Kurdish Opposition to the Nomination of Reza Pahlavi for the 2026 Freedom Prize for the Iranian People

Kurdish American Education Society KAES via iKurd.net

October 12, 2026

Ardishir Rashidi Kalhur
President
Kurdish American Education Society

The Honorable Steffen Saebisch
President
Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom Karl-Marx-Strasse 2
14482 Potsdam, Germany

Subject: KAES Statement of Opposition to the Nomination of Reza Pahlavi for the 2026 Freedom Prize for the Iranian People

Dear President Saebisch,

I am writing on behalf of the Kurdish American Education Society (KAES) to formally express our opposition to the nomination of Mr. Reza Pahlavi as the recipient of the Foundation’s Freedom Prize for the Iranian People.

While we respect the significance of this award and the longstanding work of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom in promoting democratic values, we believe that Mr. Pahlavi’s record and political conduct do not align with the principles and criteria that should guide the selection of such an honoree.

Since the establishment of the Islamic Republic of Iran in 1979, Mr. Pahlavi and many of his supporters in the Iranian diaspora have advocated for the restoration of the former dictatorial system that ruled Iran under the Pahlavi family. In our view, such efforts do not represent a commitment to a genuinely democratic and inclusive future for all peoples of Iran.

The human rights record of the former Pahlavi regime, particularly with respect to political freedoms and the treatment of non-Persian national communities, has been the subject of extensive historical documentation and criticism. Many Kurds, along with other national minorities in Iran, experienced political repression and denial of cultural, political and linguistic rights during that period.

As members of the Kurdish national community in Iran, whose people have endured repeated human rights violations under both the current Islamic Republic and previous governments, we do not believe that Mr. Pahlavi can credibly represent the aspirations of all the peoples of Iran.

Awarding him a prize that purports to recognize the struggle for freedom would, in our view, overlook the experiences and sacrifices of millions who continue to seek genuine democracy, equality, and self-determination.

Our position should not be interpreted as an expression of grievance against the Persian people. Rather, it reflects our belief that the diverse nations and communities of Iran deserve representation that is inclusive, democratic, and respectful of their distinct identities and rights. We do not consider Mr. Pahlavi to be an appropriate representative of those aspirations, nor do we believe his record merits this distinction.

Honorable Mr. Saebisch, the Freedom Prize should be reserved for individuals whose actions demonstrate a sustained commitment to liberty, human dignity, democratic principles, and equal rights. Such recognition should be based on merit, sacrifice, and a proven record of advancing freedom, rather than on inherited political status, historical prominence, or political favoritism

We respectfully urge the Foundation to reconsider this nomination in light of these concerns. Should the Foundation wish to receive additional information or supporting references regarding the historical and political issues raised in this letter, we would be pleased to provide them.

Should the Friedrich Naumann Foundation decide to consider alternative candidates for this honor, we respectfully submit that the parents of Zhina (Jina) Amini would represent a more compelling choice.

Through their dignity, courage, and perseverance following their daughter’s death, they have become internationally recognized symbols of the struggle for human rights, justice, and freedom in Iran.
Thank you for your time and consideration. Sincerely,

Ardishir Rashidi-Kalhur, the President of Kurdish American Education Society, Los Angeles, U.S.

The opinions are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of iKurd.net or its editors.

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BERLIN,— The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) won a historic victory in Sunday’s state election in Saxony-Anhalt, a result that left Mamad Mohamad, a Green Party lawmaker, feeling torn.

Mohamad, 46, came to Germany from Syria in 1996 as a 16-year-old Yazidi Kurd. He is set to become one of the first lawmakers with an immigrant background to sit in the state parliament, alongside Mustafa Groener of the Left party.

Mohamad called the outcome a “poisoned victory.”

“My heart was split,” he said, describing the moment early projections showed the AfD doing better than expected while Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s conservative party fell to its lowest level ever.

The AfD has pushed for years for stricter immigration and asylum rules. The party says Germany has lost control of its borders and that migration is straining public services, security and social unity.

Its election platform calls for a state-level push to deport asylum seekers whose applications have been rejected.

The party also wants businesses to use artificial intelligence and automation instead of relying on skilled workers from what it calls “culturally alien” backgrounds.

The AfD denies that its language creates a hostile environment for migrants. It says it only opposes illegal and uncontrolled migration.

AfD co-leader Alice Weidel said Monday that anyone who works, pays taxes, follows the law and adds value to society is welcome.

The mood in Mohamad’s home was quiet on Monday. He said his daughter did not want to go to school, one of several schools the AfD has criticized for running programs on threats to democracy.

Undra Dressler, managing director of the State Network of Migrant Organizations in Saxony-Anhalt, said the election result caused unease but not shock among immigrant communities, which have long dealt with discrimination and barriers to jobs, education, health care and public services.

“All of this is our reality,” she told Reuters.

Still, she said Sunday’s vote marks a turning point. She said many people in migrant communities have already packed their bags with firm plans to leave, and some have already gone.

Pascal Begrich, managing director of the democracy advocacy group Miteinander, said he does not expect a mass departure, citing economic factors. But he said both migrants and employers are reconsidering their future in the state.

“There are companies asking themselves whether they really want to locate here and whether they can ensure their workers will be safe,” Begrich told Reuters.

Mohamad said the political shift could make it harder to draw new residents to a state already losing population. “Skilled workers and families will look elsewhere,” he said.

Dressler and Begrich both said any future state government will still have to follow Germany’s constitution and its protections for minorities.

“Every government is bound by this,” Dressler said. “And the 15 other federal states have a duty to monitor this and, if necessary, to intervene.”

(With files from Reuters)

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BERLIN,— German officials said Sunday that a deadly vehicle attack near Berlin’s Pride celebration the night before is being treated as an act of Islamist terrorism, as police searched for a suspect described as dangerous and possibly armed.

Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt told reporters near the scene that all available evidence points to a terrorist act linked to Islamist extremism.

He said the suspected attacker had a history of criminal offenses and had shown signs of radicalization, along with ties to Islamist circles.

The attack happened around 10 p.m. Saturday when a white minivan drove into a crowd in Tiergarten park, close to the Brandenburg Gate.

The area sits near Christopher Street Day, one of Europe’s largest annual LGBTQ+ Pride events.

One person was killed, and 29 others were hurt, eight of them seriously, Dobrindt said. Fire officials reported that three of the injured were in life threatening condition, and some victims had stab wounds.

Dobrindt said Germany’s 16 states have been briefed on the attack and told to reassess security plans for large public gatherings, including future Pride events.

He warned that such violent acts could motivate others to carry out similar attacks.

Berlin police identified the suspect overnight as Abdul B. and released his photo, asking the public for help locating him.

They described him as slim, about 1.90 meters, or roughly 6 feet 2 inches tall, with black hair. He was last seen wearing a black hooded top and white pants. Police cautioned residents not to approach him directly.

Dobrindt said the suspect was born in Germany in 2005 and has Lebanese family background. Security officials told Reuters he had been released from juvenile detention just two months earlier.

They said he had reached out to the Islamic State militant group and was already known to Germany’s domestic intelligence service, placed among hundreds of individuals considered potentially dangerous, a status that typically brings ongoing monitoring.

Organizers of Christopher Street Day called off the rest of the event following the attack. Authorities said key details remain unclear, including whether the suspect acted alone, noting that more than one person may have exited the van after the crash.

Television footage from Reuters showed the white minivan wrecked against a tree Sunday morning. German tabloid Bild reported the vehicle was a rented Citroen delivery van and that investigators had searched the suspect’s home.

The attack lands at a difficult moment for Chancellor Friedrich Merz, whose coalition government has faced criticism over its performance and is currently undergoing a rocky cabinet shake-up.

Regional elections are scheduled in two months, with the far-right Alternative for Germany party, or AfD, focusing its campaign on immigration and public safety as it seeks its first win in leading a state government.

AfD co-leader Tino Chrupalla reacted quickly on social media platform X, writing that the party would not let religious extremists divide the country through violence and intolerance.

Germany has seen several vehicle-related assaults on crowds in recent years. In May, a man believed to have mental health problems drove into a pedestrian area in Leipzig, killing two people and seriously injuring three others.

In 2016, Anis Amri, a Tunisian national whose asylum request had been denied and who had connections to Islamist militants, hijacked a truck, killed its driver, and drove into a crowded Christmas market in Berlin.

That attack killed 11 people and injured dozens more. Amri was later shot dead by police in Italy four days afterward.

German police said a 21-year-old man with a history of Islamist extremist activity was shot and killed by officers on Sunday.

Police said the suspect in Saturday’s attack was found at about 6 p.m. local time in a community garden complex in the Spandau district of western Berlin.

According to police, the man ran toward officers while carrying a knife. Officers then opened fire. Despite immediate efforts by emergency responders to revive him, he died at the scene.

Dagmar Euent and Juliane Gotzler, who have a garden plot at the complex, said they heard several gunshots. They said police instructed them to remain inside their garden hut while the incident unfolded.

Berlin Pride attacker shot dead by police

German police said a 21-year-old man with a history of Islamist extremist activity was shot and killed by officers on Sunday, July 26, 2026.

Police said the suspect in Saturday’s attack was found at about 6 p.m. local time in a community garden complex in the Spandau district of western Berlin.

According to police, the man ran toward officers while carrying a knife. Officers then opened fire. Despite immediate efforts by emergency responders to revive him, he died at the scene.

Dagmar Euent and Juliane Gotzler, who have a garden plot at the complex, said they heard several gunshots. They said police instructed them to remain inside their garden hut while the incident unfolded.

Separately, a court in Germany sentenced a Saudi doctor to life in prison in June 2026 after convicting him of killing six people and injuring hundreds when he drove a rented BMW into crowds at a historic Christmas market in Magdeburg just days before Christmas in 2024.

(With files from Reuters)

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BERLIN,— Germany plans to pull its remaining troops out of Erbil, the capital of Iraq’s Kurdistan Region, by the end of September, as part of a wider pullback from the Middle East linked to the Iran war, the news outlet Spiegel reported Friday.

The German military will also shut down a field camp near the Erbil airport, Spiegel said, citing a briefing given to a parliamentary defense committee.

About 30 German soldiers are currently based at that camp, the report said.

The move follows a decision by the United States to pull out a protection force in Iraq as part of its own troop reduction plans, Spiegel noted.

Germany has already cut back sharply on its Middle East presence because of security concerns tied to the war involving Iran.

A spokesperson for Germany’s defense ministry confirmed that a briefing had taken place and said Berlin intends to reduce troop numbers there gradually over time. The spokesperson did not share specific figures or a timeline.

“We are only scaling back our presence. Key support work, including help for Peshmerga forces, will continue. A group of military advisers will stay on at the embassy,” the spokesperson said.

German forces have operated in Erbil for years, forming part of Berlin’s role in the international coalition fighting the Islamic State group. Their work has included training and advising Kurdish Peshmerga fighters.

Asked whether the US withdrawal plan influenced Germany’s decision, the spokesperson said the choice was made jointly with allies.

“This isn’t about one partner alone. It reflects coordination among all of them,” the spokesperson said at a news briefing.

Since 2014, Germany has given more than $3.4 billion in security and humanitarian assistance to Iraq and the Kurdistan Region. At its peak, Berlin had around 500 troops spread across Erbil and Baghdad.

In March, Germany began withdrawing forces from the Middle East after fighting broke out between the United States, Israel and Iran in late February, cutting its Erbil deployment down to roughly 30 troops.

In 2016, Kurdistan’s regional government faced accusations of allowing German-supplied weapons to end up in illegal black market sales.

Germany urged Iraq’s Kurdish regional authorities to make sure that Berlin’s arms shipments were used exclusively by Peshmerga militia fighters battling the Islamic State group.

German public broadcasters WDR and NDR had earlier reported spotting German military equipment, including G3 assault rifles and several types of pistols, being sold on Iraqi Kurdistan’s black markets.

(With files from Reuters | Agencies)

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Ukrainian charged by Germany over Nord Stream pipeline blasts 

BERLIN,— Germany’s federal prosecutor has formally charged a Ukrainian man over the 2022 blasts that damaged the Nord Stream gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea, moving one of Europe’s most politically sensitive sabotage cases closer to trial.

The indictment against the man, named under German privacy rules only as Serhii K, was served Wednesday, Berlin law firm Menaker, which represents him, told Reuters. The firm gave no details on the charges.

German public broadcaster ARD and newspapers Sueddeutsche Zeitung and Die Zeit, which first reported the move, said prosecutors charge Serhii K with attacking civilian energy infrastructure, causing an explosion and destroying structures.

Arrest-warrant documents, prior press releases and a December 2025 ruling by the Federal Court of Justice show prosecutors allege Serhii K helped lead a team that used a sailing yacht, the Andromeda, to plant explosives on the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines near Denmark’s Bornholm island in September 2022.

Prosecutors and the court believe the Andromeda’s crew included a coordinator, a skipper, four deep-sea divers and an explosives expert.

Serhii K allegedly took charge of coordinating the mission from aboard the vessel, holding command over the team but not serving as a diver or bomb handler. He has denied any involvement.

The blasts, which Russia and Western countries have both described as sabotage, cut key routes for Russian gas into Europe months after Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, deepening an energy crisis that hit Germany especially hard.

German courts hold jurisdiction because the pipelines end at Lubmin in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and their destruction affected Germany’s energy security and internal safety.

Court records describe Serhii K as a Ukrainian national who served as an officer in a Ukrainian special forces unit at the time.

He was arrested in Italy last August and transferred to Germany in November, where a judge activated a German arrest warrant.

(With files from Reuters)

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MAGDEBURG, Germany,— A Saudi doctor was sentenced to life in prison in Germany on Friday after a court found him guilty of killing six people and injuring hundreds when he drove a rented BMW into crowds at a historic market in Magdeburg days before Christmas in 2024, Reuters reported.

The defendant identified as Taleb al-Abdulmohsen was a psychiatrist originally from Saudi Arabia and was described by officials as having a history of anti-Islamic rhetoric and far-right sympathies.

The attack shocked the country and fuelled tensions over immigration months before a general election held in February 2025.

Court spokesperson Christian Loeffler said in a statement that the defendant showed behaviour consistent with a narcissistic personality disorder confirmed by an expert witness adding that he placed himself at the centre of everything and ignored the suffering of others.

Prosecutors said he was charged with six counts of murder and the attempted murder of hundreds saying the attack lasted one minute and four seconds and had been planned over several weeks.

Five women aged between 45 and 75 and a nine-year-old boy were killed in the attack.

Prosecutors said the defendant appeared to act out of frustration over a civil law dispute and failures in various criminal complaints and they believed he acted alone.

The court imposed a life sentence with a finding of exceptional gravity meaning parole is generally not possible after 15 years and the prison term is significantly longer.

The defendant had worked as a psychiatrist at a rehabilitation clinic for addicted offenders in Bernburg about 40 kilometres from Magdeburg since March 2020 but had been absent since the end of October 2024 due to holiday and illness.

Early reactions to the attack on social media compared it to the 2016 Berlin Christmas market attack carried out by an Islamist attacker but attention later shifted to the defendant’s own anti-Islam statements.

He appeared in media interviews in 2019 describing his activism helping Saudis who left Islam to flee to Europe while a Saudi exile group said it had conflicts with him and described him as isolated and difficult to work with.

In a BBC documentary in July 2019 he said he founded wearesaudis.net after becoming an atheist and seeking asylum in Germany.

Local media reported that the defendant showed little remorse spoke in a rambling manner and was repeatedly asked by the judge to be brief during proceedings.

Court officials said he was removed from proceedings when he misbehaved and when he went on a hunger strike and declared himself unfit to stand trial the case continued in his absence.

He also posted video messages on his X account on the day of the attack where he made rambling claims blaming Germany’s liberal policies for the death of Socrates and accusing police of stealing a USB drive and destroying a complaint he had filed.

Holger Muench president of the Federal Criminal Police Office said Germany received a warning from Saudi Arabia about the defendant in 2023 which authorities reviewed but found to be vague.

A large number of victims joined the case as joint plaintiffs represented by around 40 lawyers and a temporary court building was constructed in Magdeburg where the defendant appeared on Friday in a glass enclosure guarded by masked officers on Friday there court.

(With files from Reuters)

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MOSCOW,— Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the United States has been trying to gain control of the Nord Stream gas pipelines under the Baltic Sea, which were damaged by unexplained explosions in September 2022.

The blasts, which occurred more than three years ago, cut most Russian gas flows to Europe. This reduced energy supplies across the region, although Russia had already sharply lowered deliveries before the incident.

Russia and Western nations have both described the explosions as sabotage. Investigators worked for years to identify those responsible. In 2025, a Ukrainian man was detained in Italy on suspicion of organizing the attacks, according to Reuters.

Lavrov made the remarks in an interview with France Televisions on Thursday. He said Washington has been seeking greater control over global energy markets. He referred to Venezuela and Iran as examples, stating the United States had taken control over major oil resources.

Lavrov said the United States has recently indicated it intends to assume control of the Nord Stream pipelines, based on a transcript published by Russia’s foreign ministry.

He gave no further details about the claim.

The Wall Street Journal reported in 2024 that American investor Stephen P. Lynch was attempting to purchase the Nord Stream 2 pipeline. The project consists of two lines, one of which remains undamaged.

(With files from Reuters)

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BERLIN,— Germany has temporarily withdrawn part of its military personnel from Erbil in Iraqi Kurdistan due to rising tensions in the Middle East, a spokesperson for the German Defence Ministry told AFP on Thursday.

Several dozen German soldiers were moved from their base in Erbil, the capital of Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region.

The spokesperson said only the staff required to keep the camp functioning remain at the location.

The ministry did not identify the specific cause of the increased tensions. However, US President Donald Trump has ordered a significant deployment of American warships, aircraft and other military equipment to the region and has warned of possible action against Iran.

German forces are stationed in Erbil as part of an international mission focused on training Iraqi security forces.

The spokesperson said the decision to relocate some personnel was closely coordinated with multinational partners involved in the mission.

No further details were provided about the number of troops relocated or how long the temporary move would last.

(With files from AFP)

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BERLIN,— A Kurdish group in Germany has filed a criminal complaint accusing self-proclaimed Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa of committing genocide against Yazidis, war crimes, and crimes against humanity, German prosecutors confirmed Monday.

The Kurdish Community of Germany (KGD) said it submitted the complaint last week to the Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office in Karlsruhe.

The group alleges that al-Sharaa, also known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani, played a leading role in atrocities committed against Kurdish Yazidis and other minorities in Syria and Iraq.

“Al-Golani shares direct responsibility for the genocide of Yazidi Kurds in 2014 and for the ongoing, systematic violence targeting ethnic and religious minorities,” said Mehmet Tanriverdi, KGD’s deputy chairman, in a statement.

He added that Germany’s principle of universal jurisdiction allows prosecutors to pursue such crimes regardless of where they occurred.

Al-Sharaa rose to power after his rebel coalition overthrew longtime Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad late last year.

Al-Sharaa has a record steeped in “terrorism”. He emerged from the ranks of al-Qaida and ISIS, later creating the al-Nusra Front, the Syrian branch of al-Qaida that terrorized civilians and carried out brutal attacks across the region, according to monitor groups.

Under his command, the group rebranded itself as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), but Western intelligence agencies and rights monitors say its ideology and tactics remain largely unchanged.

Despite his recent attempts to recast himself as a political leader, al-Sharaa’s legacy is defined by extremism, bloodshed, and years spent advancing jihadist violence under different names.

Although HTS was removed from the U

.S. list of terrorist organizations in July, al-Sharaa has attempted to distance himself from his extremist background and present a more moderate image since assuming the presidency.

He met U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on Monday in what officials described as part of efforts to rebuild diplomatic ties after years of conflict.

The Kurdish Community of Germany has criticized what it sees as growing political acceptance of al-Sharaa in Western countries.

The group also condemned German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s decision to invite the Syrian leader for talks on the possible repatriation of Syrian nationals currently living in Germany.

“The idea of hosting a suspected war criminal on German soil raises grave concerns,” the organization said.

The Yazidis, a Kurdish-speaking religious minority rooted in northwest Iraq, suffered one of the worst massacres of the Islamic State’s campaign in August 2014.

The United Nations has classified the attacks as genocide, citing the mass killing of men and the abduction, rape, and enslavement of thousands of Yazidi women and girls.

(With files from AFP | Agencies)

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BERLIN,— Iranian Kurdish-German rapper and businessman and influential music entrepreneur Xatar has died at the age of 43, German news outlets reported on Friday.

The 43-year-old artist, whose real name was Giwar Hajabi, found dead under unclear circumstances.

According to German tabloid Bild, Xatar died in Berlin, while outlets WELT and Express reported he was found in an apartment in Cologne.

Authorities in Cologne have opened an investigation into his death, the public prosecutor’s office confirmed.

An autopsy showed no signs of external violence, but the exact cause of death remains under review.

Xatar’s death was first announced by fellow rapper Farid Bang on Instagram, prompting an outpouring of reactions across Germany’s hip-hop community.

Born December 24, 1981, in Sne (Sanandaj), Iranian Kurdistan (Western Kurdistan Rojhelat), Xatar grew up in Germany after his Kurdish parents sought asylum there. His stage name, Xatar, translates to “danger” in Arabic.

He rose to fame in the German music scene, particularly after topping the charts in 2015 with the album Baba aller Babas. Over his career, he released six albums, with the most recent, Hrrr, dropping in 2021.

Beyond his music, Xatar was known for his business ventures, heading labels including Alles oder Nix, Kopfticker, Groove Attack TraX, and Goldmann Entertainment.

One of his best-known songs, Bayda, a collaboration with Navid Zardi, has attracted over 24 million views on YouTube.

Xatar is survived by his wife, Farvah, and their five children. The couple had been together for 15 years.

According to a close friend speaking to Rudaw TV, Xatar had been battling leukemia for the past two years and had undergone chemotherapy.

“We rarely saw each other after his treatment began,” the friend said. “But I knew about his condition from others.” However, this report could not be independently confirmed, and some have noted that it remains speculation at this stage.

(With files from Agencies)

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