Roshalat TV Interview with Mr. Mohamad Sadegh Kabudvand

January 12, 2007

RoshalatTV:  One Kurd from Sanandaj has been jailed for eleven months now. The Human Rights Organization of Kurdistan says that Jahandar Mohamadi has been detained as a political activist and an enemy of the Iranian Islamic Regime for over 10 months in a short-term jail. He has been interviewed by the court numerous times over the past eleven months. His temporary detainment has been extended month by month and has reached nearly a year. Still there are no charges brought against him and there has been no formal hearing by the court. Many citizens in Kurdistan have been imprisoned and this is why we are now speaking with Mohamad Sadegh Kabudvand, of the Human Rights Organization of Kurdistan.

RoshalatTV:  Hello Mr. Kabudvand, what do you think about the increasing imprisonment of the citizens of Kurdistan? Why are so many being detained?

Mohamad Sadegh Kabudvand: Right now great numbers of Kurds are jailed. Most of these people are detained and jailed because of political activities. The Human Rights Organization of Kurdistan will give a total estimate of those jailed at the end of this year or the beginning of next year. (This new year refers to the Persian calendar, which is approximately three months from the date of this interview) It is important to remind everyone, as The Human Rights Organization of Kurdistan reports, that dozens of people each week or month are sentenced or jailed. These reports are only a partial list. Because we do not have the exact numbers and cannot obtain them. Kurdish political prisoners are not treated well and often do not have any public hearings or legal representation. Most of the hearings about political cases are done in secret.

RoshalatTV:  Mr. Kabudvand, you are a senior representative of a human rights organization. Do you think there is a difference in the treatment of Kurds and the treatment of prisoners in other parts of Iran?

Mohamad Sadegh Kabudvand: As it is often said, Kurdistan is ten percent of the population of Iran. But the prisoner population of Iran is ninety percent Kurdish. This is because of Kurdish political activities. In the Iranian Islamic Republic, the Kurdish political parties and Kurdish organizations are labeled enemies of the Islamic Revolution. Anyone who participates in a Kurdish cause is considered an enemy of Islam, rather than a political prisoner as they would be considered elsewhere in the world. The jailed Kurds in Iran are truly political prisoners. They are not treated well and are not allowed legal representation, hearings are held in secret and are not professional. I think political Kurdish prisoners, if they were allowed legal representation, then their sentences would not be so severe. Five prisoners from five different jails contacted us yesterday for assistance, but they are not allowed lawyers and therefore we could not extend much help to them. While I am on television, I want to call all Kurdish lawyers to offer their services to our organization in the name of humanity and in the name of Kurdistan, to help the prisoners who have no hope and no protectors. The charges for many political prisoners who have legal representation are dropped or they are given light sentences. Right now I have a copy of a judgement on my desk for a man who was jailed because he had one flyer from Komala (www.komala.org )in his pocket. He received one year in prison. Another man had one Kurdish book and one Kurdish magazine from a different political party and also received one year in prison. Right now I want all Kurds to help my organization to be more helpful to people in need. We need more resources to help the people in jail. Please contribute by any means available to you.

RoshalatTV:  Thank you Mr. Kabudvand, Good Night.

Translated by Samrand Moradi: xorataw@hotmail.com