On September 16, 2022, Kurdish woman Jîna (Mahsa) Amini was tortured and murdered by the forces of the Iranian regime. After this abhorrent act, women-led demonstrations broke out across eastern Kurdistan and throughout Iran, with the slogan “Jin – Jiyan – Azadî”, meaning “Women – Life – Freedom” in Kurdish, emerging as the rallying cry of this protest movement. The protests and actions of civil disobedience across the country were an expression of decades of dissatisfaction and concentrated anger with the regime. The Iranian regime has responded with characteristic brutality, killing hundreds of demonstrators and injuring many more, and detaining over 22,000 people. Political prisoners in Iran face an uncertain future, with executions of activists ongoing.
For more than 40 years, the Islamic Republic of Iran has been violating the rights of women and the human rights of all of the peoples of Iran, silencing and eliminating all real and perceived forces of opposition. Iran has become an open prison for women and all Iranians; they have been suffering for too long, and yearn for freedom, democracy, and a peaceful and stable future.
As the Kurdistan National Congress (KNK), we see the Iranian peoples’ demands for freedom and wishes to build a democratic country as just and legitimate, and we wholeheartedly support the protesters and all the activists working to amplify their message and otherwise assist them. We also condemn the Iranian regime’s attacks on protesters and the execution of political prisoners.
We are now observing the first anniversary of the Women – Life – Freedom Revolution. Inside Iran and all over the world, the peoples of Iran and their supporters are preparing for this anniversary. The parties of eastern Kurdistan are making the same call with one voice, and we salute the inspiring unity of the Kurdish forces.
We, as KNK, call on all Kurds and all the peoples of Iran to participate in the activities on this anniversary and to support the Women – Life – Freedom Revolution by all means. We also call on the democratic forces of the world to not leave Iranians alone and to support them against the bloodthirsty regime.
At this time, the Iranian regime’s threats against the Kurdish forces are escalating, with the dictatorship ordering them to lay down their arms and evacuate their bases in southern Kurdistan (Iraq) by September 19. This is a dangerous and unacceptable state of affairs. Unfortunately, the governments of Iraq and Iran have apparently reached an agreement on this issue, with the Iraqi government making dangerous statements that exacerbate the situation. The government of Iraq and, especially, the leadership of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq should not accept the Iranian regime’s demands and implement the orders of the dictatorial regime.
On this occasion, we call on all parties and political organizations in eastern Kurdistan to form a front among themselves as soon as possible to act against these attacks. In addition, we call on all the opposition forces of Iran to stand united against the regime and form a common front for the establishment of a free and democratic country.
We, as KNK, once again state that we proudly stand with the peoples of eastern Kurdistan and the peoples of Iran, and we also call on all Kurdistanis to recognise and support the resistance of eastern Kurdistan and to participate in the activities marking the anniversary of the Women – Life – Freedom Revolution.
The Executive Council of the KNK
September 15, 2023
