Kurdish Activists Still Held in Solitary Confinement

HRANA News Agency – Although several months have passed since a number of Kurdish political and social activists and literary intellectuals have been arrested in different cities throughout Kurdistan, they are still behind bars held in a legal state of limbo in solitary confinement.

According to a report by Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), the following individuals are locked up in isolation cells in the Intelligence Agency’s Detention Center (Maydan Naft) in Kermanshah since August 5, 2011 and are being pressured to confess to having connections with Kurdish parties:

* Sajad Jahanfard, an author and a scholar and researcher
* Farhad Vakili Nia
* Ezad Aldin Heidari
* Maziar Mohammadi

The following four other social activists and literary intellectuals who were arrested at the same time have been released on bail approximately equal to $50,000:

* Maryam Amini
* Naeem Najafi
* Jamal Khani
* Sina Bijanpour

Farzad Haghshenas is another Kurdish activist from the city of Marivan. He was arrested in front of his shop on May 11, 2011 and is still in solitary confinement in Intelligence Agency’s Detention Center. Although more than 3 months have passed, no charges have been filed against him. He has been allowed to see him mother and brother only for a few minutes during this time.

Sharif Bajour is a Kurdish environmentalist and a member of Management Council for Green Chya Forum in Marivan, Kurdistan Province. He was summoned to the Intelligence Agency’s office in Marivan and subsequently arrested on July 23, 2011 when he complied with the order.

Behrooz Darvand and Iraj Ghaderi were also arrested on July 23, 2011 by security forces in the city of Marivan. These three Kurdish environmentalists and members of Management Council for Green Chya Forum still remain in police custody. Behrooz Darvand and Iraj Ghaderi have been transferred from Intelligence Agency’s Detention Center to Marivan Prison.