Throughout the forty years rule of the current regime in the “Islamic Republic of Iran”, the peoples of the country have continuously been subjected to many kinds of oppressions and sever persecution, especially those who revolt as a result of the deteriorating political, social and economic situation. The world has witnessed, at numerous occasions, the regime of Iran taking the most violent and brutal ways to suppress the protestors, including unlawful arrests, torture, killing, and executions. Among the peoples of Iran none is exempted from these measures apart from those who are the tools of the
regime, yet it is known that the minorities are the most effected by the brutality of the Iranian regime, among which the Kurdish population in Iran has the lion share of persecution.

In the past few days, in many cities of Eastern Kurdistan (Iranian Kurdistan) and Iran, people have occupied the streets again in protest to condemn the crimes committed by the regime of. The demonstration started few days ago when a 22-year-old woman named Jîna Amini (Mehsa Amini) from the Kurdish city of Saqiz (Iranian Kurdistan) was killed in Tehran by the brutal forces of the regime, accusing her of not complying fully with the compulsory strict Islamic dress code “hijab”. Against this and other crimes of the regime, people are protesting in Kurdistan and all over Iran calling for justice, but the regime is attacking them brutally. So far dozens of people have been killed and hundreds injured, while arrests are mounting.

Meanwhile, the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ibrahim Raisi, is visiting New York to participate United Nations General Assembly sessions. Ibrahim Raisi was one of the members of the “Committee of Death” after the Islamic Republic of Iran came to power under the leadership of Khomeini, which was established to exterminate members of the oppositions. In 1988, thousands of political prisoners were executed and terrorized by this committee.

Even now, during the presidency of İbrahim Raisi, all forms of protests and demonstrations are being severely suppressed. While Ibrahim Raisi is enjoying freedom in New York many people in Iran are facing death or brutal fate as a result of his orders. He therefore must be prosecuted for the crimes he committed.

We, at the Kurdish PEN Center, call upon everyone to be the voice of the silenced and oppressed people of Kurdistan and Iran. We ask the world’s PEN centers not to remain silent against Raisi’s visit to New York and urge the international community to take all measures to bring Raisi to face justice as a war criminal.

Sincerely
Anise Jafarimehr & Omer Fîdan

Co-Chairs of Kurdish PEN Center
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http://www.pen-kurd.org