The Iranian Kurdistan Human Rights Watch (IKHRW)had already quoted PKK sources as saying that PJAK and PKK members had died of corona in the mountains. But PJAK blamed their deaths on “difficult natural conditions in the operational areas due to the cold and blizzard.” One of these forces was Iranian. It is unknown now what caused the deaths. Avalanche or Corona? Turkish attacks or internal settlement with Iranian forces? PJAK should respond as quickly and transparently as possible, but instead, it has accused the IKHRW. It is also not yet clear why the group announces the death of its Iranian members with a delay of several months.
However, in this report, the family of “Shayan Mohammadi”, the son of Khalil, born in 2001, has been interviewed. “My son has been a member for about five months,” Mr. Khalil Mohammadi, Shayan’s father, told the IKHRW. His level of education is also low and he was grade one of secondary school. Shayan was a night watchman at a vineyard near his village when he was recruited by PJAK. I think the members of the group may have met him there. “But I’m sure he was deceived.”
“I have informed the legal and security authorities about my son’s fate,” Shayan’s father said of his efforts to find out about his son’s fate. “I hope to get accurate information about my son with the help of the IKHRW lawyers.” Mr. Khalil Mohammadi added about his job: “I had a coffee house, but my life is hard. Even now, because of Corona, the economic situation is very bad, and I really can’t afford to travel to the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and follow the case. A few months ago, when I wanted to go to Iraq and to follow Shayan’s fate, all the relatives, including those who are aware of the PKK / PJAK’s behavior, said, “Don’t bother yourself.” They are ruthless and will never allow your son to return. They even said that someone had gone to bring his daughter back. His daughter was in a next room, and she could hear her parents shouting and screaming. But the PKK’s ruthless forces did not allow them to see her for even a moment. “They are very ruthless.”
Shayan’s father also commented on the family’s mental status after hearing the latest news and their son’s recruitment to PJAK: “Every night I dream of my son and I go crazy. I fainted outside a few times. My wife committed suicide several times and once she wanted to drown herself in the water because she can’t stand being away from her son.”
The IKHRW is pursuing the situation of other Iranian adolescents and obtaining information from their families is in its agenda.
