Kamal Sayid Qadir Jailed for Criticism of Barzani
The proto-fascist mini-state of the Kurdistan Democratic Party in Arbil [Irbil], northern Iraq, has sentenced an Austrian-Kurdish journalist to 18 months in prison for criticizing Massoud Barzani.
Barzani
Barzani last allied with Saddam Hussein against fellow Kurds as late as 1996, only a decade ago. And you can't criticize him?
If Syria or Iran had done this (not that they don't), there would have been a huge squeal of outrage from the American right. I challenge Instapundit, Andrew Sullivan, and Christopher Hitchens to intervene effectively to get Kamal Sayid Qadir out of Barzani's jail. Here is something all of us, left and right, can agree on, and I hope the Left blogs the hell out of it, too. Will someone please start a blog to count the days Qadir is not free?
Qadir
American blood was shed saving the Kurds from Saddam, and this is not right. It is not right.
posted by Juan Cole @ 3/29/2006 06:30:00 AM
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8 Comments:
This is tragic. Yet I doubt that this is the sort of news that would attract attention our of Iraq with everything else falling apart the way they are... Albeit I must admit I was pleasantly surprised when I was told by a Kurd friend that recently a rather audacious book came out in Kurdistan exploring female sexuality in Islam and the author has thus far not faced much hostility...
Riverbend:
I sat late last night switching between Iraqi channels (the half dozen or so I sometimes try to watch). It’s a late-night tradition for me when there’s electricity- to see what the Iraqi channels are showing. ... I was reading the little scrolling news headlines on the bottom of the page. The usual- mortar fire on an area in Baghdad, an American soldier killed here, another one wounded there… 12 Iraqi corpses found in an area in Baghdad, etc. Suddenly, one of them caught my attention and I sat up straight on the sofa, wondering if I had read it correctly.
E. was sitting at the other end of the living room, taking apart a radio he later wouldn’t be able to put back together. I called him over with the words, “Come here and read this- I’m sure I misunderstood…” He stood in front of the television and watched the words about corpses and Americans and puppets scroll by and when the news item I was watching for appeared, I jumped up and pointed. E. and I read it in silence and E. looked as confused as I was feeling.
The translation:
“The Ministry of Defense requests that civilians do not comply with the orders of the army or police on nightly patrols unless they are accompanied by coalition forces working in that area.”
That’s how messed up the country is at this point.
http://riverbendblog.blogspot.com/
About a year ago, Jim Hoagland wrote a column extolling the virtues of Kurdistan as a mini-utopia of democracy. I wrote him am email suggesting that a state controlled by two men (Barzani and Talabani) who had inherited their jobs and brooked no dissent was hardly a democratic model.
I got back a very arrogant reply, to the effect that if I had not been to Kurdistan my comment couldn't be taken seriously.
So much for serious commentary from the MSM. No wonder I skim the Post and read Juan Cole carefully.
I have covered this at some length in an article on my weblog entitled, An open letter to the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) from a friend in the U.S.
My weblog, The Is-Ought Problem, primarily covers Iraqi-Kurdistan from the perspective of Western philosophy. I have a number of articles regarding Dr. Qadir, as well as the issues of "honor" killings and fatal fatwas in Iraqi-Kurdistan. The above is only the most recent.
Just FYI: The Committee to Protect Journalists will track this story. CPJ's website is worth checking out once in a while -- as it keeps tabs on journalists around the world -- and donating a few bucks or becoming a member will help too.
See www.cpj.org.
to whom should we direct letters and email? i'd like to take at least that action.
"to whom should we direct letters and email? i'd like to take at least that action"
You will want to contact the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG).
This is the contact information I got off of that page:
* The Kurdistan Regional Government in Erbil
Phone: +870 764 358 725
Fax: +1-651-846-6051
Email: erbil@rp.krg.org
* KRG Representation in CIS countries
Russia-Moscow
Phone: +7(095)248 44 50
Fax: +7(095)248 44 50
Email: rus@rp.krg.org
Europe
* KRG Representation in Austria
Phone: +43 664 34 50 465
Fax: +43 1 544 03 05
Email: austria@rp.krg.org
* KRG-European Union Mission
rue de la loi 221
1040 Brussels
BELGIUM
Phone: +32-2-513 72 28
Fax: +32-2-513 36 79
Email: eu@rp.krg.org
* KRG Representation in France
Phone: +33 1 42 65 18 45
Fax: +33 1 42 65 18 46
Email: france@rp.krg.org
* KRG Representation in Germany
Vertretung der Regionalregierung-Kurdistan Irak in Deutschland
P.O. Box 150 101
D-10633 Berlin, Germany
Phone: +49 30 7974 8491
Fax: +49 30 7974 8492
Email: germany@rp.krg.org
* KRG Representation in the Nordic Countries
Box 7127
SE-170 07 Solna
Sweden
Phone: +46 8 442 0505
Fax: +46 8 442 0905
Email: nordic@rp.krg.org
* KRG Representation in Switzerland
Dr. Fauzi Kaddur
Postfach 113
CH-9012 St.Gallen
Switzerland
Phone: +41 71 333 31 55
Fax: +41 71 333 30 29
Mobile: 0+41 79 601 35 55
Email: switzerland@rp.krg.org
* KRG Representation in Poland
Rynek Gl?wny 39/8
31-013 Krak?w
Poland
Phone: +48 12 429-11-93
Fax: +48 12 429-11-93
Email: poland@rp.krg.org
* KRG Representation in the United Kingdom
Winchester House, 8th Floor
259-269 Old Marylebone Road
London NW1 5RA
Phone: +44 (0)20 7170 4300
Fax: +44 (0)20 7170 4301
Email: uk@rp.krg.org
It is necessary to make an appointment before visiting the UK office. For administration matters appointments can be made on either Mondays or Thursdays between 11.00-16.00 GMT.
N.America
* KRG Advisory Office to the United Nations & International Organizations
Dr. Dindar Zebari
Kurdistan Regional Government Council of Ministers advisor for the United Nations and International Organizations Affairs
Council of Ministers, Iraqi Kurdistan Region - Erbil
Phone: 00447028601000 ext 4509990
0032 484509990
Local Mobile: 4509990
Office Phone: 2520064
Email: un@rp.krg.org
* KRG - USA, CANADA & UN Representation
1420 Spring Hill Road, Suite 600
Mclean, Virginia 22102, USA
Phone: 703 442 5314
Fax: 703 224 5316
Email: us@rp.krg.org
Nijyar H. Shemdin, U.S. Representative of Kurdistan Regional Government, is registered under the Foreign Agents Registration Act on behalf of Kurdistan Regional Government, Erbil. Additional information concerning the registration is on file at the U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, D.C..
Oceania
* KRG Representation in Australia
P O Box 491 Liverpool
NSW 2170 Sydney
Australia
Phone: 612 98 22 22 72
Fax: 612 98 22 22 76
Email: australia@rp.krg.org
Dear Cole,
As a Kurd I would like to inform you that Kurds are commited to democracy.
But our leaders are corrupt and are acting like dictators but they have the support of the USA.
I hope that the Americans would pressure the PUK and KDP to reform and to let us live in peace.
In Kurdistan right now no one can criticise. Recently another writer (Hawez Hawezi) was arrested by Talabani's party and he was charged with defamation.
Also in Halabja Talabani's men fired on civilians and killed one boy. 35 are arrested and the government is saying that they will be hanged (Yes hanged, something which Talabani refuses for Saddam but his party wishes for innocent Kurds).
I would like to thank you for reporting this, I hope that you report more of the other terrible stories which is happening right now in Kurdistan.
I will keep you informed.
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