No Subject

[Khaled]

Human Rights Observation in Iraq and Kurdistan, Centre of the Worker Communist Party of Iraq TO;         ALL HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANISATIONS                 ALL ADVOCATES OF POLITICAAL FREEDOM                 THE PRESS AND THE MEDIA WORLDWIDE   More Arrests, The PUK continues its brutal attacks against members of the WCPI We stated in our earlier communiqu�s that the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan has recently launched repeated armed attacks against members of the Worker communist Party of Iraq in Sulemanya. Since 14th July 00, all the WCPI�s offices, its radio  and TV stations, the Independent Organisation of Women, the Women Shelter and the Children�s Protection Centres were all forcibly closed down by the PUK�s armed men. Five members of the WCPI were shot dead and dozens arrested. Most of the arrestees are still in prison and their whereabouts are unknown. In a latest correspondence with the party�s sources from Sulemanya we received the following; 1. On 24th Aug. 00 the PUK�s security and Intelligence forces began a wide house raids campaign targeting the WCPI�s members and supporters. As a result, the following cadres and members of the WCPI were arrested; A/ Falah Ahmed ( from Sulemanya) B/  Saman Satar ( Sulemanya) C/Sardar Mohammed (Sulemanya) D/Na�ib Fa�iq (Sulemanya) E/ Omer Mohammed (Sulemanya) F/Farydoon Hussein Zadeh (from Kurdistan, Iran) 2.On 26th Aug. 00, another house raids operation was carried out by the PUK�s security forces and a further three cadres of the WCPI arrested; A/ Azad Ahmed ( member of the leadership committee of Kurdistan organization of WCPI and the party�s political representative in Peshder and Ranya areas) B/ Bakhtyar Nader (WCPI cadre in Sulemanya) C/ Anwar Noory (WCPI cadre in Sulemanya) These attacks against the WCPI are continuous. It is worth mentioning that those who were arrested earlier and whose names appeared in our earlier statements are still held by the PUK�s security forces, except for the two brothers  (Karim and Kameran Latif) who were only released on a bail of ten thousand Iraqi Dinars each and upon signing a statement of abandoning all kinds of political and organizational activities, they were forced to resign from the WCPI and forced residence in Sulemanya was imposed on them. The brothers Karim and Kameran were arrested on 9th Aug. 00 by the security forces while distributing a magazine (Children�s world) of the Children�s Protection Centre in Sulemanya. 3.The whereabouts of Sadiq Nigbin (Iranian Kurd) remains uncertain. Sadiq was seriously wounded then arrested on 14th July 00 in Sulemanya. On 17th Aug.00, he was transferred from the Emergency Hospital in Sulemanya to one of the Intelligence forces prisons at Alsalam Thicket. Later on Sulemanya Security Authorities issued a statement signed by Usta Hassan of  the Political Department at Sulemanya Security Services, stating that Sadiq�s transfer was an initial step in his removal and deportation to Iran and his handing over to the Iranian authorities. Sadiq is a prominent political figure in Iranian Kurdistan and one of the well-known opponents of the Islamic regime, at the same time an activist of the Worker-communist party of Iraq. No doubt that his deportation will be followed by his immediate execution. 4.The security forces in Sulemanya are still searching for (Nawzad, Sirwan and Isma�il) all from Iranian Kurdistan and members of the WCPI. We are seriously concerned if they are arrested and handed back to the Iranian authorities. 5.Saman Mohammed, Haider Rassam and Mohammed Najim,, all members of the WCPI , were arrested on 21st July 00 while the security forces raided the Women�s Shelter in Sulemanya. They are still in prison, their whereabouts remain uncertain. 6. Nidhal Ahmed ( member of the Middle and Southern of Iraq committee of  WCPI, from Basrah, south of Iraq) arrested on 13th July, in Sulemanya by the security forces. We fear his surrender to the Baath authorities by the PUK. 7. Issam Samir Ouda (Palestinian nationality), arrested on 24th July 00 because his brother, Hussam, is a member of the WCPI. Issam is still held by the Security services. 8. Jaza Mohammed and Azad Mohammed Amin, WCPI members, arrested on 10th Aug. 00 by the security police in Sulemanya while distributing leaflets against PUK�s terrorism. They are still held  in prison, and their whereabouts unknown. 9. Shazeen Herish, a well known writer and a poet, arrested on 21st July at Alsha�ab casino in Sulemanya after he issued a statement condemning the PUK�s terrorism against the WCPI and the Independent Women Organisation. He is still held in prison, his whereabouts uncertain. 10. The famous poet, Kocher, arrested on 23rd July 00 for issuing a statement against the PUK�s actions towards the WCPI and the other organizations. His whereabouts remain uncertain. 11. The bodies of our five members who were murdered by the PUK security are still held and not returned to their families. 12. Twelve women with their children arrested on 21st July 00 during the security polices raid to the Women Shelter. Those were women who fled their families in fear of domestic violence and sought protection from the shelter. All twelve are still held in prison. We fear their return to their families by the PUK security where they could face honor killing. These women are in grave danger and are likely to be murdered by their families or by the islamists.   Freedom lovers and advocates of human rights and freedom of expression: The PUK is expanding its campaign to include not only WCPI members and supporters, but also a large number of writers, poets and intellectuals, even its own party members and independent political figures who issued statements against the PUK and its actions. By this the PUK imposed an atmosphere of despotism, strangling any call for political freedom and human rights and dignity and lead tens of individuals and families to leave the country in fear. On behalf of the Human Rights Observation Centre in Iraq and Kurdistan I call upon you for your immediate intervention.  The PUK must be pressurized to end its terrorist campaign against the WCPI and all other organizations, to stop its backward actions which aim to diminish political freedoms and popular activities. Write to the PUK condemning its endless crimes and calling for the immediate release of all prisoners with no restrictions or conditions. The murderers must be tried in public and all restrictions on political freedoms lifted in the areas under the PUK�s control. The PUK should abide by respecting human rights and the freedom of opinion and believe.   LET ALL EFFORTS FOR HUMAN RIGHTS AND FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION IN THE WORLD, UNITE   HUSSEIN AKRAWI In charge of �Human Rights Observation in Iraq and Kurdistan Centre� of the WCPI 28th Aug.00