The East Kurdistan Free Women's Community (KJAR), an umbrella of organisations fighting for women's rights in East Kurdistan, launched the campaign "No to Death, Yes to Free Life" on the 14th anniversary of the execution of Shirin Alamhouliand her comrades on 9 May 2010.

Many women's organisations from different parts of the world have expressed their support for the campaign, which also received support from South African activists.

The activists protested against the death sentences against journalist and social worker Pakshan Azizi and activist Sharifeh Mohammadi. Pakshan Azizi was sentenced to death on 23 July and Sharifeh Mohammadi on 4 July. Both women were subjected to severe torture and inhuman treatment during weeks of detention.

A group of women staged a demonstration outside the Iranian Embassy in Pretoria on 10 August to join the united voice of the "No to Death, Yes to Free Life" campaign.

The press statement made on behalf of women in solidarity with Pakhshan Azizi and Sharifeh Mohammadi reads as follows:

“We, the women of the city of Johannesburg in Gauteng, South Africa, join the world-wide voices condemning the misogynistic Iranian regime that has imposed death sentences on our comrades, journalist Pakhshan Azizi and women's rights activist Sharifeh Mohammadi. They are two of the countless political prisoners facing death for false charges made by a lawless, murderous state.

This month in South Africa we commemorate the South African women who organised against Apartheid. Various organisations came together - Sehid Ivana Hoffman Group, Abahlali Base, Freedom Park Women's Group, Black Consciousnesses Movement, Sehid Aaron Bushnel Group, Food Not Bombs Group, International Labour Research and Information Group (ILRIG).

We chose to use Women's day – 9th of August - to organise and prepare for action the following day. We shared information, created pamphlets and banners and discussed the issue as well as the way forward together.

On 10 August, we held a demonstration outside the Iranian Embassy in Pretoria, to join the united voice of the “No to Executions, Yes to Free Life” campaign.

We plan to continue organising and working together in the spirit of women united, against the unjust executions and other injustices we face. We will not stop till all are free. From Gauteng to Gilan, women stand as one!”

        

Background to the "No to execution, yes to free life" campaign

On 9 May 2010, the Kurdish revolutionary Shirin Alamhouli was executed together with Farzad Kamangar, Ali Heidarian and Farhad Vakili in the notorious Evin prison in Tehran. Alamhouli was an activist in the Kurdish women's movement, Kamangar and his two colleagues worked as teachers. They were convicted of "endangering national security" and "enmity to God" in connection with the Party for a Free Life in Kurdistan (PJAK). On the 14th anniversary of Shirin Alamhouli's death, activists initiated the campaign "No to execution, yes to free life".

"As the Kurdistan Women's Freedom Movement, the Kurdistan Free Women's Association of Eastern Kurdistan (KJAR) and a group of political, civil society, environmental and women's activists, we firmly believe that the death penalty is a violation of human dignity under all circumstances. The death penalty is a denial of life, which is a fundamental natural right of every human being. This is in direct contradiction to our fundamental moral principles and human values. The imposition of the death penalty not only ignores this fundamental principle, but also perpetuates a cycle of violence and revenge that destroys the very essence of our society," said an appeal for the campaign.