CRITICAL APPEAL: 29 YEARS of SILENCE—THE PLIGHT OF TAHISN OMAR ABDULLAH
By Kurdfile Media
In an emotional plea that echoes the anguish of a family torn apart for nearly three decades, Mrs. Pirdawd, wife of political prisoner Tahsin Omar Abdullah, has spoken out against the enduring silence and inaction surrounding her husband’s incarceration. In a powerful open letter addressed to the global community, freedom fighters, and human rights advocates, Mrs. Pirdawd sheds light on the injustices her family has endured at the hands of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the broader complicity of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK).
A PRISONER OF CONSCIENCE
Tahsin Omar Abdullah was arrested by the KDP in December 1995, while working for the PUK’s intelligence agency. Unlike others who were arrested alongside him and eventually released under special amnesty, Abdullah remains imprisoned in Erbil, a lone captive in a system that appears selective in its mercy.
For 29 long years, the cries for justice have gone unheard. Despite a visit from the head of the Human Rights Commission, who acknowledged Abdullah’s dire health condition, no meaningful action has been taken. Mrs. Pirdawd writes:
“Enough of the oppression. Learn from the house of Saddam Hussein, because they are acting like them.”
A FAMILY IN EXILE
The injustice didn’t stop with Abdullah’s imprisonment. His family has faced relentless persecution. Fearful for their lives, they fled Kurdistan and sought refuge in Britain. Now British citizens, Mrs. Pirdawd calls on the British Ambassador to Iraq to intervene and pressure the authorities in Iraqi Kurdistan to release her husband.
A STARK CONTRAST IN FORGIVENESS
Mrs. Pirdawd’s appeal highlights the hypocrisy of the current administration in Kurdistan, which has granted amnesty to individuals accused of far greater crimes, including Anfal perpetrators and collaborators with the Ba’athist regime. Yet her husband—a man she describes as innocent—continues to languish in prison.
She writes poignantly:
“This is not a culture, but to forgive the big jashes and traitors. Release my innocent husband.”
A CALL TO ACTION
The letter is more than a plea; it is a rallying cry to the international community, human rights organizations, and the Kurdish diaspora to rise against this injustice. It underscores the broader human rights violations in the region and the urgent need for systemic change.
A DYING MAN’S LAST HOPE
As her husband’s health deteriorates, Mrs. Pirdawd’s appeal is a desperate attempt to ensure that the remaining years of his life are spent with his family.
“Let’s spend the rest of our lives in the arms of our families.”
FINAL THOUGHTS
This case is emblematic of the broader struggles within the Kurdish political system—a system where justice often takes a back seat to political convenience. It is a stark reminder of the cost of silence, the weight of complicity, and the urgent need for international intervention.
The world must not look away. If the principles of human rights mean anything, the plight of Tahsin Omar Abdullah must be addressed with urgency, compassion, and action.