Zara Mohamadi, a devoted Kurdish language teacher in Kurdistan, exemplifies the challenges encountered by those striving to protect their native language. As the director of the Nojin Socio-Cultural Association, she worked tirelessly to preserve and promote Kurdish culture and language.
But unfortunately, her efforts were met with opposition from Iranian authorities. In May 2019, she was arrested, along with two other Kurdish teachers
In response to her condition, the international community resolutely voiced its concern. Numerous organizations and prominent figures raised their voices to support her. PEN International published a letter calling for her release from prison less than a month after her initial detention. In August 2020, a group of academics, led by Noam Chomsky, signed a letter condemning Iran’s discrimination against non-Persian languages, including Kurdish, and called for her release. Simona Škrabec, the Chair of PEN International’s Translation and Linguistic Rights Committee emphasized the importance of linguistic diversity and the need to respect the linguistic rights of minorities.
Zara Mohammadi’s case stands as a symbol of the Iranian government’s systematic oppression and marginalization of the Kurdish language. It is an explicit example of the struggle encountered by Kurdish language enthusiasts and their responsibility to preserve their cultural heritage.
The global community must continue to support the linguistic rights of minority populations and offer strong support to individuals such as Zara Mohammadi, who have devoted their lives to preserving endangered languages. The right to learn and speak one’s mother tongue is a fundamental human right.
Roonak Hosseini
Roozbeh Fakhari