Kurdish and other political activists protested against the death sentences of Kurdish women’s activists Pakhshan Azizi and Sharifeh Mohammadi outside the Iranian embassy in Brussels on Friday 26 July.
The event, organised by the Free Women’s Society of Eastern Kurdistan (KJAR), the Kurdistan Free Life Party (PJAK) and the European Kurdish Women’s Movement (TJK-E) demanded freedom for Azizi, Mohammadi and other Kurdish women’s activists imprisoned in Iran.
The need for a common fight against death sentences handed down by the Iranian regime was hammered home in speeches held at the event.
A statement was issued saying that “in Iran, poverty and unemployment have reached a dangerous level.” It continued, “Those who, in the guise of religion, impose decisions on people’s lives, live in extreme wealth themselves and do not consider the lives of the people’s, have become the greatest threat to society.”
The statement pointed out that “the Iranian regime systematically oppresses women because what it fears most is women and their power”. They said of the anti-women policies of the Iranian regime: “A woman who is beaten at home by her husband is also, generally, oppressed by the male-dominated state.”
“If today Iran arbitrarily imposes decisions on people and sanctions on women and political activists, this is primarily due to the silence of human rights organisations and institutions,” the statement continued, calling on “all organisations and institutions working under the name of human rights to protect these women’s lives and secure their freedom”.
The statement saluted the resistance of other women held as political prisoners in Iran, like Zeinab Jalaliyan, who has been imprisoned for 17 years, and Warisheh Moradi, who has endured months of mental and physical torture since being detained in August last year.
The event concluded with slogans such as “Jin Jiyan Azadî” (Women, Life, Freedom), “Freedom for political prisoners”, “Down with the murderous Iranian regime” and “Down with the regime against women.”
