Statement by the PDKI Department of Foreign Relations on the Third Anniversary of Jina Mahsa Amini’s Death

September 16, 2025 marks three years since the death of Jina Mahsa Amini, whose fate sparked the global call, “Woman, Life, Freedom.” The Department of Foreign Relations of the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan is calling on the European Union and its member states to take action on this day. They are urging the EU to condemn Iran’s human rights violations, expand sanctions, support the democratic opposition and civil society, and demand the release of political prisoners and an end to the death penalty.

The full statement is as follows:

September 16, 2025, marks three years since the death of Jina Mahsa Amini, a young Kurdish woman who was arrested and fatally mistreated by Iran’s so-called “morality police.” Her death sparked protests throughout Iran and around the world under the slogan “Woman, Life, Freedom,” a slogan rooted in the Kurdish freedom movement.

Jina’s Kurdish identity is profoundly significant. For decades, Kurds in Iran have endured systematic and institutionalized political oppression. The Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (PDKI) and other Kurdish organizations have consistently brought these policies to the attention of the international community.

The fact that Jina, a Kurdish woman, has become the face of a global call for dignity, equality, and freedom underscores the vulnerability and resilience of Kurds and other oppressed nations in Iran. It also highlights the inextricable link between the Kurds’ struggle for recognition, democracy, and human rights and the broader democratic movement in Iran.

The protest movement that arose in her wake – led primarily by women and young people – symbolizes the legitimate aspiration for freedom, equality, and fundamental rights. However, the Iranian regime’s response has been characterized by brutal violence, systematic repression, arbitrary arrests, torture, and executions. According to multiple human rights organizations, Kurds and Baluchis were disproportionately represented among those killed or imprisoned during the protests.

In light of these grave and ongoing human rights violations, we call upon the European Union and its member states to take decisive action:

1) Publicly and unequivocally condemn Iran’s human rights violations, particularly the repression of women and oppressed nations in Iran, such as Kurds and Baluchs.

2) Expand targeted sanctions against officials and institutions responsible for violence, repression, and death sentences.

3) Support democratic and secular opposition groups, civil society organizations, and human rights defenders, especially those in Iranian Kurdistan and other marginalized regions.

4) Demand the release of political prisoners and the immediate abolition of the death penalty.

Europe defines itself as a community of values based on democracy, the rule of law, and the protection of human rights. Therefore, the anniversary of Jina Mahsa Amini’s death should be a day of remembrance and active support for the struggle of the Kurdish people and other oppressed nations for freedom, equality, and justice.

Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan
The Department of Foreign Relations