Saman Sobhani, born on 20/1/1994 in Sanandaj, was a former member of the armed group PAK, who left Iran and joined this group due to poverty and lack of suitable and sufficient employment.
According to IKHRW from Sanandaj, poverty, unemployment, and lack of access to basic healthcare, force many young Kurds in Iran to resort to false occupations such as smuggling and peddling and also, their motivation to join extremist groups such as PAK increases. Not only do these young people have any knowledge of the true nature of these groups, but they want to spend some time in the headquarters of these groups just to be sent on and work on the Green Continent. While it is very easy to join these groups, it is very difficult and sometimes impossible to get out of these prison-like headquarters and even leads to the death of many young Kurds. One of the recurring tactics of these groups, including PKK and PJAK, is the promise of finding suitable jobs in Erbil, attracting many young people to the headquarters. On 07/05/2019, he exited the Bashmaq border for employment in northern Iraq. Due to the lack of success in finding work in Erbil, as well as the absence of funds and shelter, and considering the previous acquaintance with a member of the Peshmerga group (an individual named Hiwa Seqzi), he requests to join the aforementioned group while contacting him. Having worked in northern Iraq for a while, he finally made it to Iran on 25/11/2023 after spending more than four years in PAK and introduced himself to the Iranian police.
Question: Mr. Sobhani! What factor led you to decide to join PAK?
Saman Sobhani: Before joining, I was working in Tehran and there I had followed Instagram pages related to them. I did not have precise information about the objectives, structure, and ideology of this group. What appealed to me was that they were in military uniforms, speaking Kurdish, and carrying weapons. Several videos of ceremonies, celebrations, or military exercises were sent to me, with the objective of making the surroundings appealing to me. For this reason, I have decided to go to the Kurdistan region in order to find a job there. As I did not have any special expertise, I was not accepted even as a worker. I stayed in that location for around three or four days, yet I was unable to find a place to stay and my limited finances were running low. So I went to the person in PAK. Upon arrival, I was practically confronted a prison, a four-walled structure, a handful of guard posts, and a small room. It was at that moment that I regretted it and said, “I don’t want to stay here, I want to return to the city.” From the beginning of my presence, I understood that I must remain there for three years.
Question: Mr. Sobhani, how were your living conditions, and what were you engaged in? Please elaborate comprehensively.
Saman Sobhani: To be honest, there were no particular conditions at all. They were just living in a delusion and fantasy. They kept saying our goal is to liberate Kurdistan. There was neither a special operation nor a specific military action.
Question: Did your family inform you about your whereabouts and whether they came after you during the three years you were there?
Saman Sobhani: I was not allowed to contact my family for one month, and after that, I was able to reach out to them and only then did I realize that they had been tracking me for the entire month. Due to my father’s illness and inability to travel, my mother came alone to Erbil to see me after two months. However, permission for a meeting was not granted. I had a strong aversion towards them at that moment, but I persevered and eventually met my mother. We talked for just 2 hours. It was the last time. I made a promise to my mother that I would escape and return home. However, I was unable to accomplish it. Those who attempted to flee but were recaptured were stripped before the other members, their hair and eyebrows were shaved, and then they were beaten and imprisoned. Of course, there were individuals who could take advantage of the conditions and escape.
Question: Where did you go, and what did you do after resigning from the group and going outside?
Saman Sobhani: Following my expulsion from the group, I was only given a residence card. My stay in PAK for approximately 4 years resulted in me receiving a residence card. By using this, I was able to remain and work in the Kurdistan region for about 7 months, and I saved some money. Afterward, I went to the Iranian consulate in Erbil and requested permission to return to Iran. There were no problems, and they even escorted me to the Bashmaq border.
What was the reception you received upon your arrival in Iran, Mr. Sobhani?
I didn’t encounter any trouble. I was contacted and invited to the police station. I paid one million Tomans in cash as a penalty for illegally departing from the country.
