Iranian opposition receives political backing from MdL Frederick Cordes
In July 2022, Vafa Azarbar, a Kurdish Iranian opposition figure, was arrested by the Iranian authorities and has been held captive ever since. According to reports from May and August 2025, Azarbar is facing the death penalty based on allegations of spying for Israel's Mossad, with the intent to carry out an attack. However, these claims remain unproven in a fair and transparent trial.
Frederick Cordes, a state parliamentarian from North Rhine-Westphalia, has taken on political sponsorship for Azarbar and is actively advocating for his human rights. Cordes has written a letter to the Iranian ambassador to Germany, demanding that Azarbar be granted fundamental human rights, including the right to legal representation, family contact, medical care, and independent observation at trial.
Kurdish human rights organizations strongly deny the claims against Azarbar. Despite the alleged confessions of Azarbar and three others, supposedly extracted under torture, being broadcast on Iranian TV multiple times, there is no evidence to support these allegations.
The whereabouts, health condition, and future of Azarbar are unknown. His family has been denied any contact or information about his status. Countless death sentences have been issued and carried out in similar cases, making Azarbar's situation increasingly dire.
Cordes's actions are directed towards the Iranian government, as he has promised to continue protesting until Azarbar's demands are met or he is released. The international community, including German-based organizations, typically engages in advocacy for Kurdish activists like Azarbar, demanding fair treatment and opposing politically motivated sentences.
While the search results do not provide explicit information on specific campaigns or actions undertaken in Germany for Azarbar, such advocacy would align with ongoing international human rights campaigns against Iran's repression of Kurdish opposition figures. Azarbar's case serves as a stark reminder of the need for transparency and fairness in the Iranian judicial system.
[1] Sources: Reports from May and August 2025.
- The ongoing advocacy by Frederick Cordes for Vafa Azarbar, a Kurdish Iranian opposition figure, involves writing a letter to the Iranian ambassador to Germany, urging the granting of fundamental human rights, including legal representation, family contact, medical care, and independent observation at trial.
- In the context of war-and-conflicts, politics, general-news, and crime-and-justice, the international community, including German-based organizations, actively engage in advocacy for Kurdish activists like Azarbar, demanding fair treatment and opposing politically motivated sentences.
