PERWÎN AMARA

Qamishlo- On August 4, 2023, Pakhshan Azizi, a Kurdish journalist and political prisoner, was arrested in Tehran by Iranian Intelligence Services and held in solitary confinement in Ward 209 of Evin Prison for five months. On July 23, 2024, she was sentenced to death by Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court on charges of “armed rebellion against the state”. On January 8, 2025, the Iranian Supreme Court upheld the death sentence handed down to Pakhshan Azizi. Since then, human rights organizations, women’s organizations and activists have released statements, condemning the Iranian Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the death sentence against her.

NuJINHA spoke to Kongra Star Spokesperson Rihan Loqo about the death penalty in Iran. Rihan Logo recalled the regime's oppression against opposition in Iran and said, “As is known, the Iranian regime has targeted many women activists, journalists and politicians, who led the ‘Jin, Jiyan, Azadî’ uprising and spoke out against oppression and injustice. Journalist Pakhshan Azizi is one of them.”

 ‘Women fighting for freedom face death penalty

Rihan Loqo condemned the Iranian Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the death sentence against Pakhshan Azizi and the death sentences handed down to women political prisoners. “Women face the death penalty for fighting for freedom and demanding their rights. Death penalty is a crime against humanity. During the ‘Jin,Jiyan, Azadî' uprising, women, who have been oppressed and exploited for thousands of years, said they would never bow down to the system of the regime. This system aims to intimidate these women by killing them and sentencing them to death.”

‘The Iranian regime is afraid of women’s struggle’

The Iranian regime thinks that it can prevent the struggle and resistance of women by using the death penalty, emphasized Rihan Loqo. “The Iranian Supreme Court upheld the death sentence handed down to Pakhshan Azizi. Pakhshan Azizi and Warisha Moradi (Verisheh Moradi) were arrested for leading their society and struggling for freedom. This shows how the Iranian regime is afraid of women’s struggle for freedom. The regime violates human rights and aims to intimidate people by using the death penalty. There is no democracy and equality in a system executing people.”

 ‘Pakhshan Azizi must be immediately released’

Rihan Loqo called on all human rights organizations and women’s organizations to “raise your voices for the release of Pakhshan Azizi. “As Kongra Star, we condemn the death sentences handed down to political prisoners in Iran. Condemning the death sentences is insufficient. We call on all human rights organizations, women’s organizations and activists to take to the streets and speak out against the death sentences. They must be in solidarity with Kurdish political prisoner Pakhshan Azizi and all political prisoners in Iran.”