october 24, 2020
The two Kurdish youths sentenced to death must be released immediately
On June 17, 2019, two Kurdish youths who allegedly shot a high-ranking officer of the Turkish secret service MIT in a restaurant in Erbil were sentenced to death in a show trial. The decision of the south Kurdish court followed political orders aimed at appeasing Turkey. Early on we declared that our organization had absolutely no connection to this killing. The fact that the two Kurdish youths are from North Kurdistan does not necessarily constitute an evidence for the alleged connection to the Kurdish Freedom movement to this killing. Such an allegation is totally unacceptable. Appeasing Turkey is the only driving force behind their death sentence.
The Turkish intelligence officer had come to South Kurdistan to facilitate crimes against Kurds. He had worked under the protection of the KRG government. Until now it has not been finally clarified if the two Kurdish youths are responsible for the murder of him or – if they are –why they had decided to kill him. The Kurdish public opinion will in no way accept this death sentence. Those who claim jurisdictional authority on behalf of the Kurdish people have no right to give such a verdict. The death sentence has deeply upset our people in all four parts of Kurdistan.
It is important to notice that the person killed had deceived the KRG government. He misused his diplomatic status for the collection of intelligence to murder Kurdish politicians and revolutionaries. Diyar Xarib, member of the KCK Presidential Council, was murdered on July 5, 2020 in South Kurdistan as a result of these activities. Similary, on Oct. 15, 2020, the KCK Foreign Affairs Committee member Demhat Agit and the KCK Health Committee member Cemil Amed were killed as a result of Turkish intelligence service activities in the South Kurdistan city of Sulaimani. By misusing his diplomatic immunity for organizing such murders the individual killed in Erbil had broken South Kurdistan`s law.
The two Kurdish youths must be released immediately. Any other decision would only give legitimacy to the criminal activities of the killed MIT spy. Therefore, the South Kurdistan authorities, the related institutions and the court should immediately release the two youths. The families of both youths have recently made public statements and asked for the freedom of their children. Therefore, we call on the Kurdish people, all democratic Kurdish institutions, intellectuals, artists and politicians to take a clear stance against the death sentence and to exert their influence for the release of the two persons in question. It will be a historic mistake for the KDP to insist on the death sentence and thus appease Turkey. The only appropriate decision for the KDP is to release the two Kurdish youths immediately.
Co-Presidency
KCK Executive Council