Press Statement about the GHASSEMLOU MURDER : Known Terrorist Sahraroodi Accompanies Iranian Delegation to IPU

The known terrorist Mohammad Jafari Sahraroodi, who was responsible for the assassination of the Kurdish leader Dr. Abdul Rahman Ghassmlou, is accompanying Iran’s official delegation to the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) <http://www.ipu.org/english/home.htm>  in Geneva, which ends today October 9. Sahraroodi is currently the chief of staff and advisor to Ali Larijani, head of the Iranian Majlis (parliament).

Sahraroodi was a member of the Iranian delegation that was supposed to negotiate a peace treaty with the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (PDKI) and its leader at the time, Dr. Abdul Rahman Ghassmlou, in Vienna, Austria in the summer of 1989. But the Iranian delegation opened fire on the Kurdish delegation and killed Dr. Ghassmlou and the PDKI’s representative in Europe Abdullah Ghaderi Azar and Fazil Rassoul. The Iranian delegation consisted of Mohammed Jafar Sahraroodi, Hadji Moustafawi and Amir Mansur Bozorgian.

On the 13th of July 1989, in the very room where the negotiation took place, Dr. Ghassemlou was killed by three bullets fired at very close range. Ghaderi Azar was hit by eleven bullets and Rassoul by five. Hadji Moustafawi escaped the scene but Amir Mansur Bozorgian was arrested, but was released after 24 hours in police custody due to pressure from the Austrian government, he took refuge in the Iranian Embassy and later left Austria on a diplomatic passport. Mohammad Jafar Sahraroodi was accidentally shot by his fellow terrorists and was taken to hospital. After being questioned he was also released due to pressure from the Austrian government. Austrian police issued an international arrest warrant for the three Iranian terrorists on December 22, 1989, long after they had left the country. The arrest warrant, which is still valid today. could be used to arrest Sahraroodi during the IPU in Geneva. The

pesence of such terrorist criminal at the UN European headquarters in Geneva and his participation at the inter parliamentary conference is clear violation of all international laws and conventions.

The Kurdish Communauty on Swiss calls for his immediate arrest and for bringing him to trial by the Swiss government. This is a serous test for the Swiss government and whether it is admitting known murderers to the country.

Baban Eliassi

Pour la Communauté kurde iranienne en Suisse,

Baban ELIASSI
Sociologue
0041 (0) 76 404 57 46*
babaneliassi@gmail.com <mailto:babaneliassi@gmail.com>