The North-East Syrian women’s movement Kongra Star released the following statement paying tribute to Kurdish activist and Jineology Academy member Nagihan Akarsel who was assassinated in front of her house in Sulaymaniyah at 10am this morning:

“Today we learned with sadness and anger that the activist, fighter for women's freedom and member of Jineology, Nagîhan Akarsel, was killed in the morning hours in an assassination attack in front of her house in Sulaymaniyah. Nagihan Akarsel was a member of the Jineology Academy and co-editor of the Jineology magazine. With the science of Jineology from the perspective of free women, she wanted to build a free society. Nagihan put the slogan "Jin, Jiyan, Azadî!"/"Woman, Life, Freedom" into practice with great will, courage and love.

This attack is targeted, carried out knowingly and systematically in all parts of Kurdistan against the revolution of the women and the people. This political feminicide against women who are at the forefront of their society is the policy of the murderous Turkish state. This attack is against the revolution of women and the people who are leading it. In Rojava, the Turkish state is trying to destroy the struggle of women through political feminicide. With the assassination of the pioneers of women's freedom like our comrades, the politician Hevrin Khalaf, the activists of the women's movement Zehra Berkel, Hebûn Xelin, Emine Weysî, commander of the Women's Defense Forces (YPJ) Jiyan Tolhildan and finally the politician and member of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria Zeyneb Mihemed, the Turkish state has persistently tried to weaken the struggle. But the persistence, will and strength of freedom-loving women will not be weakened or broken. Our answer will be the victory of the women's revolution all over the world.

This attack is the fourth in a year in the town of Sulaymaniyah in South Kurdistan and is responsible for the martyrdom of Shukri Sarhad, Mihemed Zekı Çelebi and Suhêl Khorshid. The Turkish government, with the help of its intelligence service, MIT, and the government of South Kurdistan, is targeting activists and community leaders in the town of Sulaymaniyah. The government of South Kurdistan and especially the KDP are responsible for these attacks.

We strongly condemn this brutal attack on the scientist, publicist and our comrade Nagihan Akarsel. Those responsible for the attack must be held accountable and the international silence on the murder of democracy activists must be broken. Attacks of this kind must be prevented.

It is no coincidence that at a time when women in Rojhilat, Iran and all over the world are chanting "Jin, Jiyan, Azadî" and shaking the nation-state system based on patriarchy, those who put this slogan into practice are murdered. The attack in Sulaymaniyah is an attack on all women who demand their freedom, who march with the slogan "Women, Life, Freedom". Therefore, we call on all women and people marching under this slogan to stand by Nagihan Akarsel and what she has been representing and to raise their voices. At this time, we must turn the anger over the murder of Nagihan Akarsel into an even stronger resistance. Let us make the 21st century the century of women's freedom with Jineology, women's solidarity and the slogan "Jin Jiyan Azadi".”