Iraqi Kurdistan Region; Behnam Jamali, Political Activist from Ilam, Target of Threats and Pressure from the Islamic Republic

January 23, 2026; The Islamic Republic of Iran, which has a long history of threats, cyber-attacks, kidnapping, and assassination outside Iran's borders, has expanded the scope of its threats abroad, particularly to the Iraqi Kurdistan Region, simultaneously with the bloody suppression of domestic protests. In one of these cases, “Behnam Jamali,” a Kurdish political activist from Ilam and a resident of the Iraqi Kurdistan Region, has been the target of threats related to “kidnapping and life security.” Furthermore, his family in Iran has been placed under pressure for him to cooperate with security agencies.

“Behnam Jamali,” who has been active for years in the field of political activities, especially related to Ilam province, and has also engaged in political, media, and human rights activities regarding the situation in the city of Ilam during the 2025-2026 protests, says that he and his family in Iran have been directly targeted by threats and pressure due to his political activities abroad.

These threats have included sending threatening text messages with direct reference to the name of his young child and warning about a “long trip” and being deprived of seeing his child, secret filming of his movements within the city and sending these videos to his Instagram page, as well as summoning and applying pressure on his family inside Iran by security agencies with the aim of forcing him to cooperate with the security apparatus of the Islamic Republic; with the explicit threat that if he does not cooperate, he will be the target of kidnapping or murder.

This political activist, who has provided the threatening text messages and videos sent by unknown individuals to Kurdpa, says the intensity of these threats has forced him to seek a change of residence and temporarily move to another location to preserve his life and that of his family. He emphasizes that he is deeply concerned about the security of his family, especially his wife and young child.

According to this political activist, the main reason for these pressures is his political activities in connection with Ilam province, making human rights violation cases public, and following up on the situation of protesters and victims of repression. He says his family inside Iran has been summoned and pressured many times by security agencies and, with the start of the recent protests, they were told that “they must inform Behnam to cooperate with the security agencies of the Islamic Republic; otherwise, the responsibility for kidnapping or whatever happens to him will be on himself.”

The threat, intimidation, and pursuit of political and civil activists abroad by the Islamic Republic, especially during periods of protests and political crises, is a continuous and documented procedure. The Islamic Republic has used various methods including direct threats, pressure on families, cyber-attacks, physical pursuit, kidnapping, and assassination to silence critical voices abroad. To date, hundreds of cases of assassination and targeted attacks against political activists and members of Kurdish parties on the soil of the Iraqi Kurdistan Region have been recorded and documented.

The images related to the threatening text messages sent to “Behnam Jamali,” as well as a video recorded of him in the streets and sent to him, show that in one of these messages it is written; “Spend more time with your child these days; you will soon go on a long trip.” Additionally, Mr. Jamali has provided this video to Kurdpa, but to preserve the security of his place of residence and given that the city and shops are identifiable in the images, its publication has been withheld.

Various threats of the Islamic Republic against political and civil activists abroad, especially during political events, are extensive, and the Islamic Republic has carried them out in various ways. From cyber and targeted attacks to threats of kidnapping and assassination, and carrying out hundreds of cases of assassination on the soil of the Iraqi Kurdistan Region against political activists and members of Kurdish parties that have been recorded.

Images related to the threatening text messages against “Behnam Jamali,” who had a video of him in the streets taken and sent to him, stating: “Spend more time with your child these days and soon you will go on a long trip”;