Political Parties of Iranian Kurdistan Issue a Joint Statement Calling for a General Strike

Freedom-Loving People of Kurdistan!

While inflation, unemployment, poverty and many economic and social hardships as well as the lack of political freedoms have made life difficult for the people in Kurdistan and Iran, the ruling Islamic Republic of Iran has responded to the people’s demands with repression. It has intensified its crackdown on political prisoners and issued death sentences to dozens of political activists in Kurdistan and all over Iran. In particular, the imminent threat of execution against Pakhshan Azizi and Varisha Moradi requires immediate action to save them from the death penalty. One such action is to organise a general strike in Kurdistan.

General and widespread strikes have always been a modern and civil form of resistance at critical moments in the history of Kurdistan. Today, when we are facing another crucial moment, the will of the people has to manifest itself in an appropriate way to prevent the death penalty and to save the lives of people whose only “crime” was their love for the people and their struggle for freedom and equality. This collective and peaceful civil unity can once again resonate, as it did during the “Jin, Jiyan, Azadi” (Woman, Life, Freedom) movement , with a message of struggle and resistance for all the people of Iran. This movement is also a voice of solidarity with the political prisoners who are bravely chanting “No to Execution” every Tuesday through their hunger strikes in over 30 prisons across Iran.

We, the political parties of Iranian Kurdistan, call upon all the courageous people of Kurdistan to organise a general strike on Wednesday, 22 January in the whole of Kurdistan to oppose the death sentences on our children. We also call for the closure of all workplaces, markets and schools to demonstrate the power of people’s unity to achieve an urgent political and humanitarian goal.

This preventive action is an opportunity to save lives and prevent further grief and suffering for families. Let us prove once again that Kurdistan will not remain silent in the face of such an inhuman government and will resist.

Long live the unity and solidarity of the Kurdish people.

Kurdistan Freedom Party

Free Life Party of Kurdistan – PJAK

Komala Party of Iranian Kurdistan

Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan

Komala of the Toilers of Kurdistan

Komala – Kurdistan Organization of the Communist Party of Iran