>STOP NATO: NO PASARAN! - HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.HOME-PAGE.ORG > >From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] >Sent: Monday, March 20, 2000 1:49 PM >To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Subject: PUK assault on human and refugee rights in Northern Iraq > > >International Federation of Iranian Refugees (IFIR) >Press Release > >CONDEMN THE PATRIOTIC UNION OF KURDISTAN'S SUPPRESSION OF POLITICAL FREEDOMS >IN NORTHERN IRAQ >March 20, 2000 > >The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan's (PUK) recent arrests and banning of >organizations and a threat to ban a party, which defend the rights of >women, children, the aged and Iranian refugees are violations of human >rights and in contravention of political freedoms in Northern Iraq. > >On February 16, 2000, the PUK's security forces raided several >homes, arrested, and imprisoned Socialists Mohammad Nasser, >Omar Sharif, and Yusef Mohammad. On February 17, the Office >of the Aged, organized by the Union of Construction Workers, was >shut down and Ostad Saber, its representative, was imprisoned. >The Center for the Defense of Children's Rights has also been closed. >Moreover, on March 5, the Deputy Interior Minister issued a >grievance against the Worker Communist Party of Iraq (WCPI) >demanding that the Party's activities be banned. In the grievance >filed, the Deputy Interior Minister has claimed that the WCPI's >defense of women's rights is in contradiction to the PUK's Islamic >laws, and that the Party has helped organize illegal demonstrations >in defense of refugees. An April 4 court date has been set to >prosecute the WCPI. > >The International Federation of Iranian Refugees (IFIR) strongly >condemns the policies of the PUK, which are opposed to political >freedoms in Iraqi Kurdistan. These policies support Islamic >terrorism and political reaction in Kurdistan and promote an >environment in which the rights of women, children, refugees and >the aged can more easily be violated. An attack on the >progressive segments of society is an all out attack on those >they defend. > >IFIR calls on groups and individuals to demand that the PUK >immediately and unconditionally release those imprisoned >and recognize political freedoms for all people as well as parties >and organizations, including the WCPI, the Center for the Defense >of Children's Rights, the Office of the Aged, and the International >Federation of Iranian Refugees - Soleymanieh Branch office. > >Protest letters, faxes and e-mails to the PUK can be sent to: >5 Glasshouse Walk, London SE1, England; >fax: 011-44-171-840-0630 and 444 North Capitol Street, NW, >Suite 837, Washington, DC 20001; fax: 202-637-2723. The >PUK's e-mail is [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >SAMPLE LETTER > >5 Glasshouse Walk >London SE1 >England >Fax: 011-44-171-840-0630 > >444 North Capitol Street, NW >Suite 837 >Washington, DC 20001 >Fax: 202-637-2723 > >E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >To Whom It May Concern: > >I / my organization am / is writing to condemn the Patriotic Union >of Kurdistan's (PUK) arrest and imprisonment of activists defending >the rights of women, children, the aged, people in general and Iranian >refugees living in Northern Iraq. > >I demand that the PUK immediately and unconditionally release >those individuals who have been imprisoned, including Mohammad >Nasser, Omar Sharif, Yusef Mohammad, and Ostad Saber. I further >demand that the PUK respect political freedoms and the right to >organize for all individuals and groups including the Worker Communist >Party of Iraq, the Center for the Defense of Children's Rights, the Office >of the Aged, and the International Federation of Iranian Refugees - >Soleymanieh Branch office. > >I look forward to the immediate resolution of this urgent matter. > >Signed: > > >Name > >Organization > >Address > > >CC: International Federation of Iranian Refugees, [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > >For more information, contact: Maryam Namazie >IFIR, GPO >P. O. Box 7051 >New York, NY 10116, USA >www.hambastegi.org >Phone 212-747-1046 >Fax 212-425-7260 >Email [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > >______________________________________________________________________ >To unsubscribe, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED] >______________________________________________________________________ >Start Your Own FREE Email List at http://www.listbot.com > __________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki - Finland +358-40-7177941, fax +358-9-7591081 e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.kominf.pp.fi ___________________________________ [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe/unsubscribe messages mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] ___________________________________
