Iran executions of Kurds is the way of silencing political opposition
July 25, 2020, 11:00 am

Iran executions of Kurds is the way of silencing political opposition

zara saleh

In its recent report regarding the situation in Iran, Amnesty International confirmed that "two Kurdish men were executed in Urumieh prison on 13 July 2020". Since 2015, Saber Sheikh Abdullah and Diaku Rasoulzadeh were convicted and sentenced to penalty death, despite their evidence of innocence. Simultaneously with that, five Kurdish prisoners and two of Iran's Ahwazi Arab were convicted to death sentences by Iranian judicial officials, in connection to the last anti-Iranian regime protests in November 2019.

While Amnesty International repeatedly is calling the United Nations and the international community to intervene to stop the Iranian regime's crimes, Wilayat Al-Faqeeh's regime in Iran is continues his execution of the political opposition under the civilised world's silent. This systematic execution's policy by the Iranian regime is considered as a way of silencing the anti-regime opposition across the country and it has been used as a weapon of repression. In order to frighten the Kurds, the Iranian regime is carrying out mass executions of Kurdish prisoners in the centre of the Kurdish cities. The dead body must remain hanging, by authority's order, for a week just as a way of spreading terror among the people.

Furthermore, The Islamic Republic of Iran is considered among the world's highest number of executions after China, according to the United Nations officials. For example, only in 2019, the Iranian regime has committed 253 reported executions of adults and children and 23% of the victims were Kurds, and half of the total number of political prisoners in Iran are also Kurds.

Besides the Persian, the Islamic Republic of Iran is multi-nation and ethnic minorities country that including Kurds, Arab Ahwazis, Azerbaijani Turks, Baluchis, Turkmen and Armenian. However, all those nations are suffering from denial of their human rights, discrimination, marginalization and Persian is the only official language in the country. For instance, on July 14, 2020, Zara Muhammadi a Kurdish teacher was sentenced to ten years in prison and she was punished for the so-called "national security offenses" just because she effort to teach Kurdish children their mother's language. Controversially, the Iranian judicial system has dealt with Zara's case as a crime.

Since so-called Iran's Islamic Revolution in 1979 led by Ayatollah Khomeini, in theory, Iran's Constitution provides for equality of all Iranian nations and ethnic minorities. In contrast, this was not the reality in practice. Iranian authority continues its policies of Inequality, discrimination, and the various forms of violence and repression towards the Kurds and other minorities. The Kurdish population in Iran estimated about 12 million (between 15-17%) of the total 82 million Iranian population and they feel excluded and disenfranchised from Iran's political system. The Kurds also have a lack of trust and confidence in the central government and do not exhibit any connection with Iranian identity.

Besides the above policies, the Iranian Wilayat al-faqih regime has committed serial assassinations crimes against Kurdish political leaders. This considered one of the main Iranian policies dealing with the different political opposition in the diaspora and outside of Iran. For example, despite the Kurds were seeking negotiation with the Iranian regime as a peaceful way of the political solution, on July 13, 1989, a Kurdish charismatic leader Abdulrahman Qassemlou was assassinated by agents of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Vienna, Austria. and later in September 17, 1992, the Iranian agents assassinated his successor Sadegh Sharafkandi in Berlin. Iranian agent, last month, has attempted to assassinate another Kurdish political activist in the Dutch city of Leeuwarden, Netherland. Sadegh Zarza, who is a member of the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (PDKI), and he is a nephew of the previous Kurdish Party's leader A. Qasemmlou, was repeatedly stabbed by Iranian agent in June 2020.

On the other hand, for the western countries and the US, the Iranian regime has been identified as a depot and an essential source of terrorism and as an "enemy" that threatens peace and stability in several areas across the world. In fact, there are no real actions against Iranian threats that should be taken by the United States and other European countries, and unfortunately, that is why the world will continue to expect more and more intervention and threats from the Islamic Republic of Iran's regime and its military wings and militias such as Hezbollah and other Shi’a groups.

Zara Saleh

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.