“My son was 17 years old when he was deceived by the PKK in 2004. They promised him Europe. But after years of ignorance, worry and stress, we just found out that he was imprisoned in Turkey. We were told the reason was his membership in the PKK.
“I have only one question: where is the PKK now to visit him in prison and push for his release?”
Mr. Ghobadi lives in Kermanshah. His son has been imprisoned in Turkey for over 10 years. Read the detailed interview of the Iranian Kurdistan Human Rights Watch with this Iranian father below.
It was in 1990 that the Iranian Foreign Ministry and the Iranian consulate in Erzurum, Turkey, contacted us and said that my son Parviz was imprisoned in Turkey. We are in big trouble right now.
After several years of worries, we found out that he is in prison. We are both happy that he is alive and worried about what might happen to him in prison.
Parviz’s father told us the above sentences and added:
“They took and deceived a 17-year-old boy with promises of Europe, and destroyed our happiness and hardwork. Now he realized that Europe was a lie; The truth is in the caves of the PKK and in the Turkish prison, and distance from the family. I went to Turkey after the call of the Iranian Foreign Ministry. I just found out in court what happened to my son.”
Turkish officials finally told me that my son had joined the PKK / PJAK. They had never sent him to Europe, as he was promised.
“We were confused as to where Europe was and where the PKK was!”
“I guess I just have to thank God that my son is alive and not buried in the mountains.”
Regarding the Iranian government’s actions, he said: “First of all, why should Parviz be in Turkey? Transfer him to an Iranian prison. If he has committed a crime, he should imprisoned in his own city so that we can easily see him. Believe me, I am sending him money now. I had to send him 200 euros a few months ago. These costs are really high. Secondly, why does no one hear our voice? Parviz was deceived. I hear of numbers of PKK members, who are also Iranians, and they are killed every day. Why doesn’t anyone care about them?”
Mr. Ghobadi said about the reasons for Parviz’s membership in the PKK / PJAK:
“My first wife got divorced. But Parviz had no problem with my second wife at all. He was deceived by PJAK’s call for Europe and suffered from this tragedy. Now my first son is married and has a good life. But we are always worried about Parviz and his situation in Turkey.”
“I really expect the Iranian government to think of Parviz. Transfer him to prison in Tehran or our city. I also want to say to Kurdish people: always tell the families and friends around you to be very careful about the fate of their children. The PKK does not care about the lives of its members.”
“Parviz is currently in prison. Where is the PKK? Where was my son responsible for the deception? This group kidnapped and deceived the kids and put a lifetime of shame on Kurdish families. Everyone should take care of these dirty people. When Parviz talks to me on the phone, he says he is fine. But how could he be possibly be fine rotting in a Turkish prison…”
