Rewşen Mardin: Those responsible for Gezer’s death will be held accountable

Rewşen Mardin, a member of the Coordination of the Community of Women from Kurdistan (Komalên Jinên Kurdistan, KJK), answered journalist Zeynep Nergiz’s questions in a programme broadcast on Stêrk TV. In the interview, Rewşen Mardin first addressed the situation of Abdullah Öcalan and explained that his isolation was a crime: “The perpetrators must be charged. The states that participated in the international conspiracy are also responsible for the isolation. We welcome the decision taken by the Council of Europe on Abdullah Öcalan, it was long overdue and must be followed up. Isolation also affects politics and society. Rêber Apo’s [Abdullah Ocalan’s] paradigm offers a way out of the existing economic and governmental crisis in Turkey. As long as isolation is not lifted, the crisis cannot end either, but will continue to deepen. The Kurdish women’s movement will strengthen the struggle for the freedom of Abdullah Öcalan.”

Commenting on the death of political prisoner Garibe Gezer, Rewşen Mardin said: “The AKP government has released mafiosi, thieves and other prisoners who have harmed society. Those who express their opinions and are oppositional remain in prison. Many prisoners have already served their sentences and should be released. However, the prerequisite for this is open surrender. If the prisoners do not comply, they are confronted with a fascist approach. They are threatened that they will die like Garibe Gezer. Nevertheless, they do not give up their honourable resistance. The attacks on Garibe Gezer have been deliberately committed by the state. For this, the fascist state will be held accountable. Garibe Gezer has made public that she was subjected to sexual violence and torture. She has fought for her dignity. Because she did not submit, she was brutally murdered by the state.”

The people and especially women must show solidarity with Garibe Gezer’s struggle, Rewşen Mardin said and added: “I welcome the dignified attitude of Garibe’s mother. Every Kurdish mother should do so. Mothers suffer the most from the war. If all mothers join hands and rise up against fascism, the AKP will be defeated. Thousands of leading women are in prison. All of them were arrested for demanding freedom. One of them was Garibe Gezer. The Minister of Interior is responsible for her death. Her killers will be brought to justice. As a women’s movement, we will continue Garibe’s struggle.”