NÛPELDA DENÎZ

Makhmour- The security forces (Asayish) raided the buildings of the Gizingî Berbeyan, a media production company, the Kurdistan Free Women's Movement (RJAK), Nwêger Culture and Art Center and the Merziye Organization in Sulaymaniyah on December 31 and closed down these organizations

“We will keep pursuing the truth,” said women journalists in the Martyr Rustem Cudi Camp (Makhmour refugee camp).

 Women’s organizations targeted

 Journalist Qeder Kar condemned the closure of the women’s organizations and said, “As women journalists in Makhmour, we condemn the closure of women’s organizations in Sulaymaniyah and express our support to them. The Iraqi government and Kurdistan Region government do nothing for women and women’s rights but they target women’s organizations. This shows the hostility of these governments against women and women’s rights. The patriarchal laws increase gender-based violence in Iraq and Southern Kurdistan. Their aim is to silence women and destroy women’s rights.”

Recalling the killing Gülistan Tara and Hêro Bahadîn, two women journalists in a Turkish drone strike in Sulaymaniyah on August 23, 2024, Qeder Kar said, “Journalist Suleyman Ahmed has been imprisoned by the KDP (Kurdistan Democratic Party) for over a year. All women and people leading their society are targeted. The closure of Gizingî Berbeyan, a media production company producing TV programs about women for seven years, shows the misogyny of the governments. The policies of detention, arrest and killing are the policies of the Iraqi government and the Kurdistan Region government. Their policies aim to silence women but they will not be able to silence women. We will keep pursuing the truth and being the voices of women.”

‘Women are targeted because they aim to build a free society’

Journalist Şilan Bîlen also condemned the closure of the women’s organizations in Sulaymaniyah and said, “The Iraqi government and the Kurdistan Region government attack women’s organizations and women leading society every year. Women are targeted because they aim to build a free society. In the Kurdistan Region, journalists are detained, arrested and killed. The aim of these attacks is to block women from participating in all facets of life. Despite all the attacks, as women journalists, we will keep doing journalism.”

‘Silence will pave the way for more attacks on women’

Şilan Bîlen called on everyone to support the closed women’s organizations and said, “Silence will pave the way for more attacks on women. We call on everyone to speak out against the attacks targeting women’s rights. As women journalists in Makhmour, we support our colleagues and we will always stand with them.”