Negin Vatani 13 Kurdish prisoners sentenced to death

2025-01-31 11:09:56


	 

	  

	 

	Melek Avcı

	 

	ANKARA - Commenting on the repression in Iran and Rojhilat, journalist Negin Shiekholislami Vatani emphasised the unity of Kurds against oppression and said, "There are about 13 Kurdish political prisoners in Iranian jails who have been sentenced to death. What drives the Islamic Republic to such violence is its ideological perspective, mentality and philosophy, as well as its totalitarian structure."

	 

	Pexshan Ezîzî, who was detained on 23 July 2024, was sentenced to death by Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court and his sentence was upheld on 8 January. While reactions to the death sentences given to Kurdish political prisoners Pexşan Ezîzî and Werîşe Muradî increased, the execution of Pexşan Ezîzî's sentence was postponed as a result of the reactions. The society and the world public opinion state that the Iranian government wants to take revenge for the ‘Jin, jiyan, azadî’ protest by these death sentences.

	 

	As the demonstrations and protests continue, strikes are organised every Tuesday, leaflets are published and calls are made against the executions. Although Pexshan Ezîzî's sentence has been postponed for the time being, there is still a risk that the verdict will be revisited. In addition, 68 political prisoners are reportedly sentenced to death in Iranian prisons. 

	 

	According to Amnesty International, 853 people were executed by the Iranian government in 2024 alone, representing a 48 per cent increase in death sentences. The majority of these executions were of people of different identities.

	 

	Journalist Negin Shiekholislami Vatani analysed the Islamic Republic of Iran's use of the death penalty as a tool of repression and violence, its policies and the silence of the international community.

	 

	‘Kurdish women rise up against executions’

	 

	Negin Vatani reminded that all Kurdistani organisations in Rojhilat are united against the executions and stated that not only political formations but the whole society came together and stood against these political punishments. Negin Vatani said, "If you remember, on 18 January, with the call of the Kurdistan National Congress in Brussels and with the participation of representatives and names of six parties in Eastern Kurdistan, a large number of parties and institutions in Kurdistan coordinated and held a meeting to protest.  Pexshan Ezîzî was sentenced to death. In response, seven parties in Eastern Kurdistan issued a coordinated statement calling on the people of Kurdistan to strike on 22 January in protest against this decision.

	 

	Today we saw a full-scale strike in Eastern Kurdistan. This strike was not only a demand of the parties. Some time ago, the Mothers for Peace and civil activists in Kurdistan, the Mothers for Reconciliation and Justice in Kurdistan, organised a panel.  They demonstrated in front of the Supreme Court of Appeals, broadcast videos and signed and delivered petitions. Kurdish women reacted to the execution of these sentences. We can consider the reaction of civil society and public opinion in Iran and Eastern Kurdistan to the execution of these judgements as a sign of the continuation of democracy."

	 

	'It brought parties together in Kurdistan'

	 

	Negin Vatani said that the oppression of the Kurds in Iran has brought the Kurds together and with this unity, a common resistance has been demonstrated, "After the 'Jin jiyan azadî’ resistance that started in 2022, the people of Kurdistan called for more coordination and unity among the Kurdish parties, and today, once again, the decision to execute Pexşan Ezîzî has brought these parties together and united them.  This is encouraging for the people of Eastern Kurdistan, especially after the widespread conflicts in the Middle East, and Kurdistan will undoubtedly not remain unaffected by the events of the past, and the support of the Kurdish people will have an impact on all these developments."

	 

	‘There are 13 Kurdish prisoners sentenced to death’

	 

	Negin Vatani noted that the oppression against women continues in every field and said that the historical background of the slogan ‘Jin jiyan azadî’ is a serious intervention against the resistance because it is known by the Iranian regime. Negin Vatani continued as follows: "The Iranian government, like other governments in the region, such as Turkey, knows very well the political background of this slogan, which is why it shows such a stubborn reaction against women. We should not forget that there are about 13 Kurdish political prisoners in Iranian prisons on death row. Hatem Özdemir is one of them, who was imprisoned on PKK charges and is currently on death row. What drives the Islamic Republic to such violence is not only its totalitarian structure but also the political and ideological outlook, mentality and philosophy of its opponents and their supporters."

	 

	‘All attacks are interconnected’ emphasised

	 

	Negin Vatani, evaluating the Iranian regime's oppression and attacks against the Kurds, as well as Turkey's oppression and attacks, especially the attacks on Rojava, said: "Let's look at Rojava separately from the events in the world, but when we look at it in a broader framework, we see that all these events are interconnected. The Kurds and the Rojava issue are being subjected to genocide by Turkey. Turkey has been denying the Kurds for years, not recognising their existence. The Western world and all human rights mechanisms in the world remain silent against Turkey."

	 

	‘All countries in the world are totalitarian in terms of free press’

	 

	Negin Vatani went on to talk about the murdered journalists and the attacks on the press in the four parts of the world, saying: "From this point of view, I think that the media and the press are in the hands of the system and governments, and human rights and democracy are made a mockery of by them. Iran is a totalitarian country, of course I look at all countries in the world in this way in terms of a free press. When it comes to the interests of these countries, accurate reporting is prevented. Most of the time the media is used to create a collective mentality. In a way, they use it to build the mentality of the society to serve their own purposes. I don't trust the West, just as I don't trust the Islamic Republic. Therefore, the massacre of two journalists with UCAVs for reporting on the genocide in NATO member Turkey will not be of much importance for Western neoliberalism."