Khosrawi extradited to Iran by border security authorities in Sulaimani: Independent Commission for Human Rights
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – The Independent Commission for Human Rights in the Kurdistan Region announced on Monday that it had launched an investigation into the extradition of Behzad Khosrawi, a Kurdish refugee, from Sulaimani to Iran. Khosrawi, who is disabled, had sought refuge in Sulaimani due to political unrest in his home country.
In a statement, the commission revealed that Khosrawi was extradited to Iran by border security authorities in Sulaimani and without undergoing any legal or administrative procedures. The commission condemned the action as a breach of Iraqi constitutional law.
Citing the second paragraph of Article 21 of the Federal Iraqi Constitution, which prohibits the extradition or forced return of political refugees to the country they fled, the commission highlighted that Khosrawi’s deportation violated Iraqi law. The statement further emphasized that any such extradition must occur under international and United Nations supervision, with the consent of all relevant authorities in the Kurdistan Region and in accordance with legal protocols.
The commission called for the United Nations to intervene, urging an immediate investigation to safeguard Khosrawi’s life in Iran. Additionally, it stressed the importance of treating all refugees in the Kurdistan Region as protected guests and ensuring their safety under international law.
Khosrawi, who was a member of the Kurdish Democratic Party of Iran (KDPI), was arrested by security forces last week in Sulaimani before being transferred to "Iranian intelligence," according to a statement from the KDPI.
The incident raised concerns about the relationship between political parties and government institutions in the region, as well as the safety of political dissidents in the Kurdistan Region.
The KDPI was founded by Qazi Mohammad in the Kurdish city of Mahabad on Aug. 16, 1945. At the time of the KDPI's founding in Mahabad, the political climate was charged with aspirations for Kurdish autonomy and independence. The city was the center of the short-lived Republic of Mahabad, a Kurdish self-governing entity that sought to assert its sovereignty amidst the shifting alliances and geopolitical dynamics of post-World War II. This period was marked by intense nationalist fervor and a desire to establish a Kurdish state, despite the formidable challenges posed by regional and international powers.