While the rest of Iran was enjoying a few superficial reforms implemented by the former president, Khatami, Kurdistan stayed under constant attack by the government forces, which resulted in many deaths and arrests up to the 2005 change that ousted Khatami. The mock candidacy of Rafsanjani and Ahmadi-Nejad and the sham Iranian presidential elections all but demolished even the pretence of reforms and have proven that the current regime is incapable of change.
During the past two weeks, peaceful demonstrators have been arrested and tortured, many have died and newspapers have been shut down in the Kurdish cities of Saqiz, Sine, Mahabad, Serdesht, Piranshar, Meriwan, Shino, Baneh, Divan and Dareh and many smaller towns. In one instance a human rights activist was dragged through the city of Mahabad after being shot first by the security forces at close range. Civilians including children have been arrested and are jailed since the beginning of the demonstrations without seeing their family or attorneys. Iranian military has attacked the Kurdish cities with helicopters and is firing into the streets indiscriminately while 100,000 ground troops have been sent to confront un-armed civilians.
Kurds did not expect positive changes from Ahmadi-Nejad