael van Walt van Praag

Dr. Michael van Walt van Praag is a distinguished international lawyer and expert in intra-state conflict resolution, known for his foundational role as the first General Secretary of the UNPO. In addition to his involvement with our organization, Dr. van Walt possesses extensive experience in facilitating peace processes and mediation, having facilitated peace talks throughout the world and lent his expertise as an advisor and consultant to governmental and non-governmental organizations engaged in such processes. He currently serves as executive president of Kreddha and is a Senior Fellow at the Sompong Sucharitkul Center. In 2020, he was awarded a knighthood by the King and the Dutch government for his exceptional global contributions to conflict resolution and the rights of oppressed peoples.

Putheany Kim

Putheany Kim, mostly known as Kim, is a dedicated young activist passionate about human rights and environmental justice. Inspired by her father and driven by her aspiration to become a human rights ambassador, Kim has committed herself to promote a more equitable and sustainable future. Her work emphasizes collaboration, as she has built strong alliances with organizations and fellow activists recognising the power of unity in effecting meaningful change.

Senator Paul Strauss

Paul Strauss, is an American politician and attorney serving as the senior United States shadow senator for the District of Columbia since 1997. As a member of the Democratic Party, he advocated for D.C. statehood and federal representation. Strauss, also a former chairperson of the District’s Board of Real Property Assessments and Appeals and a union organizer, is the principal of the Law Offices of Paul Strauss & Associates, P.C. He has been involved in various local and national political roles, including a significant role in the “51 Stars” campaign for D.C. statehood and international advocacy efforts. He has testified before the U.S. Senate, engaged with international bodies, and is an honorary member of the Global Committee for the Rule of Law.

Tammy Breedt

Tammy, born in Johannesburg, South Africa, is a dedicated politician and activist. She studied at the University of the Free State, where she was a student activist and served on the Student Representative Council. Tammy has been an active member of the Freedom Front Plus since 2006 and served in the Free State Legislature until 2019. After the 2019 General Elections, she became one of the first female Members of Parliament for the party, serving as the National Spokesperson on Agriculture, Environmental Affairs, Social Development, Women, and Youth. Currently the Deputy Chairperson of the party in the Free State, Tammy also leads the foreign relations and internationalization committee.

Elisenda Paluzie

Professor Elisenda Paluzie is a prominent economist at the University of Barcelona, where she served as Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Business from 2009 to 2017. She holds an MA in in International and Development Economics from Yale University and a PhD in Economics from the University of Barcelona. With research experience from the London School of Economics, CERAS-ENPC in Paris, and Tokyo University, her work focuses on regional and urban economics and international trade. She served as President of the Catalan National Assembly (ANC) from 2018 to 2022.

Rubina Greenwood

Dr. Rubina Greenwood is a prominent Sindh human rights advocate with more than 20 years of experience raising awareness on the human rights issues affecting the Sindh community in Pakistan. She is the President and founder of the International Sindhi Women’s Origination (ISWO) and President of the World Sindhi Congress (WSC). She has a Phd in Architecture from University of Glasgow and she is currently Director of Network Integration for the Network Rail Consulting.

Mercè Monje Cano

Mercè Monje Cano is a socio-cultural project manager and accomplished human rights advocate with over fifteen years of experience in advocacy, project management and strategic planning. Before her appointment as UNPO Secretary General, she had been serving as the Executive Director and Head of Programmes at the UNPO, where she also acted as the UN Representative. She has managed programmes, led numerous UN advocacy efforts, coordinate various human rights initiatives, and led trainings on advocacy techniques, showcasing her expertise in advancing the rights of minorities, indigenous peoples, and unrepresented groups.