Four women spoke to Medya News reporter Erem Kansoy on the anniversary of the death of Jina (Mahsa) Amini, a young Kurdish woman whose murder in September 2022 ignited widespread protests. The brutality that led to her death sparked the Jin Jiyan Azadî uprising, transforming the slogan rooted in Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) co fouder Abdullah Öcalan’s philosophy into a global symbol of resistance, and an impassioned call for women’s freedom.
Beatriu Cardona, a spokesperson for the Spanish trade union organisation Intersindical Valenciana, emphasises that the Kurdish women’s movement, especially the Jin Jiyan Azadî movement, is an inspiration to feminists worldwide:
As I said, for all the feminists in the world, the Kurdish women’s movement is the pioneer… even if you’re living under different states that play a very negative part in your freedom
“The Jin Jiyan Azadî movement and the Kurdish women’s movement is an inspiration to all the feminists in the world. We are approaching the commemoration of the vile murder of our dear Jina Amini, because she wanted to exert her freedom of dressing however she wanted. And I think that all the women in the world should unite with the same shout, in the same yell, to fight for ‘women life and freedom’. As I said, for all the feminists in the world, the Kurdish women’s movement is the pioneer, because even if you’re living under different states that play a very negative part in your freedom. Because the Kurdish people is under siege of Turkey, of Iraq, of Iran, and in Syria as well. Even [in] that terrible context, Kurdish women always excel and always manage to give us the lesson of life and freedom.”
Marion Böker, German women’s rights leader and human rights expert and former president of the International Alliance of Women, highlights the global significance of the Jin Jiyan Azadî movement and the resistance against oppressive regimes. She also emphasised the need for unity in defending human rights, women’s rights, and combating authoritarianism, while calling for international solidarity to support those fighting for freedom and justice, particularly in Iran, in the Kurdish regions, and beyond:
But the Iranian resistance movement on the streets with Mahsa Amini and many other women who have even followed up with smaller demonstrations… moving without headscarfs, singing on the streets, putting out their resistance, for example, by blocking [boycotting] the elections
even they are covered by some so-called religious organisations but are reaching out to a regime which wants, first of all, to suppress women’s rights, and to return decades or even centuries back to a former traditional, toxic, masculine patriarchy, war-torn country, which allows torture and all kinds of violence against these citizens. And uses all kinds of suppression of the citizens and only has a small crew of the regime, which has all power in hands and wants to spread war all over the world.
So we also see that Afghan women are joining these forces with the slogan, Jin Jiyan Azadî. [They] are delivering more training now, preparing for liberation of their country. And I think we all line up in self [autonomous] spaces wherever we can in the world
We must support with all means we have these movements because when these countries like Iran, Kurdish regions in Iraq, in Syria, or in Turkey will be liberated. That means we have peace, more peace in the world, and that means it allows human rights and liberty for everyone and better wealthy countries and societies.
“We are facing the second anniversary of the Jin Jiyan Azadî movement, the day when Mahsa Amini was assassinated. And we have a lot of European and global demonstrations or commemorations, I think. And it has been a shock for the women’s movement and I think also especially in Iran for the citizens and different movements. But the resistance had really to take a lot more assassinations and arbitrary detentions or detainees. There are so many tortured activists in Iran, but other movements know this. So I think the, kind of, facing a regime, a fascist regime, it’s not only taking place in Iran. But the Iranian resistance movement on the streets with Mahsa Amini and many other women who have even followed up with smaller demonstrations, probably, but moving without headscarf, singing on the streets, putting out their resistance. For example, by blocking [boycotting] the elections, et cetera, et cetera.
I think only ten percent of the population in Iran had taken part in the election. The others have shown their resistance in waiting for a free Iran. This has to teach the world a lesson. Others are [experiencing] other contexts of fascist regimes, or even… under the stress [of the] experience [of] fascism rising even in the midst of democratic countries like in Germany, like in Europe.
And this resistance movement has encouraged us to prepare for resistance, to prepare to defend [against] fascist regimes on the rise or fascist movements on the rise. This is the first issue we have to serve at the moment everywhere, whether they are calling themselves fascist or right-wing or even they are covered by some so-called religious organisations but are reaching out to a regime which wants, first of all, to suppress women’s rights, and to return decades or even centuries back to a former traditional, toxic, masculine patriarchy, war-torn country, which allows torture and all kinds of violence against these citizens. And uses all kinds of suppression of the citizens and only has a small crew of the regime, which has all power in hands and wants to spread war all over the world.
Mahsa Amini was a shero, but [there are] so many others. And we have heard [that] even [though] the new president in Iran is not at long in power. In these [last] few months, the assassination or the executions of the regime have increased. There [have been] one hundred and sixty executions in [just] fifty days. And in these fifty days, there had been fifteen women among [them]. And so many activists, or just artists who just said one sentence or three sentences, or [they] have a song about liberty, freedom, women’s rights or cultural freedom. And they just end up in prison, being tortured or executed. This we can’t deal [with]. We must install I think at the United Nations a kind of investigation committee or fact-finding mission against these issues.
One year ago we had a fact-finding mission which called Mahsa Amini’s death an illegal treatment and definitely they want to get to know more facts and get the regime of Iran under legal measures, as we see. I think, crimes, war crimes, massive crimes and violations against humanity. This we can compare also with the regime of Turkey, which is cooperating very much with Iran. And I think they use the same measures. They might sit together and exchange how they will strengthen their regimes, not only by financing and training proxy terrorists like Hamas, Hezbollah, or IS is now included in some Turkish militias, which are based now in Shengal also getting out on the streets to frighten Yazidi women and also Kurdish women. And we see there are Kurdish activists murdered in North Iraq, South Kurdistan from the Turkish regime. And we see that this happens in Northeast Syria. So we also see that Afghan women are joining these forces with the slogan, Jin Jiyan Azadî. [They] are delivering more training now, preparing for liberation of their country. And I think we all line up in self [autonomous] spaces wherever we can in the world. And I share and I join these forces and my organisations as well.
The women’s movement wants to unite for one big voice for peace everywhere. And definitely we have to put all kind of regimes, with their war crimes or violations of humanity and women’s rights, human rights for all citizens under courts. They must be punished. There’s no way to get out without punishment. This must stop everywhere. And we must unite. We must learn from each other. All who are under threat to listen to them. and to see that we can support those who are in situations like in Germany, Europe, etc., free countries who are not still under a regime. We must support with all means we have these movements because when these countries like Iran, Kurdish regions in Iraq, in Syria, or in Turkey will be liberated. That means we have peace, more peace in the world, and that means it allows human rights and liberty for everyone and better wealthy countries and societies. And then we can focus on the priority of issue on our list nowadays which is to combat climate change
We need all these faces instead of taking wars and killing or being served in the midst of a regime – we need all the brains and individuals to combat climate change to keep the planet alive. This big voice of unity solidarity we should line up all together. And who is not yet in one of these solidarity movements, I would just call on you, please go ahead, help us, help everyone, help those under threat, stop killings, executions, stop regimes to suppress citizens in their human and citizens’ rights.”
Margaret Owen, a widely acclaimed women’s rights activist and the founder of Widows for Peace Through Democracy, underscores the global impact of the Kurdish women’s struggle, rooted in Abdullah Öcalan’s teachings, and calls for greater recognition of their bravery and ongoing resistance, while criticising the lack of international attention and action against Turkey’s violence, which is currently targeting Kurdish women activists and journalists:
And yet very few people seem to understand that those three extraordinary words that ignited women’s protests all over the world were coined by the Kurdish people, by the Kurdish leader, Abdullah Öcalan.
To my deep distress, hardly anybody had even heard of the Kurdish women’s revolution or the writings of your fantastic Kurdish leader, Abdullah Öcalan, now in his twenty-fifth year of imprisonment on the isle of Imrali. All over the world, women have to be inspired by Abdullah Öcalan’s writings, who’s always said we can have no peace, no justice, no free democratic society gender equality and women’s empowerment [is centred].
We must have great hope and be inspired by everything that is happening, so much due to the teachings of Abdullah Öcalan and to the incredible bravery and activities of Kurdish women all over the Middle East and all over the world.
“Two years ago on the sixteenth of September, this wonderful twenty-two-year-old Kurdish-Iranian woman, Mahsa Amini, was murdered by the morality police in Tehran. And the outpouring of protests were all over the world, crying out, women, life, liberty, all over the world. And yet very few people seem to understand that those three extraordinary words that ignited women’s protests all over the world were coined by the Kurdish people, by the Kurdish leader, Abdullah Öcalan. And it’s the Kurdish women’s struggle that is still being so ignored, though all over the world now, violence against women is increasing.
But the violence against women victims of the [Turkish] state continues all the time. And it’s also nearly two years since the murder of that wonderful, wonderful feminist academic writer, researcher, and activist, Nagihan Akarsel, who she was also the victim of murder by the Turkish intelligence. She was shot with six bullets by a Turkish sniper who has never, ever been prosecuted, although we know who he is. He was from Ankara, and he was hired by the Turkish intelligence.
All over the world, there were protests about the murder of Mahsa Amini. But no protests, hardly any protests about the continual targeting of women activists in Turkey and women journalists.
It’s only a few weeks ago, on the twenty-third of August, that two Kurdish women journalists, Gülistan Tara and Hero Bahadin, were also murdered. Killed by Turkish drones that attacked their car. And there were six others who were injured, including another of their colleagues who was a journalist. I don’t understand how it is that the UK government, such a great supporter of Turkey and seller of arms to Turkey, refused to even [make] any diplomatic protest to the Turkish authorities about the way Turkey, with the help of [the Kurdish Democratic Party, or] KDP in Northern Iraq, in the Kurdish regional government, are targeting women activists.
I’ve just come back from a conference in Cambridge to do with violence against women all over the world. And To my deep distress, hardly anybody had even heard of the Kurdish women’s revolution or the writings of your fantastic Kurdish leader, Abdullah Öcalan, now in his twenty-fifth year of imprisonment on the isle of Imrali. All over the world, women have to be inspired by Abdullah Öcalan’s writings, who’s always said we can have no peace, no justice, no free democratic society gender equality and women’s empowerment [is centred].
And you Kurdish women, both in… Turkey in southern and northern Kurdistan and in the diaspora are wonderful, inspiring examples of what you can do when women rise up, show incredible bravery and go on protesting.
I’m absolutely amazed that in Iran, in spite of the terrible violent oppression of women in Iran, there are still all over the country women taking off their headscarves, risking their lives in imprisonment and torture to protest. And I think in the end, we must have great hope and be inspired by everything that is happening, so much due to the teachings of Abdullah Öcalan and to the incredible bravery and activities of Kurdish women all over the Middle East and all over the world. I long for the day when I can come to Rojava again like I used to and learn more from you and tell the world more about the wonderful work that you do, an inspiration to all of us.”
Kenyan women’s activist Wavinya Kavivya emphasises the global growth of the Jin Jiyan Azadî movement, and highlights how it has fueled protests against patriarchy and violence, not only in Iran and Kurdistan but also in countries like India and Kenya, where women are organising to fight systemic oppression and femicide:
the most beautiful thing about this movement and how it has grown, even looking at the history of it… the way [that] from Öcalan’s ideology of liberating women, when he said, liberating life is impossible without a radical women’s revolution, which would change man’s mentality and life.
Today is exactly two years since the arrest of Jina Amini by the morality police of Iran because, of course, she was showing a few strands of her hair, and she died in prison – from the police brutality and from the beating. And we know the history with the rise of the Jin Jiyan Azadî movement, ‘Women Life Freedom’. And the most beautiful thing about this movement and how it has grown, even looking at the history of it… the way [that] from Öcalan’s ideology of liberating women, when he said, liberating life is impossible without a radical women’s revolution, which would change man’s mentality and life.
The women life freedom movement, which was created from Öcalan’s [ideas] in the democratic confederalism really builds on how important women have been in just creating spaces away from patriarchy, spaces away from general exploitation of women, human rights and human dignity.
And we see just how the movement has grown, not just now within Iran, not just with the Kurdish societies and the Kurdish people. We see now even in India right now where women are chanting Jin Jiyan Azadî in protest of sexual violence, and [because of] the doctor that was raped while in the hospital.
And we also see in Africa, for example, where I’m from in Kenya, [there are] a lot of women now protesting against [violence against Women], which is a systemic problem generally, not just in the history of Kurdistan resistance and revolution…
Around the globe in fighting against imperialism and capitalism. So two years now, but we see the movement still growing, and we’re still seeing more women movements created from it, and we hope to see more adapting it.
In Kenya, we have seen a lot of women protest against men’s violence. In 2014 something similar happened in Kenya, like what happened to Jina Amini. Kenyan ladies were getting stripped and beaten on the streets for being quote-unquote ‘indecent’. And this led to a lot of movements that have sprouted even to now. Women organising and women liberation is highly informed by Öcalan’s ideas of we cannot free the society from so many injustices. before we free the women. And so we’re educating the women. Women are moving up front and saying, stop the femicide, stop the killing us, stop targeting women because of the patriarchal systems within us.”
