The European Kurdish Women’s Movement (TJK-E) issued a written statement regarding Ahmed al-Sharaa (al-Jolani)’s recent contacts in Germany and the United Kingdom.
The statement said: “The attacks carried out on 6 January 2025 in Damascus targeting the predominantly Kurdish neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud (Şêxmeqsûd) and Ashrafiyah (Eşrefiyê) constitute a planned attempt at annihilation aimed at the gains and existence of the Kurdish people. These attacks against Rojava clearly aim to break the will of a people and eliminate the achievements they have secured.
The protests that rose across the four parts of Kurdistan, in Europe and in many parts of the world in response to these attacks have shown that the Kurdish people are not alone. Although the attacks have been halted as a result of public pressure and a forced dialogue process, this does not mean that the threat has disappeared. On the contrary, the situation remains fragile and temporary.
Women’s rights are being systematically violated
The claim of “democracy” put forward by the interim government led by Ahmed al-Sharaa does not reflect reality. This claim collapses entirely, especially when it comes to women. Women are not recognized as equal individuals, their rights are systematically violated and their freedom of organization is obstructed. This clearly reveals the unchanged patriarchal and oppressive nature of the government.
The historical legacy created by Kurdish women who stood on the front lines against the brutality of ISIS in 2014 is evident. This resistance has become a global symbol. Despite this, the failure to constitutionally guarantee women’s self-defense forces and organized structures is a deliberate political choice and is unacceptable.
The system built by women’s organizations in Rojava is not only for Kurds; it is a concrete model of equal, free and collective life for all, from Druze to Arabs, from Turkmens to Armenians and various faith communities. This reality cannot be ignored.
Attacks on Alawites and Armenians amount to complicity
Turning a blind eye to attacks against Arab Alawites and the Armenian people constitutes direct complicity. The fate of hundreds of people abducted on 6 January 2026 by HTS (Hayat Tahrir al-Sham) and ISIS has still not been disclosed, which is unacceptable. The continued lack of information about journalists Eva Maria Michelmann and Ahmed Polat, who were abducted on 18 January 2026, clearly shows that this structure remains unaccountable.
A government that claims to uphold democracy cannot assert legitimacy without recognizing differences and accepting the will of women. Unless women’s free organization is constitutionally guaranteed, the discourse of “democracy” remains nothing more than empty propaganda.
Normalizing the visit legitimizes anti-democratic practices
The visit of Ahmed al-Sharaa must not serve to cover up these realities in the name of economic interests. Otherwise, it will contribute to granting international legitimacy to an anti-democratic structure. Germany and the United Kingdom undermining their own values for the sake of their interests will only deepen repression in the region.
The position at this point is clear: one must either stand on the side of truth, justice, and equality or become an indirect supporter of policies of oppression and denial. All democratic circles must not remain silent regarding Ahmed al-Sharaa’s visit to Germany and the United Kingdom. The normalization of this visit means the legitimization of anti-democratic practices. Silence is consent.
Women’s equality must be constitutionally guaranteed
For this reason, everyone must take a clear and unequivocal stance. The recognition of women as equal and the constitutional guarantee of their self-defense forces and organizational structures are indispensable.
The social status of women requires not only individual rights but also equal and effective representation in the public sphere.
The quality of democratic systems is measured by the extent to which women’s rights are institutionalized and how much civil society components are included in this process. For a sustainable democratic structure, it is a strategic necessity that women hold equal decision-making power, not merely implementer roles.”
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