Press Release: Amnesty International starts
official public campaign on behalf of Dr Kamal Sayid
Qadir
Kurdistan Referendum Movement- International
Committee-
Following Kurdistan Referendum Movement’s consistent
efforts, Amnesty International took up the case of
the abducted Kurdish writer and human rights’
advocate Dr Kamal Sayid Qadir who was abducted by
Kurdistan Democratic Party’s intelligence forces in
Arbil on 26 October 2005 and has been illegally
detained since.
On 30th November 2005 Amnesty International launched
an official public campaign on behalf of Dr Qadir
after Massoud Barzani and KDP authorities failed to
respond to Kurdish and international interventions
to ensure Dr Kamal’s civil and legal rights.
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Dr Kamal Said Qadir, Austrian citizen, an
international legal expert, writer and human rights
activist
Photo: Kurdishmedia |
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Kurdistan Referendum Movement takes as its main
mission to fight for freedom of expression,
democracy and genuine civil society in Kurdistan and
to put an end to oligarchy, autocracy and corruption
in South Kurdistan.
We appeal to all freedom-loving people in the world
to respond to Amnesty International’s campaign and
join our fight for free civil society in South
Kurdistan.
Kurdistan Referendum Movement, International
Committee, 30 November 2005
Amnesty International / PUBLIC AI Index: MDE
14/046/2005
30 November 2005
UA 299/05 Incommunicado detention/fear of torture
or ill-treatment
IRAQ Kamal Sayid Qadir (m), aged 48, Austrian
national, writer
Writer Kamal Sayid Qadir, who has Austrian
citizenship, was reportedly abducted on 26 October,
while on a visit to Iraqi Kurdistan, by members of
Parastin, the security intelligence service of the
Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), one of two parties
holding power in the Kurdish-dominated region. He is
being held incommunicado, and Amnesty International
fears that he may be tortured or ill-treated. He has
not had access to lawyers and to Amnesty
International’s knowledge has not been charged or
given access to his family.
The Austrian President reportedly raised the case of
Kamal Sayid Qadir with the President of Kurdistan,
KDP leader Mas’ud Barzani, during a conference in
Austria on about 20 November. The Austrian Embassy
in the Jordanian capital, Amman, is also said to be
investigating the case. Mas’ud Barzani has
reportedly given assurances to the Austrian
President that Kamal Sayid Qadir will receive a fair
tial.
Kamal Sayid Qadir, an Iraqi Kurd who lives in
Austria, had reportedly gone to a meeting with KDP
officials at a hotel in the city of Arbil. KDP
intelligence agents are believed to have seized him
because of articles that he had published on the
Internet in the weeks before he returned to Iraqi
Kurdistan which were critical of the KDP
authorities, including Mas’ud Barzani. He has not
been seen since.
Amnesty International wrote to Massoud Barzani on 3
November, seeking clarification of what had happened
to Kamal Sayid Qadir, but has received no reply.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Since 1991 some areas of northern Iraq have been
controlled by the KDP and the Patriotic Union of
Kurdistan (PUK). These Kurdish-controlled areas
enjoyed substantial autonomy even while Saddam
Hussein was in power, and have continued to do so
after the 30 January 2005 elections in Iraq for both
the National Assembly and a Kurdish Assembly. PUK
Secretary General Jalal Talabani was selected by the
National Assembly as President of Iraq on 7 April,
and KDP leader Mas’ud Barzani was selected by the
Kurdish Assembly as President of the Kurdistan
region.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to
arrive as quickly as possible, in English or your
own language:
- expressing concern that Kamal Sayid Qadir was
abducted on 26 October, allegedly by KDP
intelligence agents, and is held incommunicado,
putting him at risk of torture or ill-treatment;
- seeking assurances that he is being treated
humanely and urging that he be given access to
lawyers of his own choosing, his family and any
medical treatment he may require;
- expressing concern that he appears to have been
detained solely for criticising the KDP leadership,
and calling on the KDP to release him immediately
and unconditionally if this is the case.
APPEALS TO:
Please send appeals via the KDP offices abroad,
asking for them to be forwarded to President Barzani:
KDP International Relations Bureau, London, United
Kingdom
Fax: +44 20 7498 2531
e-mail: kdpinternational@yahoo.com
Salutation: Your Excellency
KDP Europe, Berlin, Germany
Fax: +49 30 797 437 46
e-mail: kdpeurope@t-online-.de
Salutation: Your Excellency
KDP Office, Washington, USA
e-mail: pdk7usa@aol.com
Salutation: Your Excellency
KDP Office, Ankara, Turkey
Fax: + 90 312 447 3532
e-mail: info@kdp-ankara.org.tr
Salutation: Your Excellency
COPIES TO: diplomatic representatives of Iraq
accredited to your country.
PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY. Check with the
International Secretariat, or your section office,
if sending appeals after 11 January 2006.
www.kurdistanreferendum.org
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