The Women Assembly of the People’s Democratic Congress (HDK) released a statement marking the tenth anniversary of the triple murder in Paris of PKK founder and pioneer Sakine Cansız (Sara), KNK French representative Fidan Doğan (Rojbin) and Leyla Şaylemez (Ronahi) on 9 January 2013.

The statement said: “As a result of a planned, international conspiracy in France, three Kurdish women politicians were murdered on January 9, 2013 while negotiations were underway for what was called a peace process. The triple murder of Sakine Cansız, Fidan Doğan and Leyla Şaylemez, who dedicated their lives to the Kurdish women's struggle and to securing women's freedom without knowing any borders, was planned to end the peace process. As we mark the 10th anniversary of their murder in Paris, we commemorate with love and gratitude Sakine, Leyla and Fidan, who became symbols of the women's struggle for freedom, equality and peace.

We are paying a heavy price since the international conspiracy that led to the January 9 massacre and the political forces behind it have not been exposed.

Days before the 10th anniversary of the 9 January massacre, yet another mass killing took place in Paris.

Abdurrahman Kızıl, artist Mir Perwer, and Emine Kara, who devoted her 30 years to the freedom struggle of the Kurdish people, were murdered in an armed attack at the Ahmet Kaya Kurdish Cultural Centre on December 23. Emine Kara, who embodied the iconic slogan of “Jin, Jiyan, Azadi” [Woman, Life, Freedom] against ISIS barbarism for the freedom struggle of the Kurdish people and Kurdish women, and a revolutionary who continued her struggle in Paris, was specifically targeted.

These massacres in Paris are the outcome of deliberate male state violence against women's freedom struggle. We see nowadays how women's struggle for freedom, equality and peace leads all segments of society during the mass anti-dictatorship protests in Iran.

These attacks against Kurdish politicians and leaders of the women's freedom struggle are the clearest manifestation of Kurdish hatred and misogynism.

The killing of Sêvê Demir, Pakize Nayır and Fatma Uyar during the self-government resistance in the Silopi district of Şırnak province on January 4, 2015, and the murder of Nagihan Akarsel in front of her house in Sulaymaniyah on October 4, 2022, are outcomes of misogynistic policies and fear of the women's struggle. The male-dominated system and male states are so scared that they seek to discourage us from leading our freedom struggle, having already murdered 17 Kurdish women politicians in 10 years, and paving the way for daily femicides by male perpetrators.

At a time when the religious and fascist male-dominated suppression of women is gradually increasing, misogyny is implemented as a planned state policy, and war policies are permeating through every aspect of our lives, we, women, commemorate once again all the women we have lost. We will never renounce the women's struggle for freedom or the legacies of the murdered women.

As the HDK Women's Assembly, we reiterate our promise to follow in the footsteps of Emine Kara, Leyla, Fidan and Sakine. As women, we will continue to shout out for life and peace.”