International Mother Language Day: 6 Kurdish language teachers arrested, 7 sentenced to prison in 2024
Hengaw: Friday, February 23, 2024
According to statistics recorded by Hengaw’s Statistics and Documentation Center, in 2024, the security agencies of the Islamic Republic of Iran increased pressure on civil institutions and volunteer Kurdish language teachers across various cities in Kurdistan. As a result, 6 Kurdish language teachers were arrested, and 7 others were sentenced by the Iranian judiciary to a total of 20 years 8 months of punitive imprisonment, and 1 year of suspended imprisonment.
The right to one’s mother tongue is a fundamental human right, particularly in a multi-ethnic and multilingual country. This right ensures that linguistic minorities can use their native language, especially in education, rather than being forced to adopt the dominant language.
The Kurdish language, alongside other minority languages, has been marginalized in Iran since the establishment of the modern nation-state. The policy of linguistic homogenization and denial has persisted, with the justification of preventing separatism. Under the rule of the Islamic Republic of Iran, this policy has intensified, with security forces exerting full control over educational, cultural, and judicial policies. The authorities have consistently refused to implement Article 15 of Iran’s Constitution, which minimally acknowledges the right to use minority languages in education. Furthermore, Kurdish language activists who voluntarily teach Kurdish people have faced security charges, leading to their arrest and severe prison sentences.
Names of Kurdish Language Teachers Arrested in 2024
(Note: Sosan Hassan-Zadeh and Haji Barzeh were each arrested once and later detained again to serve their sentences.)
1. Sosan Hassan-Zadeh, from Bukan – Arrested on April 15, 2024, by Intelligence Ministry forces.
2. Haji Barzeh, from Piranshahr – Arrested on May 8, 2024, by IRGC Intelligence forces.
3. Sami Mahmoudi Aghdam, from Oshnavieh – Arrested on June 20, 2024, by security agencies.
4. Saivan Ebrahimi, from Kamyaran – Was arrested on July 3, 2024, and transferred to Sanandaj Central Prison to serve his sentence.
5. Omid Rostam-Pour, from Sanandaj – Arrested on September 11, 2024, by Intelligence Ministry forces.
6. Azad Abbasi, from Dehgolan – Was arrested on October 31, 2024, and transferred to Qorveh Central Prison to serve his sentence.
7. Sosan Hassan-Zadeh, from Bukan – Arrested on November 26, 2024, and transferred to Urmia Central Prison to serve her sentence.
8. Haji Barzeh, from Piranshahr – Arrested on December 18, 2024, and transferred to Naqadeh Central Prison to serve his sentence.
Names of Kurdish Language Teachers Sentenced to Prison in 2024
1. Soma Pourmohammadi, from Sanandaj – Sentenced to 10 years of punitive imprisonment by Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court in Sanandaj.
2. Sosan Hassan-Zadeh, from Bukan – Sentenced to 3 months of punitive imprisonment by Branch 102 of the Bukan Criminal Court.
3. Azad Abbasi, from Dehgolan – Sentenced to 3 years of punitive imprisonment by Branch 102 of the Dehgolan Criminal Court.
4. Haji Barzeh, from Piranshahr – Sentenced to 5 months of punitive imprisonment by Branch 102 of the Piranshahr Criminal Court.
5. Edris Manbari, from Sanandaj – Sentenced to 1 year of punitive imprisonment and 1 year of suspended imprisonment by Branch 1 of the!Revolutionary Court in Sanandaj.
6. Srveh Pourmohammadi, from Sanandaj – Sentenced to 5 years of punitive imprisonment by the Kurdistan Province Court of Appeals.
7. Mozhgan Kavousi, from Kelardasht – Sentenced to 1 year of punitive imprisonment by Branch 2 of the Sari Revolutionary Court.
