Reliable sources confirm the arrest of Behzad Khosravi in Iraqi Kurdistan and his handover to the Islamic Republic

Reliable sources confirmed to the Persian section of Voice of America that the security agency of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan handed over Behzad Khosravi, an Iranian Kurdish political activist, to the Islamic Republic's intelligence agency on Saturday, September 1. According to Voice of America sources, this disabled Kurdish political refugee was detained by the Asayish agency and was tortured for two weeks before being handed over to the Islamic Republic on September 1. The Hengaw human rights organization previously reported on Thursday that the security forces of the Iraqi Kurdistan region had handed over this Kurdish political activist from Saqqez to the Islamic Republic last week. The security agency of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, the 'Asayish of the region,' claimed in a statement on Friday, September 16, that Behzad Khosravi, a member of the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan, was transferred to Iran at his request and through legal means. The 'Asayish of the region' claimed he was detained due to 'lack of residency,' while information received by Voice of America indicates that Khosravi has political residency and a political refugee file with the UN Refugee Agency. Voice of America also noted that Behzad Khosravi's family became aware of the situation one day after he was handed over to the intelligence agency in Sanandaj. The 'Asayish of the region' also gave his sister and mother 10 days to leave Sulaymaniyah. In April 2020, Mustafa Salimi, a political prisoner who had escaped from Saqqez prison, managed to reach the Kurdistan region of Iraq. He was also arrested by the security agency of the Patriotic Union in Pishva and handed over to Iran. Mustafa Salimi was executed a few days after being handed over to Iran. The arrest of a disabled Kurdish political activist in the Kurdistan region of Iraq and his extradition to Iran, the transfer of two detained activists from Gilan-e Gharb from the IRGC detention center to the police, and Mokhtar Asadi, a Kurdish teachers' union activist, being transferred to the quarantine section of Evin prison, and the Iranian judiciary accusing three protesting citizens in Boukan of 'corruption on earth' and 'waging war' are also noted.