Seen for First Time: Abdulrahman Ghassemlou Photo Album

On the 25th anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Abdurrahman Ghassemlou, the former leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran (KDPI), Rudaw is proud to make available photographs of the late Kurdish leader. These images are being published for the first time.

The photographs are from the archives of the Czech historian Dr. Karel Jech who was a close friend of Dr. Ghassemlo during his stay in the Czech republic. Dr Jech (1929-2012) was a university professor of history and journalism in Prague.

These images are being published with the consent of Dr. Jech’s wife Kveta Jechova. The photographs were taken in 1950, ’53, ’55 and ’80.

Dr. Jech’s families are the sole copyright owner of these previously unpublished images. Rudaw obtained the right to publicize the photographs through Dr Jech’s family.

Since Dr. Ghassemlo was not able to attend his engagement ceremony for political and security reasons, Dr. Jech took part in the ceremony on behalf of the late Kurdish leader. There are some photographs in part 8, which were taken on that day.

English captions go with all of the photographs.

Ghassemlo’s wife Helena and Sadegh Sharafkandi are seen in Prague and in a Parisian cemetery in some of the photographs.