'We will enhance Ferinaz Xosrawanî's riot'
NEWS DESK (DİHA) - As protests in Mahabad continue for Ferinaz Xosrawanî, women in the Northern Kurdistan city of Diyarbakır held a sit-in against the Iranian regime and rape culture.
Ferinaz Xosrawanî threw herself from the window of the hotel where she worked in the Kurdish city of Mahabad, in Eastern Kurdistan (Iran), on May 4th to escape a rape attempt, apparently by Iranian security forces. As Kurds in Mahabad refuse to abandon the streets in what has turned into a fierce clash with the Iranian state, solidarity actions have spread across Kurdistan.
Women of the Congress of Free Women (KJA) held a sit-in to declare their solidarity with the people of Mahabad today. The city's co-mayors, GültanKışanak and FıratAnlı, were present alongside grassroots activists from the KJA, union confederation KESK, the Peace Mothers Assembly and the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) and Democratic Regions Party (DBP).
"Resist, Mahabad, Kurdistan is with you," chanted the women at their sit-in, holding signs saying "self-defense is legitimate." Shopkeepers near the AZC Plaza came out clapping and crying, "long live women's just rebellion" in support of the sit-in. "We are calling on all women to show a reflex against this inhumane event and to start protests and actions," said the women, in an announcement read in Kurdish and Turkish. The women underlined that they would enhance Ferinaz's riot.
Kışanak: Rape is a continuation of regime policies
Diyarbakır Metropolitan Co-mayor Gültan Kışanak noted that this was merely the latest example of the Iranian state's attacks on Kurds. "Every month, Iran's attacks on the people of Rojhilat [Eastern Kurdistan] occur through the execution of a few young Kurds who want to live a democratic life," she noted. "Rape is a continuation of these policies, which is why the Iranian regime does not want to try the rapist security officers." She sent greetings to the people of Rojhilat, taking to the streets for Ferinaz.
Woman from Rojhilat: Enough of this cruelty!
One of those present at the action was Rojbin Behrami, originally from Eastern Kurdistan. "The Iranian regime has been using scare tactics against the people for years," she said. "Enough of this cruelty. As women living under the threat of rape in all four parts of Kurdistan, let's take to the squares."
In southeastern province of Siirt, KJA activists held a press statement in front of election office of the HDP. Hundreds of citizens and HDP Siirt deputy candidates also joined the action. They chanted slogans of "Ferinaz Xosrowanî is riot", carrying placard condemning Iranian regime. The statement called on all women to act in solidarity with Mahabad people against pro-rape culture.
Another solidarity action was held in Doğubeyazit district of eastern province of Ağrı, at the border line with Iran. A statement was organized by Sema Yüce Woman Counselling Center, cursing the Iraian regime and its officials trying to rape Ferinaz.
(cm/nt)
