In a statement to the Australian Senate, Senator Lidia Thorpe said that she had recently heard from members of the Kurdish community about the persecution and violence that Kurdish people are facing in Iran and elsewhere. She expressed concern about displacement, surveillance, fear and the suppression of the Kurdish language and culture.<\/p>\n
Senator Thorpe referred specifically to two Kurdish brothers who were activists involved in establishing a library and programs for teaching the Kurdish language. According to the information she received, the brothers participated in protests against the Iranian regime and were subsequently persecuted by security forces, forcing them into hiding. She stated that in May 2026, the brothers were killed after IRGC forces surrounded their home and opened fire. She also noted that their families continue to face surveillance and financial hardship.<\/p>\n
In another part of the statement, Senator Thorpe stated that she had raised with Minister Burke the need for clearer humanitarian pathways for people facing persecution and fleeing danger, including Kurdish people. Drawing on the experience of First Peoples in Australia, she emphasised the importance of culture, language and self-determination and expressed solidarity with peoples continuing to seek freedom, dignity and the right to live without fear.<\/p>\n
The statement followed a meeting held some time earlier between representatives of the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran in Australia and Senator Thorpe. During that meeting, the representatives discussed the situation of the Kurdish people more broadly, with particular emphasis on the crimes and persecution committed by the Islamic Republic of Iran against \u00a0Kurds.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
In a statement to the Australian Senate, Senator Lidia Thorpe said that she had recently heard from members of the Kurdish community about the persecution and violence that Kurdish people are facing in Iran and elsewhere. She expressed concern about […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":7519,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pdki.org\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/103727_w920.jpg?fit=920%2C518&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p12yuy-1Xf","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":7424,"url":"https:\/\/pdki.org\/english\/meeting-of-the-partys-representation-in-australia-with-the-office-of-senator-lidia-thorpe\/","url_meta":{"origin":7517,"position":0},"title":"Meeting of the Party\u2019s Representation in Australia with the Office of Senator Lidia Thorpe","author":"Ali","date":"June 12, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"On Thursday ,11 June 2026, a delegation of the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (PDKI) in Australia - consisting of Salah Pourasad, Ronak Rad, Bawa Rezaei, and Jino Kardo \u2014 held a video conference with the Chief of Staff to Senator Lidia Thorpe. During the meeting, the PDKI delegation presented\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Foreign Relation Activities & Reports"","block_context":{"text":"Foreign Relation Activities & Reports","link":"https:\/\/pdki.org\/english\/category\/foreign-relation\/activities-reports\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pdki.org\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/100777_w920.jpg?fit=920%2C518&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pdki.org\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/100777_w920.jpg?fit=920%2C518&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pdki.org\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/100777_w920.jpg?fit=920%2C518&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pdki.org\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/100777_w920.jpg?fit=920%2C518&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":7121,"url":"https:\/\/pdki.org\/english\/pdki-delegation-joins-senator-shoebridges-online-seminar-on-rojava-crisis-and-kurdish-rights\/","url_meta":{"origin":7517,"position":1},"title":"PDKI Delegation Joins Senator Shoebridge’s Online Seminar on Rojava Crisis and Kurdish Rights","author":"Ali","date":"February 20, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"On Thursday, February 19, 2026, at the invitation of Senator David Shoebridge, a delegation from the PDKI, led by Mr. Salah Pourasad, the PDKI representative to Australia, participated in a special online meeting on the current situation in West Kurdistan (Rojava). The video conference featured Ms. Ilham Ahmed, Co-Chair of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Foreign Relation Activities & Reports"","block_context":{"text":"Foreign Relation Activities & Reports","link":"https:\/\/pdki.org\/english\/category\/foreign-relation\/activities-reports\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pdki.org\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Salah5.jpg?fit=920%2C518&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pdki.org\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Salah5.jpg?fit=920%2C518&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pdki.org\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Salah5.jpg?fit=920%2C518&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pdki.org\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Salah5.jpg?fit=920%2C518&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":6812,"url":"https:\/\/pdki.org\/english\/pdki-delegation-meets-australian-senator-david-shoebridge\/","url_meta":{"origin":7517,"position":2},"title":"PDKI Delegation Meets Australian Senator David Shoebridge","author":"Ali","date":"December 11, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"On Tuesday, December 9, 2025, a PDKI delegation in Australia, led by Mr. Salah Pourasad, held an online meeting with Senator David Shoebridge of the Australian Greens. Senator Shoebridge oversees the Greens' portfolios of external relations, security and defense, and multicultural affairs in the Australian Senate. He has long supported\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Latest"","block_context":{"text":"Latest","link":"https:\/\/pdki.org\/english\/category\/latest\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pdki.org\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/senatorGreens.jpg?fit=548%2C328&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pdki.org\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/senatorGreens.jpg?fit=548%2C328&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pdki.org\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/senatorGreens.jpg?fit=548%2C328&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":7435,"url":"https:\/\/pdki.org\/english\/pdki-representative-meets-with-the-australian-greens-party\/","url_meta":{"origin":7517,"position":3},"title":"PDKI Representative Meets with the Australian Greens Party","author":"Ali","date":"June 16, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"On Tuesday 16 June, Mr Bawa Rezai, head of the PDKI Adelaide Committee and a member of the party's Australian representative body, met with Ms Tammy Jo Sutton, adviser to Australian Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young. At the start of the meeting, Mr Rezai presented a detailed report on systematic human\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Latest"","block_context":{"text":"Latest","link":"https:\/\/pdki.org\/english\/category\/latest\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pdki.org\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/100946_w920.jpg?fit=920%2C518&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pdki.org\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/100946_w920.jpg?fit=920%2C518&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pdki.org\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/100946_w920.jpg?fit=920%2C518&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pdki.org\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/100946_w920.jpg?fit=920%2C518&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":6728,"url":"https:\/\/pdki.org\/english\/senator-paul-scarr-meets-pdki-representatives-in-adelaide-reaffirms-support-for-kurds\/","url_meta":{"origin":7517,"position":4},"title":"Senator Paul Scarr Meets PDKI Representatives in Adelaide, Reaffirms Support for Kurds","author":"Ali","date":"November 22, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"On Saturday, 22 November 2025, at the invitation of the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan's (PDKI) Foreign Relations in Australia, Senator Paul Scarr and his office head, Jetson Sandrop, visited Adelaide, where they were welcomed by PDKI members and the local Kurdish community. Baba Rezaei, the head of the PDKI\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Latest"","block_context":{"text":"Latest","link":"https:\/\/pdki.org\/english\/category\/latest\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pdki.org\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/IMG_3779.jpg?fit=920%2C518&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pdki.org\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/IMG_3779.jpg?fit=920%2C518&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pdki.org\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/IMG_3779.jpg?fit=920%2C518&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pdki.org\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/IMG_3779.jpg?fit=920%2C518&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":7480,"url":"https:\/\/pdki.org\/english\/pdki-representative-in-australia-meets-with-senator-malcolm-roberts\/","url_meta":{"origin":7517,"position":5},"title":"PDKI Representative in Australia Meets with Senator Malcolm Roberts","author":"Ali","date":"August 10, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"On Thursday, 6 August, a delegation from the PDKI, including Salah Pour-Azad (the party\u2019s representative in Australia) and Masoud Piran (a PDKI member from Brisbane), met with Senator Malcolm Roberts. Senator Roberts warmly welcomed the PDKI representatives, expressing his appreciation for the opportunity to hold the meeting. During the meeting,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Latest"","block_context":{"text":"Latest","link":"https:\/\/pdki.org\/english\/category\/latest\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pdki.org\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/102980_w920.jpg?fit=920%2C518&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pdki.org\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/102980_w920.jpg?fit=920%2C518&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pdki.org\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/102980_w920.jpg?fit=920%2C518&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pdki.org\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/102980_w920.jpg?fit=920%2C518&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pdki.org\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7517"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pdki.org\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pdki.org\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pdki.org\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pdki.org\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7517"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/pdki.org\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7517\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7520,"href":"https:\/\/pdki.org\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7517\/revisions\/7520"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pdki.org\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7519"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pdki.org\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7517"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pdki.org\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7517"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pdki.org\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7517"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}