Head of PDKI’s Foreign Relations addressed the UN

Posted by PDKI on November 28, 2012 – Loghman H. Ahmedi, Head of the PDKI’s Foreign Relations, addressed the Fifth UN Forum on Minority Issues, which was held on November 27 and 28 in Geneva. – In his speech Ahmedi welcomed the UN General Assembly’s adoption of a resolution on the human rights situation in Iran, but Ahmedi also underlined that the resolution should have also focused on the plight of the different nations in Iran. Below you can read a transcript of Ahmedi’s speech:

Thank you Madame Chair,

Let me begin by welcoming the UN General Assembly’s adoption of a resolution on the human rights situation in Iran, although we had whished that the resolution had focused on the plight of the different nations of Iran, due to the fact that they suffer the most in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Madame Chair,

We are alarmed by Iran’s continuous policy of oppression and widespread use of violence against political activists in Iranian Kurdistan and other regions of Iran populated by non-Persian nations. The Kurds, Arabs, Baloch’s, Turkmens, Azeri Turks and religious minorities like Jews, Christians, Baha’is, Yarsanis and Zorastrians are subjected to discrimination and violence at the hands of the security forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran on a daily basis.

We are also deeply concerned about the detention and imprisonment of an increasing number of activists and dissidents in Iran. Also alarming is the continued use of the death penalty, especially against Kurdish dissidents, and the constant threats against Kurdish, Balouch and Arab political activists, writers, journalists, filmmakers, labor activists and human rights defenders.

Furthermore, we are worried about the fate of tens of Kurdish political prisoners who have been sentenced to death. Many of them have been sentenced on charges of “Mohareb, which means “enemity against God”, for activities against the discriminatory and oppressive policies of the Islamic Republic of Iran against the Kurdish people.

We are also distressed over Iran’s continued use of article 188 of the countries penal code, which considers members, supporters and followers of any Kurdish political party as “Mufsed Fee Al Arz”, which means corrupt on earth, and “Mohareb”, who must be punished by execution.

Moreover we are deeply disturbed about reports that confirm that the health condition of the imprisoned head of the Kurdistan Human Rights Organization, Mr. Muhammad Sadigh Kaboudvand, has worsened and that the Islamic regime is refusing to give him necessary treatment.

The Islamic Republic of Iran should immediately and unconditionally release Mr. Kaboudvand and all the other human rights activists, women rights activists and defenders of the rights of the different nations in Iran. They have all been arrested in violation of Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which Iran is a signatory.

We also call upon the UN to put pressure on Iran in order to:

– End the ill-treatment and torture of women and children in Iranian prisons.

– End the widespread and arbitrary targeting of Kurdish, Baloch and Arab activists.

– Stop executing political prisoners and prisoners of conscience.

– Fulfill its obligations to Article 19 of the ICCPR by immediately and unconditionally releasing all those currently detained in Iran for peacefully exercising their right of freedom of expression.

Thank you madam Chair.