Moein Samadi's Account of 7 Months in the Democrat Group

Moein Samadi: Members of this group were mostly seeking personal gain

According to Iranian Kurdistan Human Rights Watch from Marivan, Moein Samadi, born on April 12, 2001, joined the armed Democrat group on March 9, 2018, when he was only 16 years old, effectively underage. After seven months of collaboration and association with the group, Mr. Samadi returned to Iran. In an interview with the Iranian Kurdistan Human Rights Watch, he admitted that, like many young people in the Kurdish regions of Iran, he had always been influenced by the propaganda of these armed groups. Driven by a spirit of adventure and an interest in a war-like environment, he decided to join. After voluntarily joining the group and experiencing the actual situation and conditions, he realized that all the propaganda and promises were false and returned to Iran. Moein Samadi’s account strongly supports the Watch’s claim about the role of false propaganda in attracting new members to armed groups. These groups exploit the lack of sufficient knowledge among Kurdish teenagers and young adults in border areas, as well as their sense of adventure, and deceive Iranian Kurdish youth with false promises of welfare, freedom, equality, opportunities to travel to Europe, and more. Moein Samadi’s story also proves that the armed Democrat group, in addition to violating human rights and other actions, uses children as soldiers, violating the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Question: Please tell us a little about yourself and the circumstances that led you to join the Democrat group. Did you have any specific problems at home? Were you aware of the nature of armed groups, especially the Democrat group? Why would a young person join the headquarters of armed groups at the age of 16?

Moein Samadi: I was born on April 12, 2001, in Marivan. My family were laborers, and we always struggled with financial problems. I finished middle school, but despite my interest in school and university, I couldn’t continue my education due to family circumstances and financial pressures. However, my desire to learn and gain new experiences always existed. In Kurdish regions like Marivan, many young people like me are influenced by the propaganda of various armed groups. Since childhood, I’ve loved adventure and new, exciting experiences, and I wanted to challenge myself in military and war-like environments. When I was 16, I decided to join the Democrat group. I thought this group could help me become a stronger and more effective person and experience new military adventures. I didn’t have any serious family problems, and as a 16-year-old, I was unaware of the nature and beliefs of this group. I was simply seeking a new experience.

Question: Why did you decide to stop your education after middle school?

Moein Samadi: My family’s economic and financial situation was very difficult. My father was a construction worker, and his salary barely covered our basic needs. When I reached high school, the financial pressures increased significantly, and my family needed me to work to help financially. So, I had to stop my education after middle school and enter the workforce. Of course, this didn’t diminish my interest in learning, but I didn’t have the opportunity to continue my education and got caught up in work.

Question: What exactly made you decide to join this group?

Moein Samadi: I must say that in addition to the constant propaganda of these groups, my personal interest in military and war-like environments played a significant role. Since childhood, I’ve been interested in stories of war and combat, and this led me to decide to join the Democrat group when I was 16. I thought this group could be an opportunity to challenge myself and help the Kurdish community. I felt I could be a hero and become famous and popular within the Democrat group. But the truth was, I was essentially seeking a sense of adventure and fulfilling my emotional needs. I didn’t know how complex, confusing, and dangerous this decision could be.

Question: When you joined the group, what expectations did you have from this experience?

Moein Samadi: I expected to be in an organized and principled environment where order and respect were paramount, a place where I could use my abilities and help others. I thought this group could help me become a stronger and more effective person. But after a few months, I realized that these expectations were just illusions. This group had no plan to achieve its goals and was mostly engaged in superficial propaganda and recruiting new members. The members of this group were mostly seeking personal gain and didn’t value solidarity and cooperation. There was no excitement or military experience. Only a few staged maneuvers and repetitive, fruitless classes were constantly repeated in the Democrat group. There was no room for advancement and growth, the welfare facilities were very limited and meager, and the Democrat group lacked everything a group should have to attract new members and meet their expectations. The level of politeness, culture, knowledge, and education of the group members was also very low. It seems that people like me, with low education levels, are more easily deceived by these armed groups.

Question: What kind of experience did you have as a member of this group?

Moein Samadi: At first, I thought it would be a positive experience, but I soon realized that this group had many internal problems. The members of this group were mostly seeking personal gain and didn’t value solidarity and cooperation. I’ve always been interested in teamwork and collaboration, but I felt trapped in a meaningless and aimless environment. This situation severely diminished my motivation. Some members even insulted each other due to political or local differences, creating a very tense environment. The members of the Democrat group didn’t have a unified goal. Some joined for asylum in Europe, some to obtain residency in the Kurdistan Region, some to escape problems inside Iran and family issues, and others for different reasons. Naturally, when the goals are not similar, the motivation for cooperation, progress, and sacrifice also decreases significantly.

Question: What challenges did you have with other members of the group?

Moein Samadi: One of my biggest problems was the constant lack of coordination and disagreements among the members. I, who was looking for a friendly and collaborative environment, felt trapped in an informal civil war. These tensions made it impossible for me to continue in this group. Sometimes, I even felt that this group was destroying my morale instead of helping me. Every day, repetitive classes, challenges between members, and non-destructive rivalries were destroying my morale and motivation.

Question: What made you decide to leave the group?

Moein Samadi: After seven months, I realized that this group had nothing in common with the initial claims and the content published online. It had no operational power, no legitimacy or popularity, no plan for the members, especially the young ones, no welfare facilities, and no suitable environment! So, what reason did I have to stay in the Democrat group? All the propaganda and promises I had heard before were completely false. The aimless and meaningless environment was distressing to me. I decided to return to Iran and resume my normal life. This decision was a sense of liberation for me. I was really lucky to be able to leave the Democrat group easily and return to Iran alive.

Question: Looking back, how do you feel?

Moein Samadi: Now, I’ve concluded that experience was a great lesson for me. I realized that I shouldn’t be easily influenced by superficial propaganda and that I should make my decisions more carefully. Now, I’m back with my family and trying to use this experience to help others. I hope other young people learn from my mistakes. I also want to help myself and my family by working and gaining experience.

Question: Do you have a message for those who might find themselves in a similar situation?

Moein Samadi: Yes, I advise everyone to carefully research any group or organization before making any decisions. You should know that most of these groups are only seeking their own interests and don’t care about the future of their members. The best thing to do is to look for healthy and legal ways to improve your situation and avoid hasty decisions.

Iranian Kurdistan Human Rights Watch

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