Qazi Mohammad
(1893-1947)

Qazi Muhammad, born in 1893 in Mahabad in the Kurdish region of Iran, came from a prominent family and rose to become a respected judge and religious scholar, well-versed in Sharia law and fluent in multiple languages. By the 1930s and 1940s, he had emerged as one of the leading Kurdish nationalist figures, advocating strongly for Kurdish cultural, linguistic, and political rights within Iran. He played a central role in founding the Kurdish Democratic Party of Iran (KDP-I), which sought Kurdish autonomy while also promoting solidarity with other oppressed ethnic groups. On January 22, 1946, Qazi Muhammad declared the establishment of the Republic of Mahabad, the first modern Kurdish state, with himself as president. Backed initially by Soviet forces occupying northern Iran, the short-lived republic championed Kurdish identity and progress: Kurdish became the language of education, literature flourished, women’s education was promoted, and the Peshmerga military force was formally organized. Despite these advances, the Republic of Mahabad lasted less than a year. As international pressure mounted, Soviet forces withdrew, leaving the fledgling state vulnerable. By late 1946, Iranian forces retook Mahabad, dismantling Kurdish institutions, closing schools and presses, and outlawing Kurdish cultural expression. Qazi Muhammad was soon arrested, given a brief military trial, and executed by hanging on March 31, 1947, along with other Kurdish leaders. Though his republic fell, his leadership and sacrifice became enduring symbols of Kurdish national aspirations and resistance against oppression. To this day, Qazi Muhammad is remembered as a beacon of hope and a source of inspiration for Kurdish movements across the region, embodying the ongoing struggle for self-determination and cultural survival.