Iran
Rights organizations have condemned the death sentence of Pzhman Sultani, a Kurdish activist and protester of the Women, Life, Freedom movement in Bokan. Sultani, 32, was sentenced to death by the judiciary of the Islamic Republic of Iran without access to a fair trial, in violation of international human rights standards. Throughout Sultani’s detention, he was denied access to legal representation and even family visits.
On the occasion of International Mother Language Day, the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights released a report detailing the arrests and imprisonment of Kurdish language teachers by Iranian authorities. According to Hengaw’s Statistics and Documentation Center, security agencies of the Islamic Republic of Iran have escalated pressure on civil institutions and volunteer Kurdish language teachers across Kurdistan in 2024. The report confirms that six teachers were arrested, while seven others were sentenced to a total of 20 years and eight months of punitive imprisonment, along with an additional year of suspended imprisonment.
Iranian authorities have also intensified their crackdown on Kurdish cultural expression by targeting the use of traditional attire, “Jamaneh” and “Khaki Clothing,” The Intelligence Ministry, in coordination with the Public Places Supervision Office, has pressured event hall owners in Kurdish cities, warning them against allowing attendees to wear these symbols. In the past month, at least two venues in Sanandaj were temporarily shut down, with their managers receiving severe warnings that further violations would lead to extended closures.
Dozens of Kurds have been arrested on various political charges across the Kurdish region in Iran. Authorities continue to target activists, journalists, and cultural figures, subjecting them to arbitrary detentions, harsh sentences, and, in some cases, enforced disappearances.
Iraq
After a two-year halt that cost Iraq and the Kurdistan region over $20 billion, oil exports from Kurdistan through Turkey are likely to resume soon. This development follows pressure from the US administration on the Iraqi government to restart exports, according to a Reuters report. The Iraqi parliament recently amended the budget law, after more than a year of negotiations with the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), to include provisions for covering oil production and transport costs from Kurdistan.
Moreover, tensions escalated in Sargaran, northwest of Kirkuk, on Monday as Iraqi security forces prevented Kurdish farmers from accessing their confiscated lands. Footage displayed clashes between Iraqi forces and Kurdish villagers attempting to enter their farmland, with security personnel violently removing Kurds from their lands and equipment.
After twenty years under the new Iraqi constitution, the Iraqi government annulled the former regime’s laws that had seized tens of thousands of Kurdish-owned farmlands. However, farmers have accused the Iraqi military of siding with settlers and preventing Kurds from accessing their lands. The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) condemned the attacks, while the Iraqi prime minister established a committee to address the issue.
Since October 16, 2017, the Iraqi military and the Iranian-backed militias occupied Kirkuk and imposed a new wave of Arabization on the Kurdish population, who form the majority.
Meanwhile, the authorities announced the discovery of a mass grave in the Hawija district, west of Kirkuk, containing the remains of 17 individuals. An advisor to the Iraqi president stated that the remains are likely those of Peshmerga fighters captured by ISIS (Da’esh) in late 2014. Kurdish military officials estimate that around 105 Kurdish Peshmerga fighters and volunteers have been missing since 2014, during the coalition’s battle against Da’esh.
On a different note, ten U.S. lawmakers, including Representative Joe Wilson, have formally urged the Biden administration to impose sanctions and designate several Iranian-backed militias in Iraq as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs). In a letter addressed to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Adviser Michael Waltz, the lawmakers expressed concerns over the continued presence of these militias within Iraq’s security forces, despite years of U.S. financial aid and military support to the country.
The letter specifically calls for the designation of groups such as the Badr Organization, Kata’ib al-Imam Ali, Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba, and the Fatemiyoun Brigade as terrorist entities. These groups, which are armed, trained, and commanded by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), have been accused of undermining Iraq’s stability and threatening U.S. interests in the region.
Additionally, the lawmakers urged the administration to halt all security assistance to Iraq as long as Iranian-backed militias remain legally integrated into the Iraqi state.
Syria
The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), the Syrian Democratic Council (SDC), and the Autonomous Administration convened a coordination meeting to assess the situation in Syria and the broader region. A central focus of the discussion was the ongoing dialogue with the new administration in Damascus. The meeting underscored the need for inclusive political participation by launching local meetings across northern and eastern Syria, bringing together representatives from various societal groups. In a statement following the meeting, participants reaffirmed their commitment to dialogue with Damascus, emphasizing the importance of reaching agreements on key issues, including the integration of military and administrative institutions and the return of forcibly displaced people.
Despite multiple Western and regional efforts, Syria’s new interim government has yet to include the Kurds due to Turkey’s veto. The recently formed preparatory committee of the National Dialogue Conference also excluded Kurdish representatives, even those from opposition groups such as the Kurdish National Council (ENKS), which has opposed the SDF. This exclusion signals a continued marginalization of Kurds in shaping the future of Syria.
The recent developments come as Turkish-backed factions continue their attacks on Kurdish areas near the Tishreen Dam. The SDF has repeatedly repelled these attacks; however, tensions remain high as Turkish proxies persist in their efforts to seize new territory.
In the ongoing fight against Da’esh terrorists, the Kurdish-led SDF rescued a young Yazidi Kurd who had been kidnapped in 2014 during the genocide against the Yazidis in Shingal. Meanwhile, the SDF dismantled a terrorist cell in Raqqa and foiled a Da’esh attack in al Hasakah.
Turkey
Demonstrations have erupted in the Kurdish province of Van after the government seized control of the municipality on Saturday. The move follows the imprisonment of elected co-mayor Abdullah Zeydan on February 11. Zeydan was sentenced to three years and nine months for alleged links to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which Turkey classifies as a terrorist organization. The provincial governor, Ozan Balcı, has been appointed to replace Zeydan and the other co-mayor.
The pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM) condemned the government’s action, calling it a “coup d’état.” Several Kurdish and Turkish parties also denounced the decision. The DEM Party accused President Erdoğan of being the “source of the crises” and urged the Speaker of Parliament to take a stand rather than remain silent.
During protests against the government’s decision, several people were taken into custody, and Kurdish lawmakers were attacked. These events occurred amid a broader crackdown by Turkish authorities, who have arrested 282 people, including journalists, politicians, and academics.
In November 2024, two Kurdish mayors were also removed from office on similar charges. Since 2014, the government has dismissed hundreds of elected Kurdish officials in what critics describe as a repressive policy targeting the Kurdish population.
Meanwhile, the ongoing peace talks between the government and the PKK remain uncertain, as imprisoned Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan did not release his expected video message in mid February for unknown reasons. However, the peace talks delegation traveled to Iraqi Kurdistan, where they met with several Kurdish leaders and officials, including the President of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), Masoud Barzani.
The delegation, led by Ms. Pervin Buldan and Mr. Sırrı Süreyya Önder, met with President Barzani on Sunday, February 16, to discuss their views and perspectives on the political situation and the peace process in Turkey. During the meeting, Barzani also received a message from Öcalan.
“President Barzani reaffirmed his full readiness to provide assistance and support for the peace process in Turkey and to contribute to its success,” read a statement from Barzani’s office.
According to a lawmaker from the DEM Party, Öcalan is expected to release his video message by the end of this month or in early March.