11 August IFIR press release: Desecration of Kurdish Journalist Sardasht Osman’s Grave

On the 9 August Sardasht Osman’s parents after attending a family friends funeral, visited their son’s Sardasht Osman’s grave.  The sight that met them would shock any parent.  Sardasht’s grave and headstone stone had been smashed to pieces.  This was particularly hurtful to Sardaht’s parents as it echoed the violent murder of their 23 year old son in May 2010.   

To lose a child at such a young age is awful, but Sardasht wasn’t an ordinary person he was courageous and bravely spoke against the corruption of the ruling Kurdish Democratic Party (KDP). Sardasht was a journalist and wrote many articles criticizing the leading families ruling Iraqi Kurdistan. He wrote one particular article saying he wanted to marry Barzani (President of the Kurdistan Region in Iraq ) daughter. Sardasht wrote this article to show the difference between the lives of his family and friends to the riches and privileges enjoyed by the Barzani family.   Following the publication of this article Sardasht and his family started to receive death threats.  This sadly led directly to Sardasht being abducted on the 3rd of May 2010.  According to eyewitnesses and the police, an unidentified white minibus with a concealed number plate stopped in front of the college just as Osman exited. The men then pushed him into the van and drove off.  His handcuffed body was found two days later outside Mosul with two bullets in his head.

Sardasht Osman’ brother said “The desecration of Sardasht’s grave has deeply hurt my family.  We will not be at peace until Sardasht’s murderers are brought to justice”.

Following Sardasht’s violent death in 2010 there have been many protests calling for the arrest of the perpetrators of Sardasht’s murder.  Unfortunately nobody has been arrested.  Another protest was held at Sardasht’s grave Yesterday (10 August 2017) protesting at the violent desecration of Sardasht’s grave and calling for an independent investigation into Sardasht’s murder. 

Sardasht’s family and all freedom loving people demand:

• That the assassination of Sardasht Osman is properly investigated;  

• Call for the formation of an independent committee with the involvement of international bodies; 

• Investigate the assassination of Sardsht Osman and bring the perpetrators to justice.

International Federation of Iraqi Refugees-IFIR

CC: Amnesty International

Human right watch