Three years after the outbreak of the “Jin, Jiyan, Azadî” [Woman, Life, Freedom] revolution in Iran and Eastern Kurdistan, activists from various parts of the world reaffirmed the movement’s goals at an international conference in Frankfurt. The event focused on demands for justice for victims of state violence, strengthening transnational solidarity, and recognizing the central role of women in social change.
The conference on Sunday was organized to mark the approaching third anniversary of the protests following the death of Jina Mahsa Amini. The 22-year-old Kurdish woman died in September 2022 while in the custody of Iran’s morality police. Her death sparked nationwide protests against the authoritarian regime in Tehran, which gained worldwide attention under the Kurdish slogan “Jin, Jiyan, Azadî”.
“Revolution of Remembrance and Resistance”
The conference was organized by the “No to Execution, Yes to Free Life” campaign in cooperation with the Iranian Democratic Platform. It was supported by, among others, the Association of Women from Kurdistan in Germany (YJK-E) and the Kurdish Women’s Council Amara and brought together political and civil society activists, researchers, artists and representatives of freedom movements from Iran, Kurdistan, Afghanistan, Germany and other countries.
The programme began with opening remarks by the organisers and a commemoration of those killed during the Jin, Jiyan, Azadî uprising. This was followed by Panel I, titled ‘The Role of Women in the Revolutionary Uprising and the Future of the Movement’. The panellists were Belqis Roshan (former Afghan senator), Janine Wissler (member of the German Parliament and the Die Linke party), Amina Omar (representative of the Women’s Council of North and East Syria – Rojava) and Maryam Fathi (representative of the Free Women’s Community of Eastern Kurdistan).
Panel II, titled ‘Horizons of Struggle: Solidarity, Exile and the Future Revolution’, featured speakers such as Azad Haji-Aghaie (Assistant Professor at Jagiellonian University in Poland), Azam Bahrami (environmental expert and researcher), Hirsh Kheiri (member of the Roja Feminist Collective) and Yahya Serkhani (environmental activist and survivor of the Jin Jiyan Azadi uprising). The discussions centred on future perspectives of the struggle and the importance of building transnational alliances.
The cultural section of the conference included a performance piece on repression, resistance and freedom. This was followed by a live performance of revolutionary Kurdish and Iranian music, which resonated with the audience, inspiring them to sing the movement’s slogans collectively.
The final statement of the conference was then read out, emphasising the central role of women in the revolution, the necessity of transnational solidarity and justice for victims, the fight against the Islamic Republic’s machinery of execution and repression, and the importance of supporting revolutionary art and culture. Announced future initiatives included regular meetings and webinars on justice, women’s rights and civil liberties; launching an international campaign against executions and for the release of political prisoners; and expanding connections with global freedom and justice movements.
Conference participants stressed that the path of the ‘Jin, Jiyan, Azadî’ revolution continues and that no amount of repression will ever silence the voices of women, young people and others who cry out for freedom and human dignity.
The Closing Statement of the Conference on the Third Anniversary of the “Jin, Jiyan, Azadî” Revolution reads as follows:
“Once again: Woman, Life, Freedom! We, a collective of activists, researchers, artists, and social and political actors from Kurdistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Germany, and other parts of the world, came together in Frankfurt on the third anniversary of the “Jin, Jiyan, Azadî” Revolution to reaffirm the values of freedom, social justice, gender equality, and human dignity. This conference reminded us that the “Woman, Life, Freedom” revolution was not only a response to the state killing of Jina Amini but also the embodiment of decades of struggle against repression, discrimination, and injustice in Iran and the wider region. Today, despite bloody repression, imprisonment, executions, and exile, this movement remains alive and endures in the memory, resistance, and collective bonds of the people.
We emphasize the following:
– The central role of women in leading this movement—not only in Iran but throughout the region—must be recognized and strengthened.
– Transnational solidarity among freedom-seeking forces in Kurdistan, Iran, Afghanistan, and beyond is essential for sustaining resistance and achieving victory.
– Justice and transitional justice for those killed, the wounded, and political prisoners are an inseparable part of the path of this revolution.
– The struggle against the machinery of execution and repression of the Islamic Republic, as well as other authoritarian regimes in the region, must remain a priority of our collective action.
– Revolutionary art and culture—as the language of memory and resistance—must be further supported and expanded.
Next steps / Future initiatives:
– Organizing regular meetings and webinars on justice, accountability, women’s rights, and civil liberties. – Launching an international campaign against executions and for the release of political prisoners.
– Expanding connections with freedom-seeking and justice-oriented movements worldwide.
We declare that the path of the “Jin, Jiyan, Azadî” revolution continues, and no repression will ever silence the voices of women, youth, and all those who cry out for freedom and human dignity.
Our being together is, in itself, a revolutionary act!