481
Iran
- The Iranian regime continued its crackdown on Kurdish political activity last week. In Mehabad, an Iranian court extended the detention of a Kurdish teacher, Hussein Hassanzada, who was accused of organizing anti-government demonstrations. Also, in Mehabad, Iranian security forces arrested a 23-year-old named Siawesh Rojkhoun for “cooperation with a Kurdish opposition party.” Meanwhile, a Tehran court sentenced a Kurdish citizen from Mehabad named Ahed Nokochian to five months in prison. According to the Kurdistan Human Rights Association (KMMK), Nokochian was arrested four months ago and subject to torture. Simultaneously, Urmia’s Islamic Revolutionary Court sentenced a Kurdish activist named Shanaz Sadiqi, who was initially arrested with her daughter by Iranian intelligence officers (Ettela’at), to 15 years in prison for “aiding a Kurdish opposition party.” Likewise, an Oshnavieh court sentenced a Kurdish environmental activist named Rashid Hassanzada to prison for “meetings and plans against the national security” on Sunday, while an appeals court in Piranshahr resentenced a Kurdish man named Wahid Saedi to two months in prison for political activism. Additionally, Iranian authorities arrested a Kurdish activist named Khalil Husseini for protesting the execution of two Kurds on social media and wounded another Kurd, Parsa Waisi, for an undisclosed reason. Moreover, Sanandaj’s Islamic Revolutionary Court sentenced a Kurdish activist named Foad Einaiati to 76 lashes for protesting Turkey’s October 2019 invasion of northeastern Syria, and a Bokan court sentenced a female Kurd named Fatima Dawand to five years in prison for organizing anti-government protests in August 2019. Finally, a Sardasht court sentenced a Kurdish citizen named Dara Rashidi to 10 years in prison for “membership of a Kurdish opposition party.”
- Iranian border guards ambushed a group of Kurdish border porters (Kolbars) near Baneh on Monday and wounded five. Two of the wounded were transferred to the town of Penjween in Iraqi Kurdistan to receive medical treatment. Also, in Baneh, an Iranian Revolutionary Court sentenced 10 Kurdish activists to 3 months in prison, 25 lashes, and a 25 million Iranian Rial (600USD) fine for protesting Iranian security forces’ killing of two Kolbars in 2018.
Iraq
- Turkey’s military incursion into Iraqi Kurdistan continued with more airstrikes and the deployment of additional troops in Erbil Governorate’s Bradost District last week. On Sunday, a Turkish airstrike killed two civilians near Bamarni in Duhok Governorate. The Kurdistan Region Parliament, holding its first session after summer recesses, responded by analyzing a report on the ongoing Turkish operation and its negative effects on the region, which include the deaths of 50 civilians by the Turkish military in their fight against the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), the evacuation of 504 villages, and tens of millions of dollars in property damages.
- The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) announced Iraqi Kurdistan’s airports will reopen to international passengers on August 1. The KRG’s decision follows the opening of Iraq’s airports to international travelers on July 23. Despite these developments, however, Iraqi Kurdistan remains affected by the coronavirus pandemic and its current numbers stand at 12,635 confirmed cases, 3,583 active cases, 496 deaths, and 8,556 recoveries.
- Iraqi security forces launched a raid on the outskirts of Kirkuk city and detained three ISIS (Da’esh) terrorists last week. Concurrently, another security campaign was initiated on Sunday to clear areas between Kirkuk and Diyala governorates that have seen recent upticks in Da’esh activity.
Syria
- Six civilians from the same household, including children, were killed when indirect fire hit Qarat-Wiran village on Monday. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) released a video of the attack in which the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) accused the Turkish forces and their jihadist proxies of the act.
- An IED explosion killed one Kurdish child and wounded four more in Afrin on Sunday. Also, in Afrin, an elderly Kurdish woman named Sabiha Sado was killed during infighting between Turkish-backed Islamists on Wednesday. Afrin has been plagued by insecurity since Turkey occupied it and unleashed thousands of jihadists in the region in March 2018.
- The Kurdish-led Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) recorded its first eight coronavirus cases last week. The AANES responded by announcing various restrictions and instituting quarantines in parts of Derek town where some of the cases were recorded.
Turkey
- On Monday a Turkish court in Ankara ruled against the release of the two jailed former co-chairs of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP). The Turkish government has detained Selahhatin Demirtaş and Figen Yüksekdağ since 2016 as part of its ongoing campaign of repression targeting domestic political opposition. The Ankara court accused Demirtas of “inciting people” by giving a speech in 2014 that accused the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) of supporting Da’esh’s attack on the Kurdish town of Kobane, Syria.
- Turkish authorities continued their crackdown on Kurdish political activity and detained a local councilor in Sanlıurfa (Urfa) Province’s Bozova District. Likewise, Turkish police arrested an HDP media consultant named Vedat Dag in Diyarbakir (Amed). The Turkish government has arrested thousands of HDP members since 2016, many of whom remain imprisoned.