The Kurdish Human Rights Situation Report in August 2021
his is KMMK’s monthly report, August 2021, on the human rights situation in eastern Kurdistan. This report summarizes key human rights issues on events during July 2020, including executions, detentions, homocide, torture and suicide. Data is collected from several sources of KMMK, including direct reports.
This report does not include every issue and event. The absence of an issue is due to resource limitations, restriction to access to the country, the availability of information, and silencing independent voices, civil and human rights groups by the Iranian government.
In August 2021 Iranian government continued its disregard for basic human rights by discrimination, illegal detention of Kurdish citizens, torture and closing off any possibility of organized political activities that are not fully aligned with its propaganda.
Execution:
The policy of executions continued this month, with six people being executed by the Iranian government in the provinces of Kurdistan, the crimes of those executed being related to drugs and murder. “
The execution of “death row inmates” for drug offenses takes place at a time when, according to changes in the law, these prisoners are not to be executed and their death sentences are to be commuted to long prison sentences.
Terror and Enforced Disappearances:
That month, Musa Babakhani, a member of the leadership of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, was murdered by the Islamic Republic of Iran. One prisoner was killed during interrogation and another was killed during protests in Naghadeh. It should be noted that the four citizens of Kurdistan, Arsalan Yarahmadi, Jila Mustajer and Shahla Mohammadi, who have sought refuge in the South Kurdistan region, are threatened with assassination. One of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s plans to assassinate another member of the Kurdistan Democratic Party was also exposed and foiled.
Arrest and Detention
This month we have seen the continued arrest and detention of citizens in Urmia, Sanandaj, Krmashan, Mahabad, Khorramabad, Ilam, Hamedan and Lorestan. According to statistics gathered this month, 48 citizens, civil and political activists were arrested by the Iranian government. Most of the arrests were made without an arrest warrant. In most cases, the detention of these people was accompanied by beatings. It should be noted that 4 prisoners went on hunger strike this month.
Kolbar (worker) and worker:
Kolbar (Kurdish: کۆڵبەر) is a worker who is employed to carry goods across borders on his back. Most of the Kolbars live in Eastern Kurdistan and come from the poorest regions of the region. Kolbars are mostly considered illegal and have no insurance, pension plans and unions.
As always, the Kolbars were attacked directly by the Iranian armed forces. The “Iranian Revolutionary Guard Qods”, known as the terrorist group, and the Iranian border guards also directly attacked the Kolbers this month, killing 5 Kolbars and injuring 36 others.
In most cases, the Kolbars were the direct target of these forces and were killed by the Iranian military.
It should be noted that so far no institution in Iran and Kurdistan has taken constructive action in this regard and no one has been prosecuted for this crime.
Suicide and Immolation:
The number of citizen suicides is increasing and we have seen an increase in suicides by citizens, especially young people and women.
At least 6 people committed suicide in August 2021 and a further 6 people were killed. 2 of them were girls and under 18 years old.
Maine
Three people were killed and injured by landmines this month. One man was killed and two injured.
KMMK encourages the Kurdish people in East Kurdistan to practice their basic human rights and to report the discrimination and human rights violations by the Iranian regime to international institutions and the world.
Kurdistan Human Rights Association (KMMK) e. V.
