Kaboudvand’s Message from Prison: Support Autonomy for Kurdistan

02.02.2014 – Ava Homa – TORONTO, Canada – Mohammad Sediq Kaboudvand, 50, Secretary of Kurdish Human Rights Organization who has been in prison since 2007, sends a message to honour the anniversary of the establishment of the first Kurdistan republic.

January 22, 1946, known as 2 Rebandan among the Kurds, is the day the first Republic of Kurdistan was founded in the city of Mahabad by President Qazi Muhammad and others.

Also known as Republic of Mahabad, the autonomous Kurdistan lasted for 11 months before the Iranian army invaded the city and executed the leaders.

“Congratulations to the Kurds on the anniversary of the Kurdish autonomy,” writes Kaboudvand from Evin Prison of Tehran. “We continue to honour Qazi Muhammad and others who have struggled for democracy and an autonomous Kurdistan.”

“January 22 is a climax in the history of the Kurds because long before the establishment of Human Rights organizations, the Kurdistan republic was founded based upon peace and respect for human rights.”

The editor of Kurdish human rights publication has continued to send messages from prison to encourage “peaceful protest to the apartheid government of Iran.” Through his website http://kaboudwand.com/ , he also condemns the Oppositions of neglecting the rights of the Kurds.

Sentenced to eleven years imprisonment for his peaceful activities, Kaboudvand had to repeatedly go on hunger strikes because he was denied the basic rights of prisoners.

Nasrin Sotoudeh, Kaboudvand’s lawyer who was later imprisoned herself, told the reporters that Kaboudvand receives the worst treatment prisoners receive in Evin Prison. He was denied furlough to visit his ailing son until he went on a 60-day wet hunger strike. Amnesty and other human rights organizations several times called on Iran to release Mohammad Sediq Kaboudvand. His health has been in grave danger and his son suffers from a rare blood condition. At the British Press Award 2009, Kaboudvand was named the “international journalist of the year.” Kaboudvand has been in prison for 80 months and has been granted furlough only once in his 6th year and after a hunger strike and much international pressures. BasNes 3.2.2014