Soran Omer, former parliamentarian in the Kurdistan Region in northern Iraq, said that the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) has poisoned journalists and activists from the Behdinan region. Earlier two activists from Maxmur, arrested by the KDP, died suspiciously.

Speaking to ANF, Soran Omer said: “There are concerns about Behdinan activists who are currently in prison. According to information obtained from local sources, a virulent poison is mixed into the drinking water of the activists.''

Omer noted that it is everyone's responsibility to raise concern over the health and freedom of activists adding, "I will report the crackdown on the Behdinan activists and journalists to all human rights institutions."

"The poisoning of political opponents, which is a shame in the history of Southern Kurdistan, is a vicious terror method that has killed many people so far," Omer said.

Hecî Heyder Dêrhinî, who was living in the Maxmur Refugee Camp, was released after 54 days in prison by the KDP asayish (public security) and died a week later. Autopsy results revealed that Dêrhinî had been poisoned in prison.

Another Maxmur resident Metin Adogit was detained by the KDP asayish in Hewlêr (Erbil) on October 7, 2020 and died suspiciously after 3 days of detention. The KDP asayish, having concealed Adogit’s death for 2 months, told his family that "he died of a heart attack".