Syrian Kurds celebrate Nowruz … and memories of security pursuits, arrests and murders
The Kurds in the world and Syria celebrated Nowruz, as the Syrian cities witnessed unprecedented crowds flocking to the centers set to celebrate, amid strict security measures.
Nowruz is considered one of the main national holidays and is generally celebrated by the Kurds as a national symbol against injustice and to emphasize their continued work until the realization of their rights.
The successive Syrian governments, since the arrival of the Baath Party regime to power in Syria, specifically during the era of former Syrian President Hafez al-Assad and his son Bashar al-Assad, the current president, forbade celebrating Nowruz, and hundreds of young men were arrested and the army and security teams were sent to Kurdish cities, and some incidents resulted in the killing of a number of people. Revelers.
The Syrian authority did not allow the Kurds to celebrate their only national holiday, “Nowruz,” which falls on March 21 of each year. Assad the Father, issued Decree No. 104 of 1988, which stipulates that every year this day is an official day for the mother in the country, in which government departments are suspended, in order to obliterate the identity of the “Kurds” holiday, two years after the first public Nowruz in the capital, Damascus, the government banned it. It was killed and wounded, including “Suleiman Adi,” who was shot by the Republican Guard.

Suleiman Muhammad Amin Adi, his mother, Fajra, was born in 1967 in the village of Lodika / Abu Ajeel, on March 21, 1986 AD. Accordingly, the 21st of March was considered an official holiday in the country, not on the occasion of (Nowruz), but on the pretext of (Mother’s Day

Instead, it addresses the grievances afflicting the Syrian Kurdish minority, rather than suppressing the expressions of these grievances. And democratic and human rights reforms in Syria that would improve the situation of the Kurds and non-Kurds alike, which could lead to alleviating tensions between the Kurds and the Syrian state. Regionally, and benefiting from the experiences of neighboring countries tightened the security grip and increased targeting the Kurds
The security forces opened fire on the participants in Nowruz Eid in Qamishlo city 2008, killing 3 (I immediately wanted Muhammad Yahya Khalil (36 years) and Muhammad Zaki Ramadan (25 years). And Ahmed Mahmoud Hussein (18 years) died later from his wounds), and 5 were wounded Others are: Riyad Hussein, Karam Ibrahim Al Youssef, Riyad Youssef Sheikhi, Mohiuddin Jamil Issa, and Muhammad Khair Issa.
In the city of Raqqa in 2009, dozens were killed after the Syrian security forces fired live bullets at the revelers. Dozens also died under torture. On March 21, 2009, security forces arrested dozens of participants in the detention of Nowruz in Aleppo and in Darbasiyah, and referred 14 minors from Aleppo to the judiciary for trial. Seven men from Darbasiyah were also referred for trial. In Nowruz Aleppo, 2010, hundreds were arrested and victims.
And Kurdish gatherings in the city of Aleppo and Damascus starting from 19, 20 and 21 March, and dozens of young men celebrating the holiday and its rituals were arrested, but despite this, the Kurds were defying the curfew, and the Nowruz flame did not cease to burn, and the Kurds were increasingly insistent and challenging to keep the Nowruz flame burning.
Dozens of leaders of activists and Kurdish party leaders were arrested before, during and after the Eid. For hours, extending days, and they were referred to the judiciary, where they often appeared before military courts that sentenced them to prison terms.
The arrests were carried out without arrest warrants based on the emergency law in force in Syria, in place since 1963. The security forces initially held them incommunicado during their interrogation. Prisoners are not allowed to inform their families of their whereabouts until after they are transferred to regular prisons. Sometimes after several months they are subjected to interrogation, and arrest to torture – according to dozens of witnesses -: The most common forms of torture are beatings and kicks on all parts of the body, especially beating on the soles of the feet ( Cotyledon). Other forms of torture that the detainees described included being deprived of sleep and being forced to stand for long periods.
Most of those arrested are referred to military courts for prosecution, a practice permitted under the Emergency Law. The judicial authorities invoke a wide range of criminal provisions that punish a large number of peaceful activities, including the legitimate exercise of freedom of expression and association. These provisions include (1) provisions criminalizing the launching of any calls that can be described as leading to “inciting sectarian or racial strife” (Article 307 of the Syrian Penal Code) (2) provisions criminalizing “all acts, speeches, or writings” that can be interpreted as calling for Dividing a part of Syrian land to annex it to a foreign country (Article 267) and (3) provisions criminalizing “every crowd or procession on public roads or in a place open to the public… with the intention of protesting against a decision or measure taken by the public authorities” and punishable by imprisonment for one month Up to 12 months (Article 336).