Remembering journalist Nûjiyan Erhan killed by KDP five years ago

On March 22, 2017, journalist Nûjiyan Erhan succumbed to injuries inflicted by KDP snipers. They had shot her in the head on March 3, 2017 in Xanesor in the Shengal region of southern Kurdistan (northern Iraq). On the occasion of the fifth anniversary of her death, the women journalists’ association RAJIN (Ragihandina Azad a Jinan) released a statement and said, “We commemorate the truth seeker and martyr of the Free Press, Nûjiyan Erhan, on the fifth anniversary of her death with love and gratitude. Through this commemoration, we would also like to remember all the other martyrs of the press who fought and gave their lives so that the truth would not remain in the dark.

We promise to continue our path in the footsteps of martyrs like Nûjiyan, Gurbet, Şervîn, Sarya, Deniz, Dilîşan and Dilovan and to realize their dreams of freedom and their aspirations. Heval Nûjiyan took her place in the struggle for freedom, full of responsibility as a revolutionary Kurdish woman and free press worker. She followed the truth with the utmost determination. Nûjiyan Erhan was a pioneer of press work, and with her determination and perseverance, the identity of the free press and its line developed. She fought against the patriarchal system in a revolutionary attitude. Today, hundreds of women in Kurdistan and the Middle East are fighting with great commitment and determination against the patriarchal mentality of the occupiers and the attacks of fascism.”

When ISIS began its genocide in the Shengal region after the KDP forces’ hasty retreat on August 3, 2014, Nûjiyan Erhan went to that very region, RAJIN said and continued, “As a journalist, she felt the pain of Yazidi women in her heart and mind. She accomplished great things to be the voice of truth. Our friend Nûjiyan reported the reality of people’s lives and moved like a part of this society. This fact created a strong bond of love between Nûjiyan and the Yazidi women.

When the KDP attacked Xanasor in Shengal on March 3, 2017 in collaboration with the Turkish state and tried to repeat the genocide that ISIS had not fully succeeded in, the people and their fighters resolutely stood up to the KDP forces. Journalist Nûjiyan stood in the front line together with the Yazidi population. Our friend was deliberately targeted by the KDP because of this honorable stance.

On this basis, we declare that as long as there is a revolutionary attitude and the search for new life, the spirit of resistance of Nûjiyan will live on. Nûjiyan followed the path of Gurbet and Deniz. As employees of the free press, we will continue to follow this path. Once again, we remember our truth-seeking comrade with love and gratitude and promise that we will continue to follow the path of truth in memory of all fallen journalists.”