The following is abridged from an August 28 statement from the Worker Communist Party of Iraq (WCPI) in Kurdistan.

On August 26, [in Iraqi Kurdistan], the armed forces of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan arrested Azad Ahmed, a leading member of the WCPI, along with party cadre Addnan Mohamed (known as Baghtiar Nadir) and Anwar Noori.

In spite of all the PUK's deceitful claim to not oppose the political activity of our party, tens of our members and cadres have been arrested and tortured since July 14. Arresting our comrades without informing their relatives, prohibiting all contact with them, just like the security apparatus of [Saddam Hussein's] Ba'ath regime, and the outright violation of freedom and human rights have upset the progressive people of Kurdistan.

We hold the PUK responsible for the safety of our comrades and demand that they and the other comrades in the PUK's prisons be immediately and unconditionally released. Meanwhile, we call on progressive people and political and human rights organisations to condemn these oppressive actions by the PUK and demand the immediate release of all political prisoners.

Letters should be faxed to the PUK offices in London at +44 171 840 630 and Washington at +1 202 637 2723.

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