TEHRAN: Iranian security forces have clashed with people taking part in a memorial for Mahsa Amini, according to a semi-official news agency, as thousands gathered in her hometown of Saqqez to mark 40 days since her death.
“A limited number of those present at Mahsa Amini’s memorial clashed with police forces on the outskirts of Saqqez and were dispersed,” ISNA news agency reported on Wednesday. “Following the scattered clashes, internet in Saqqez was cut off due to security considerations.”
Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish woman, died in the capital, Tehran, on September 16 after being detained by the country’s morality police for allegedly wearing improper hijab. Her family have challenged a state investigation that blamed pre-existing conditions for her death which, it said, was not the result of Amini being hit.
The weeks-long protests first broke out in Saqqez, in the northwestern Kurdistan province. They have since spread quickly across the country, persisting amid severe internet restrictions that remain in place.
The 40th day since someone’s funeral, known as “chehelom”, holds cultural significance in Iran and religious importance for Shia Muslims.
On Wednesday, videos circulating on social media showed large crowds marching and driving towards the Aychi cemetery in Saqqez, where Amini was laid to rest.
Those gathered included people converging from other cities and appeared to number in the thousands. Many chanted “woman, life, freedom” and “freedom, freedom”, slogans that have been widely used in the demonstrations across Iran, as well as in solidarity protests that have been organised outside the country.
Speaking from Tehran, Al Jazeera’s Dorsa Jabbari said an estimated 10,000 people were reportedly in attendance at the cemetery to pay their respects to Amini.
“Following the services that took place, when people were dispersing that’s when the disputes erupted between the people there and the security forces – as a result of which, we heard that the government there has decided to cut off the internet due to security considerations,” added Jabbari.
“That means that nearly 1.5 million people in Kurdistan province will not have access to the internet for the foreseeable future.”
Earlier on Wednesday, all schools and universities across the province had been ordered closed, with officials citing an “increase in the spread of influenza” as the reason.
There were reports that popular figures like legendary footballer Ali Daei had travelled to Saqqez for the memorial, and that authorities had closed off roads into the city, leading people to cross rivers and walk long distances to get to the cemetery, all of which were rejected by state-affiliated media.
Esmail Zarei Kousha, the governor of Kurdistan, said on Wednesday foreign-based media were trying to use Amini’s chehelom as an excuse to sow unrest.
Iran’s foreign ministry this week imposed sanctions on several Europe-based Persian-language channels for “inciting terrorism” in relation to their coverage of the protests.
In the capital, Tehran, videos circulating on social media on Wednesday appeared to show demonstrations in several neighborhoods and universities, as well as closed shops. (Int’l Monitoring Desk)
Iranian security forces opened fire at people who gathered at a cemetery in Mahsa Amini’s home town of Saqez on Wednesday to mark 40 days since she died in police custody, a witness said.
from Kongra Star/ ANHA/ etc..shared with thanks.. via thefreeonline
“The riot police shot mourners who gathered at the cemetery for Mahsa’s memorial ceremony … dozens have been arrested,” the witness said.
Demonstrations ignited by the 22-year-old’s death on September 16 have become one of the boldest challenges to the Islamic Republic’s clerical leadership since the 1979 revolution.
Ongoing rioting has been supported by the US and Israeli media and infiltration machines, giving the Irani authorities an excuse for heavy police state repression.
Sherine Hassan: for an international women’s conference against authoritarian mindset
“all our activities and actions are aimed at forming a women’s conference at the level of the four parts of Kurdistan and the world, and to expand further in neighbouring countries with the aim of uniting our strength and bringing about radical changes, to build an equal society.”
Member of the Kongra Star Coordination of Afrin region, Sherine Hassan has explained that the Kongra Star is to foster women role at all levels in establishing women’s conference with a unified vision in confronting the authoritarian mentality and dictatorial regimes.
WOMAN 19 Oct 2022, Wed – 06:55 2022-10-19T06:55:00 AL-SHAHBA, JOUD SIBAN
Women in North and East Syria and Rojava lead the model of freedom and equality that emerged with the July 19th Revolution, 2012, until democracy is established in Syria and the Middle East, through women’s organizations and movements in the region.
‘Kongra Star, whose organization and struggle depend on the science of free life” JINEOLOJI”, which overcomes mental colonialism and develops women’s awareness and free life, combats all forms of physical, cultural extermination, smelting and colonialism policies by defending all societal values of women and the right to physical and cultural existence of all peoples’.
Last September, Kongra Star held its conference at all levels in the regions and cantons, in preparation for its 9th conference, Member of the Kongra Star Coordination of Afrin region, Sherine Hassan, who participated in the 4th Conference of the Kongra Star in Afrin region, which was held on Wednesday (12 October).
“Women played a leading role during the Rojava Revolution, known as the Women’s Revolution, in all civil, military and intellectual institutions.”
This week saw the 5th anniversary of the heroic victory of the Rojava Revolution, including womens Kurdish, Azidi and Arab militias in smashing the ISIS in their Capital Raqqa
“In all the revolutions in Kurdistan and the world, this is the first time that women can play an effective role and be decision makers, because in every revolution they have drawn boundaries that they must not overcome, but we have worked to establish a women’s organization and developed ourselves in all areas and at all levels thanks to the liberation thought of leader Abdullah Ocalan.”
“We can point out that women in the Rojava Revolution have occupied a great place, as well as freedom of expression and opinion within the system of co-chairmanship, as well as their struggle against the intolerant dictatorship that always seeks to exterminate peoples culturally and morally.”
On the meetings of the Kongra Star with women’s organizations in the world “We always endeavour not to limit our activities and actions within the framework of Rojava, but to publicize our organization at the regional and global levels and even within Syria by explaining how to organize ourselves in Rojava and the world, unite our visions under one umbrella, integrate our strength, will and struggle against the patriarchal, bigoted and authoritarian mindset of the world;
Because targeting women in Afghanistan means targeting women in Eastern and Southern Kurdistan and on this basis our actions continue “, stressing” the crisis in Syria and societal problems are solved only by the unity of women, so we need to strengthen our organization and order ourselves as required by the current phase.”
Women for sale in an ISIS market. 2015
On the activities and actions of Kongra Star in Shahba canton, Sherian Hassan explained in her speech: “Within our agenda, we are trying to share the suffering of women and society and to follow closely the situation of women by organizing visits to families in Shahba villages, especially in the camps, and aiming to make women stronger.”
At the end of her speech, Sherin Hassan, emphasized “all our activities and actions are aimed at forming a women’s conference at the level of the four parts of Kurdistan and the world, and to expand further in neighbouring countries with the aim of uniting our strength and bringing about radical changes, to build an equal society.
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The slogan ‘Women Life Freedom’ of the Rojava Womens Revolution was translated and became the great rallying cry of the Oct 2022 Womens Uprising in Iran. The revolution is now active among women in western Europe, as well as in Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan … Jineologi!
The Rojava Revolution
The areas administered by the Autonomous Administration have become the most democratic, stable and prosperous region in Syria in the face of siege, attacks and instability.
We believe that the gains that have been achieved during the last ten years are the reason for these attacks.
Remembering Martyrs to Turkish state terrorism
The experience of the Republic of Kurdistan, which lasted for a short period (11 months), left deep traces in the memory of the Kurds. The Rojava Revolution over the past ten years has given hundreds of thousands of children the opportunity to learn in their mother tongue. .
They have built generations who have learned in their mother tongue. Thanks to social institutions, they built mechanisms to solve all the problems and needs of society. They also established in the region a system through which all races and beliefs could express themselves freely, in addition to establishing a culture of collective and participatory management through councils and communes. More importantly, women have become key actors.
They have reconstructed life from the perspective of women’s freedom by involving them in all fields, starting with the military and internal security, passing through the economic field and even the health field, and they have found important ways in terms of changing the mentality of male authoritarian.”
In short, the Kurdistan Liberation Movement in Rojava not only fought against ISIS and the Turkish state, but at the same time built a new model of life in the region.
The Rojava revolution became a popular revolution. Despite all the shortcomings, the Rojava revolution will maintain itself as a glorious product of the Kurdistan liberation movement and succeed in permanence.
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