The Supreme Judicial Council of Iraq announced a decision on 5 August 2024 to close 3 political parties of Iraq and the Kurdistan Region. They were the Kurdistan Society’s Freedom Movement (Tevgera Azadî), the Yazidi Freedom Democracy Party (PADÊ), and the Democracy Struggle Front Party. This is a political decision, and it was made under the pressure of the Turkish state.
As it is known, for a long time, the traffic of diplomatic delegations between Iraq and Turkey have increased. In these meetings and sessions, they have agreed on many points against the Kurdistan People’s Freedom Movement. Most recently, Turkey’s Erdogan visited Iraq on 22 April 2024 and as a result, 26 agreements were signed between the two countries. Among these agreements, the most important ones were those against the Kurdistan People’s Freedom Movement. All Kurds and other peoples of Kurdistan should know that the visits and agreements of the invaders are not based on favors. After this visit, the Iraqi government named the PKK as a prohibited organization and entered into opposition activities. It has now banned 3 other Kurdish parties.
On the 10th anniversary of the Şengal genocide, the banning of the Yazidi Freedom and Democracy Party (PADÊ) is no coincidence. The decision to interfere with the will and power of the Yazidi people is the continuation of ISIS’s attack, a group whose inhumanity was assisted by Turkey to be used as a proxy against the Kurds.
This decision and this act are being aimed against some Kurdistan parties, but in the end, it is against all the people of Kurdistan and aims to destroy the interests of our people. With these decisions and actions, the government of Iraq is slowly falling into the logic and line of Saddam’s Ba’ath party. If the priority of this policy is not taken, including the federal status of the Kurdistan Region, all the interests of the Kurdish people will be defeated. All Kurdish forces, all Iraqi democratic forces, and all Iraqis who love their country should see this danger, take this matter seriously, and stand against this position.
The Kurdistan Society’s Freedom Movement (Tevgera Azadî) and the Yazidi Freedom Democracy Party (PADÊ), are also members of the Kurdistan National Congress (KNK). Understandably, the KNK is against the arrest and ban of political parties who have worked alongside us to bring a peaceful solution to the Kurdish question. KNK considers these legitimate parties in that mission based on their previous work. Thus, we as KNK reject and condemn the decision by the Supreme Judicial Council of Iraq as a political decision.
On this occasion, we as KNK appeal to the government of Iraq and say that your closed road is the wrong path towards peace, and you should change your position as soon as possible and withdraw this decision.
In addition, we call on all Kurdistan forces, parties, and institutions to stand against this decision and protect the interests of Kurdistan’s people.
Executive Council of KNK
07.08.2024
