The protests after the assassination of Jina Amini by the Iranian morality police have not stopped for 40 days. Many cities in East Kurdistan and Iran are in revolt led by women under the slogan "Jin, Jiyan, Azadî" (woman, life, freedom).

The Party for a Free Life in Kurdistan (PJAK) and the East Kurdish Movement for Freedom and Democracy (KODAR) recently proposed a roadmap to solve the crisis in Iran and East Kurdistan. Speaking to ANF, the co-chair of PJAK, Zîlan Vejîn, emphasized that their proposed solutions correspond to the demands of the rebellious population of Iran and East Kurdistan, especially women.

It has been 40 days since the assassination of Jina Amini. The protests have turned into an uprising in East Kurdistan and Iran. Why did Jina Amini in particular become the catalyst for collective resistance across Iran?

First of all, it should be noted that after the 1979 Islamic Revolution, the peoples of Iran have always rebelled against the policies, political concepts and system of the current regime. This applies in particular to politics in relation to women, society and peoples. Anger at the current regime's treatment of women, society and peoples has always been great, and the demand for change has always been alive. However, the demands of women and peoples for freedom, equality and democracy have always been met by the current regime with violence, oppression and inhumanity. Current law and legislation deny women any rights. The reality of the state and regime is based on the absolute enslavement of women. The women are in prison. Of course, the entire society and peoples are also in a prison with them. This patriarchal, reactionary, sexist and religious system, based on the absolute enslavement of women, ends up imprisoning the whole of society in slavery.

So what is expressed through Jina is the demand for freedom, equality, democracy and justice for all peoples in Iran. In Iran, Kurds, Arabs, Baluchi and Azeri, in short, all ethnic and religious groups and peoples are denied, ignored. Their legitimate demands are met with violence. In this sense, women identify most strongly with Jina, but the population at large, led by women, demands a free future through the person of Jina. Because in a country where women are not free, no one is free. Therefore, the prioritization of women's freedom and the fact that all peoples in Iran see their free future in women's freedom with the slogan "Jin, Jiyan, Azadî" has great meaning and depth. On this basis, women's freedom will shape the freedom of the whole country and determine its future. The spirit created by Jina is the spirit of a women-led resistance to the freedom and equality of the peoples of Iran. It manifests the historical depth of the resistance. It's about reflecting on one's own historical roots, one's own nature and the bond with the woman. The goal is to build a free society based on free women.

Another important aspect to consider is, of course, that Jina was Kurdish and the center of the demonstrations was in Kurdistan. The serhildan (uprising) started in Kurdistan, but Tehran, Tabriz, Baluchistan and Ahwaz took up the voice of Kurdistan. In this sense, Kurdistan is a focus for all other Iranian peoples. Therefore, the serhildan prompted by Kurdish women and people has spread to many cities, especially in the capital Tehran, and it continues. The role of Kurdistan is important. One should see what a source of strength, morale and motivation Kurdistan is. This aspect could certainly be evaluated more comprehensively, but in brief, this is what I can say.

Why does the slogan "Jin, Jiyan, Azadî" play such an important role? What is their influence on the peoples of Iran?

You have to see that everyone involved in the serhildan has united under this slogan without asking or questioning. For years, the population and women in Iran have been looking for a formula to get out of the current situation. In this sense, the slogan "Jin, Jiyan, Azadî" became an expression of what kind of future all peoples in Iran and especially women aspire to. The phrase "Jin, Jiyan, Azadî" is also an expression of a common culture, language and social history of the Indo-European language family. Therefore, under this slogan, all people of all ages in Iran and Rojhilat have united and stood up. Because in Iran there are no women, no life and no freedom. Now, first, women's identity and existence is recognized on the basis of free and equal principles, then life is built around these principles and women's reality, and freedom is realized with the formation of these principles.

However, there have also been attacks and attempts to distort the slogan "Jin, Jiyan, Azadî" and the ideological and philosophical reality on which it is based. There are approaches and propaganda activities aimed at depriving the slogan of its essence. Some forces and the Iranian regime, which define themselves as alternative and opposition, also attack the phrase "Jin, Jiyan, Azadî" and try to distort its essence. Fighting these forces is an important task for anyone who believes in the philosophy and ideological truth of "Jin, Jiyan, Azadî". It is therefore necessary to always refer to this source and to correctly express and understand the philosophical and ideological reality on which it is based. With the slogan and concept of "Jin, Jîyan, Azadî", Rêber Apo [Abdullah Öcalan] created the freedom movement of Kurdish women and the reality of fighting women. He made them the philosophical and ideological basis and source of the women's movement.

Of course, Rêber Apo was the first to express this slogan as a "magic formula". For 50 years, he has shaped, designed and structured both the Kurdish freedom movement and the women's freedom movement in the four parts of Kurdistan with this philosophical and ideological approach. The essence of the paradigm for building a democratic ecological society based on women's liberation is manifested in the slogan "Jin, Jiyan, Azadî". It is therefore the key to solving all the social, economic, ecological, military and political problems that capitalist modernity and nation-state structures have created. It is the compass and guide for all who are looking for a way out of these problems. That is why it is accepted and used by everyone. On June 24, 2013, Rêber Apo urged the activists of the Kurdish women's freedom movement, saying: "You must continue to teach and establish the magic formula 'Jin, Jiyan, Azadî'." He gave them the task to base themselves on this formulation and spread it throughout Kurdistan, to spread in the Middle East and in the world. The women's freedom movement in Rojhilat, led by the Community of Free Women of East Kurdistan (KJAR), is based on this ideological and philosophical reality. The Iranian regime is not hearing this slogan for the first time. Our comrade Şirin Alamhouli was the first to write the slogan "Jin, Jiyan, Azadî" on the wall of an Iranian prison. This slogan leads to the path of freedom. In conclusion, I would like to say that Kurdish women's struggle against sexism, nationalism and fundamentalism has a great impact on the emerging women's liberation struggle in the world and inspires women in the world. In this sense, the struggle of Kurdish women becomes universal.