Kurdish writers, academics and intellectuals call for freedom for Dr Kamal Sayid Qadir
Free Dr Sayid Qadir campaign
Translated by Dr Kamal Mirawdeli
At a time when Ba’athist criminals are set free, we see that defunct Ba’athist laws are used by Kurdistan Democratic Party courts to imprison Kurdish lawyers and academics. Pasing a sentence of 30 years of prison on Dr Kamal Sayid Qadir in few minutes by a court in Arbil is a crime against human rights and all principles of human and civil rights enshrined in the international law. It is also a very frightening precedent which is being used by Kurdish political power to intimidate writers and critics in Kurdistan.
In spite of our own criticism about the writings and method of writing of university lecturer Dr Kamal Sayid Qadir, we consider that his trial is unjust one, not only because it has been proceeded according to Ba’athist laws in Kurdistan to silence the opponents of political power, but also because it represents the biggest threat to human rights and all free and independent voices and gives sanctity to the myth that no one is allowed to cross tabooed red lines and level criticism at Kurdish leaders.
While both administrations of Kurdish political power maintain deep silence about this violation of human rights, we join those voices who for the last two months have constantly campaigned for the freedom of Dr Kamal Sayid Qadir by various methods and from the free forums of Kurdish websites and Kurdish media in exile in general and more particularly through the Kurdistan-united paltalk chat room.
We demand from Kurdish authorities in general and Kurdistan Democratic Party in particular to nullify this unfair sentence and ensure the freedom of Dr Qadir, or at least to let him be tried in a free and independent court (which we feel cannot be achieved in Kurdistan) and to give Dr Kamal freedom to choose his own international lawyers or any person he prefers to defend him. Dr Qadir must be given equal rights to sue those people he has charges against. It is also important to ensure that such a court will be immune from any sort party interference and media channels would be allowed to access it and report the proceedings.
From this standpoint, we appeal to all writers, intellectuals and freedom-loving people to use whatever civil methods available to them to protest against this sentence and call for the release of Dr Qadir. We believe that courts have no independence to deal with such issues and no lawyer or judge is allowed to freely carry out his legal role and responsibilities.
To abduct and hide Dr Qadir for two months during which he had to resort to hunger strike and then sentence him secretly to 30 years of prison, before the Minister of Human Rights of [KDP’s] Arbil administration admitting this in an interview with the Voice of America radio, is a clear sign of the fear and concern of political power on the one hand and its effort to mislead people and sideline the judicial and legal issues in Kurdistan.
We demand total freedom for pen and criticism. We demand freedom for Dr Qadir soon.
The political power in Kurdistan wants to intimidate all of us and, by making an example from Dr Kamal Qadir, to threaten every Kurdish individual, to draw redlines and boundaries for every individual. We must not accept this. We must not expect the men of power to show clemency to Dr Qadir. We must with our collective united voice condemn the Arbil court and force the annulment of this stark violation of human rights in Kurdistan. Power must retreat and Dr Qadir must be saved from death which is threatening him now because of his hunger strike.
Finally for the sake of guaranteeing free expression to every individual and group, we strongly condemn the unjust sentencing of Dr Qadir to 30 years imprisonment and we demand his immediate release.
List of Kurdish writers, academics and intellectuals who so far have signed this statement:
Bakhtiyar Ali
Sherzad Hasasn
Sherco Bekas
Rauf Begard
Rebwar Siwayli
Aras Fatah
Azad Berzinji
Halkawt Abdulla
Rebin Ahmad Hardi
Shwan Ahmad
Shaho Said
Fuad Majid Misri
Omed Mahmud
Venos Faiq
Jamal Ghambar
Taha Haladni
Dr Muhammad Kamal
www.dengekan.com
Kurdistan-united paltalk room
Dr Burhan Yassin
Rizgar Omar
Goran Abdulla
www.helwest.com
Pola Said
Bakhtyar Karim
Khaatb Sabir
Saalr sofi
Nureddin Weysi
Kamal Rauf
Khalil Ghazali
www.sekoykurdistan.com
Qadir Nadir
Dr Muhamamd Ali Kolneder
Nizar Abdulla
Hawre Bakhawan
Awrahman Zangana
Botin Kurdistani
Kawa Kurdistani
www.hawpishti.com website and radio
www.kurdistanpost.com
Dr Pishtiwan Abdulla
www.bopeshawa.com
Veteran peshmargas centre
Amjad Shakali
Saalhi Germiyan
Tahir salah Sharif
Majid Dilniya
Keyhan Aziz
Abdulla Mahmud
Yasin Banikhelani
Haji Anwar
Taman Shakir
Aram Ali
Nuri Omar (Dr Kamal’s chosen lawyer)
Aso Gharib
Rebwar Arif
Rizgar Salih
Karim Maarsana
Kaziwa Salih
Muhamamd Hussain
Kahlidi zizi
Goran Halbjayi
www.arankurd.com
Handrin
Sherwan Khdir
Jamal Pira
Bakr Ahmad
Hiwa Gul Muhamamdi
Shamzin Jihani
Ghazi Hassan
Dr Tahir Ardelani
Sulayman Qassimyan
Dr Kamal Mirawdeli
Habas Boskani
Roza Hussain
Derya Mahmud
Hemin rauf
Hiwa Abdulla
Taban Saqzi
www.kurdisatnreferendum.org
Dr Ahmad Mirawdeli
Ibrahim Malazada
Hosahng Broka
Anwar faraj
Hiwa qadir
Shalar Hawleri
Hoshyar Qadir
Aziz Shekhani
Khulya Hussain
Nala Hasasn
Dr Rebwar Fatah
Nazhad Siwayli
Serkesh Abdulkarim
Mahmud Muhammad Osamn
Kawa Karikaturist
Hiwa Nasih
Shahen Karimi
Sardar Abdulla
Najadi Haji Braim
Salar Rashid
Dr Rafiq Sabir
Nahro Shera
Sirawn Berko
Goran Ali
Hidayat Mala Ali
www.kurd.it
Jaza Chingiyani
Lazo Azad
Awat Ahmad
Dr Faqi Gulipi
Hajar Khoshnaw
Jalal Sofi
Hiwa Majid
Ata Nuri
Abdulrahman Maulud
Shakhawan Barzinji
Kamaan Kurdi
Kamal Hussain
Awaz Sayid Qadir
Faraydun Hamarashid
Shirwan Ghafur Amin
Dr Jasim Taufiq Khoshnaw
Wahab Shah Ahmad
Awat Omar
Fazil Osman
Mamosat Hussain Salih
Omari Khatat
Akram Said
Sherco Amanj
Hajar Marif
Shamal Kawa
Mahabad Kurdi
Kajal Ahmad
Rasul Awla
Hevar Raniyayi
Rebaz Mahmud
Dana Ahmad Mustafa
Taban Rojhelati
Rekar Ahmad
Avin Dizayi
Firsed Rojbeyani
Dr Ali Alipur
Darsim Debegayi
Dr Nabaz Musatafa
Omar faris Aziz , www.kurdistannet.org
Rizgar Salim
Jamal Muhsin
Mazin Qassim
Khala Hema
Salh Rashid
Niyaz Kerkuki
Awaz Jabari
Sirwan Kawani
Ahmad Rajab
Hawre Nuri
Sahar Rasayi
Farhad Karimi
Kamil Shah Muhammad
Dana Halbjayi www.halabja.com
Renas Arif
Shina Qadir Sablakhi
Diya Gharib Muhamamd
Abdulal Rebwar
Ahmad Askanadri
Farukh Ni’matpur
Dr Karim Saqizi
Yusif Ahmad Mantik
Hardi Abdul
Shamal Mustafa
Mahdi Jaf
Dashti Mahmud
Soran Karbasiyan
Dr Muhammad salahzada
Galawezh sayid Qadir
Rizgar Akarayi
Kajal Hamarashid
Haval sayid Hassan
Rawand Ali
Shaho Toufiq
Hawar Nuri
Nawzad Ahmad Aswad
Dr Bakhtyra Ahmad
Shamala Sur
Adil Jabar Mzuri
Khalid Sheyda
Jamal Mahmud Hamid
Luqman Ablakhi
Sulaym,an Abdulal Yunis
Handren Matin Dilan
Namo Kurdo
Jamal Krekar
Omar Amin Qeredakhi
Amir sabir
Muhammad Ghafur
Qadir Chawshin
Omar Rasul
Peyman Abdlqadir
Omed Gomashini
Abdulla Rebwar
Andro Ali
Rebin sadiq
Kamaran Jbar Musstafa
Rizgar Shjkhani
We call upon all Kurdish writers, academics and intellectuals to add their name by emailing their names to freekamalqadir@hotmail.com
This campaign will continue until Dr Kamal’s freedom. To know more about the case see www.dengekan.com, www.kurdistanreferendum.org
