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A weekly brief of events occurred in the Kurdistan regions of Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey.
Iran
- Simultaneously with an intense crackdown on Kurdish activists and civilians in the Kurdistan Region of Iran, the regime has reinforced its presence on the Kurdish borders. Moreover, the security forces arrested at least 30 civilians upon their return from visiting the graves of fallen protesters from Senna, Dewalan, and Diwandara, including family members. In addition, two Kurdish activists, Farzad Karimi and Hemin Ahmadzadeh, have been sentenced to five years and 18 months in prison on charges related to recent anti-government protests. Further, regime forces have conducted arrests in various cities including Marivan, Ilam, Saqqez, Piranshahr, Senna, and Kamyaran. Among those detained are teachers, writers, athletes, and students. Additionally, the Iranian border guards have inflicted injuries upon seven Kurdish border porters (kolbar) near Nowsud and Baneh, further perpetuating the cycle of violence and suppression.
- A former Iranian lawmaker claimed “unwritten deal” between the US and Iran that involved pausing Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief. However, a US official has denied the existence of such an agreement, despite confirming ongoing talks with Iran facilitated by Oman. In a separate development, the US has granted Iraq’s request to release $2.76 billion in gas and electricity debt after receiving a sanction waiver. Meanwhile, Iran is seeking to access its frozen $7 billion held in South Korea since 2019 due to US sanctions.
Iraq
- After months of deliberations and political disagreements, the Iraqi House of Representatives passed the controversial three-year budget bill in the early hours of Monday. The bill, worth $153 billion and consisting of 69 articles, faced several interruptions and exchanges among political blocs, extending the process for 72 hours. One of the most significant points of contention centered around Kurdistan’s allocated budget, specifically article 14, which covers public salaries. Despite a previous agreement between Erbil and Baghdad, members of the finance committee with Iranian backing introduced amendments to the bill that imposed unconstitutional conditions on Kurdistan, particularly regarding the first disbursement of salaries. Moreover, the bill mandates that the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) hand over 400,000 barrels of oil to Baghdad. In the event of insufficient exports, the region is obligated to provide oil for domestic use in Iraq, raising logistical concerns. Additionally, the bill overlooks other Kurdish rights, such as the transfer of thousands of Kurdish teachers employed by the KRG in disputed territories to become federal employees. Although Kurdish parties had internal disagreements on various issues, they generally agreed (except for the New Generation party) on Baghdad providing compensation for the unpaid percentage of salaries that were cut during austerity measures from 2016 to 2021. However, both Shiite and Sunni parties rejected this proposal, preventing it from reaching a vote. In response to the budget law, Massud Barzani, the former president of Kurdistan and leader of the Democratic Party (KDP), expressed disappointment, accusing “some political parties” of making “irresponsible and unconstitutional” attempts to deepen problems and violate the legitimate rights of the Kurdish people. Barzani acknowledged the recent agreement between Baghdad and Erbil but criticized “certain parties” for undermining the entity of the Kurdistan Region. He emphasized that the existence of the Kurdistan Region is not “only a red line but also a line of death.”
Syria
- The international community’s ongoing normalization with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad continues unabated, as evidenced by its reinstatement to the Arab League in May. Recent reports indicate that the production and smuggling of the addictive amphetamine captagon in Syria have become central to the reconciliation efforts. The ramifications of this normalization raise several concerns, including the future of cross-border aid from Turkey to earthquake-affected regions predominantly inhabited by Kurds, as well as the Turkish military occupation in the northern part of Syria. This week witnessed notable diplomatic engagement between Iran and Syria, with foreign ministers from both countries holding discussions on June 11th. Furthermore, President al-Assad met with Ali Asghar Khaji, the Iranian Foreign Minister’s Senior Advisor for Special Political Affairs, in Damascus on June 12th to establish a joint strategy within the Astana process. Despite some opposition from Qatar, there has been limited regional resistance to the normalization process. However, on June 12th, the Netherlands and Canada filed applications to sue the Syrian regime for allegations of torture, cruel treatment, and arbitrary detention.
- On June 10th, the Kurdish-led Autonomous Administration in North and East Syria (AANES) made an announcement stating that it will undertake the trial of foreign ISIS (Da’esh) fighters in accordance with the laws of Northeast Syria, including the terrorism and relevant international laws. The decision came as a response to the capture of nearly 5,000 foreign militants, whose presence poses a significant security risk to the local population. Da’esh terrorists made several attempts to free imprisoned militants at al-Sina prison, resulting in more than 140 casualties. Despite the urgency of the situation, the home countries of these foreign fighters have shown reluctance to repatriate them, leaving the AANES with the responsibility of handling their trials. Moreover, the international community has failed to assume responsibility for establishing a tribune to address this pressing issue. The decision by the AANES to conduct the trials locally highlights the need for a swift resolution to the legal challenges posed by foreign Da’esh fighters.
Turkey
- On June 7th, the European Court of Human Rights rendered a verdict, finding Turkey guilty of violating the rights of imprisoned Kurdish politician Selahattin Demirtaş and his colleague Figen Yüsekdağ. Despite this ruling, Turkiyë has persisted in the unlawful detention of Kurdish politicians, including the Co-Mayors of the Patnos Municipality, who were arrested on June 9th, as well as the continued detention of MP Can Atalay. Furthermore, Turkish authorities arrested 16 civilians in Mus for participating in the funeral of a Kurdish activist who was killed in a terrorist attack in Paris last December. The People’s Democratic Party (HDP) issued a statement asserting that the government, through its implementation of a trustee policy since 2016, has consistently undermined the will of the people. The persistence of these detentions and infringements on fundamental freedoms undermines the principles of justice, democracy, and human rights.
- On June 6th, Sweden’s Supreme Court approved the extradition of a Turkish national who is lawfully residing in Turkey. While the official reason for the extradition is to serve the remaining sentence for a drug-related conviction for which the individual had received parole, there are suspicions that the extradition is politically motivated due to his public support for the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP). Simultaneously, discussions are taking place in the White House between the executive branch and Congress regarding Turkey’s request to purchase US F-16 jets. American lawmakers have rejected the request in the past, while President Joe Biden hinted that Turkey needs to approve Sweden’s NATO membership application as a precondition for receiving the requested jets.