The Executive Council of the Kurdistan National Congress (KNK) released a statement about the Iraqi Supreme Judicial Council’s decision to dissolve the Yazidi Freedom and Democracy Party (PADÊ), Tevgera Azadi ya Civaka Kurdistanê (Kurdistan Freedom Movement) and the Democratic Struggle Front Party.

The KNK statement includes the following:

"As is known, there has been intense diplomatic traffic between Turkey and Iraq for a long time. It seems that an agreement has been reached against the Kurdish Freedom Struggle in these diplomatic negotiations. Most recently, on 22.04.2024, Turkish President Erdoğan paid a visit to Iraq, during which 26 agreements were signed between the two countries. The most important of these agreements was directed against the Kurdish Freedom Struggle. The Kurds and the peoples of Kurdistan should know very well that the negotiations of the occupiers have never been beneficial. After Erdoğan's visit, the Iraqi government defined the PKK as a "banned organisation" and took action against the Kurdish people immediately after this decision. Today, it has decided to close down Kurdish parties.

The decision to close down the Yazidi Party for Freedom and Democracy (PADÊ) on the 10th anniversary of the genocide is not coincidental. The decision means ignoring the belief and will of the Yazidi community and the continuation of ISIS attacks.

This decision may seem to have been taken against some Kurdish parties, but the decision was essentially taken against the entire Kurdish people with the aim of destroying the gains of the Kurdish people. With these decisions, the Iraqi government is slowly switching to the Baathist mentality and line. If this policy is not prevented, all the gains of the Kurds, including the status of the Kurdistan Region, will be in danger of being destroyed. All the forces of Kurdistan, Iraqis who love their country and supporters of democracy must recognise this danger and take a serious stance against it.

The Yazidi Freedom and Democracy Party (PADÊ), Tevgera Azadi ya Civaka Kurdistanê (Kurdistan Freedom Movement) and other Kurdistani parties are also members of the KNK. The KNK stands against the closure of political parties and considers all these parties legitimate. The KNK rejects and condemns the decision of the Iraqi Supreme Judicial Council as a political decision.

On this occasion, as the KNK, we call on the Iraqi government to change their stance as soon as possible and reverse this decision.

We also call on all Kurdistani forces, parties and institutions to stand against this decision and to defend the gains of the people of Kurdistan."