KJAR calls for the defense of female political prisoners in Iran

Vowing to continue its struggle for women's freedom, KJAR calls on all civil and political activists to be the voice of female political prisoners in Iran.

The Community of Free Women of Eastern Kurdistan (KJAR) made a written statement on the continued detention of Kurdish political prisoner Zeinab Jalalian, the lack of news from KJAR member Warishe Moradi, who was kidnapped by Iranian intelligence, and the pressures on female political prisoners in Iran.

Noting that the "Jin, Jiyan, Azadi" (Woman, Life, Freedom) resistance in Iran and East Kurdistan caused the Iranian state to panic, the statement said: "The 'Jin, Jiyan, Azadi' resistance, which energised women, continued despite intense pressures. In recent days, reports came out of the interrogation of Zeinab Jalalian, a Kurdish female political prisoner sentenced to life imprisonment, and everyone whose heart beats for freedom expressed their concerns. For 16 years, Zeinab Jalalian has not stepped back despite all the torture she suffered at the hands of the Iranian fascist government."

The KJAR statement continued:

"Zeinab Jalalian is currently detained in Yazd Prison. She suffers from oral thrush, pink eye, visual impairment, asthma, digestive and kidney problems, and is still denied access to medical care and has her eyesight severely damaged. Of course, the attacks and violence against Zeinab Jalalian are not limited to these. Officials of the Ministry of Information have repeatedly imposed repentance on Zeinab Jalalian, but for 16 years, she has put up radical resistance to these pressures. The regime has never achieved its goal through repression.

Iran's anti-women regime sees active women who speak out about their identity and existence as an obstacle to itself. Other active women such as our friend Warishe Moradi, Golrokh Ebrahimi Iraei, Azizi Phrafan and Narges Mohammadi have also spoken out about women's identity, existence and rights during this period. Constant interrogations, pressure on the family, censorship, etc. are the regime's psychological war against women. Meanwhile, the prison has become a mirror of the whole society. Whether it is the home, the city, the prison or the street, the strongholds of resistance are interconnected and inseparable. Neither execution, life imprisonment nor torture can help them achieve their goals because women's resistance and prison have a long history. We have seen how the freedom-loving society all over Iran has become the voice of active women.

In addition to the transfer of Azizi Phrafan to the women's ward in Evin Prison, there were also reports this week of a court ruling for the execution of Samira Sabzian. Samira is a young woman who has been in prison for ten years. She is the mother of two children and Iran's anti-women government is trying to take her life.

KJAR has always believed that prisons are also the strongholds of struggle and resistance. Many women have sacrificed their lives in the struggle in Eastern Kurdistan and Iran. Finally, we state that we will continue our struggle for women's freedom and we ask all civil and political activists to be the voice of prisoners."