The Kurdistan Free Life Party (PJAK) defined the Iranian regime as an “iron cage for women” on Monday, calling on women to raise the torch of the struggle on 8 March International Women’s Day.
The Kurdish-leftist party released a statement ahead of International Women’s Day, saying that with the continuing protests in Iran the PJAK were “in the process of bringing women’s revolution, life and freedom to fruition for the peoples of East Kurdistan (Rojhilat) and Iran.”
Nationwide protests in Iran were sparked in September after a 22-year old Kurdish woman, Jîna (Mahsa) Amini, died at hospital due to brain injuries, following her arrest by the country’s morality police for violating the Islamic dress code.
“This revolution is the beginning of a new struggle and a radical change in Iran. Our party was founded to work for the freedom of women, and we will continue our activities and struggle until the freedom of all women is achieved,” the PJAK said.
“The current system in Iran and East Kurdistan is an iron cage for women. This system has enslaved society and women,” the party said, adding that the uprising that embraced the slogan ‘Jin, Jiyan, Azadi’ (Women, Life, Freedom), has emerged under the leadership of women in Iran and East Kurdistan and is directed against the Iranian regime’s established order.
PJAK noted that the dynamism in Iran is the outcome of a decades-long struggle of the Kurdish people who currently carry the torch of freedom in Iran.
“At the present time, our people see their freedom in the freedom of women. This is the most honest, moral and political method of democratic struggle,” the PJAK said, implying the role of women in the Kurdish movement.
“Let’s raise the torch of struggle on International Women’s Day. There is no doubt that society and nature will obtain freedom under the leadership of women,” the Kurdish party said.
The PJAK is aligned with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and is a part of the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK).
