A statue paying tribute to 22-year-old Kurdish woman Jina Mahsa Amini, who died a year ago after being arrested by the Iranian police for wearing a headscarf "improperly", has been erected in front of the Woluwe-Saint-Pierre town hall in Brussels.

The statue, the work of sculptor Laurence Remacle, was unveiled on Friday by the alderwoman for Equal Opportunities, Carine Kolchory (DéFI). The event was attended by numerous representatives of leftist groups and advocates of democracy and peace, as well as a group of activists from Kurdistan.

A statement on behalf of the municipality expressed pride over the erection of the statue of a Kurdish woman “because Jina Amini is the symbol of the ‘Jin, Jiyan, Azadi’ uprising.”

Activists participating in the event made speeches saluting those who contributed to the creation of the statue and the popular uprising in Iran and Rojhilat (East Kurdistan).

The work "represents a head with an elongated neck, to accentuate the carriage of the head and express pride, and the strands of her hair spread out symbolise a path towards an ambition, a dream", according to the organizers.

The state femicide of Jina Mahsa Amini triggered a revolution under the motto "Jin, Jiyan, Azadî" (Woman, Life, Freedom) across the country. The women-led uprisings that spread from Rojhilat to the whole of Iran have created an irreversible revolution in people's minds, resulting in the deaths of at least 500 people and injuries to thousands more. Despite the family’s complaint against those responsible for Amini’s death, no action has been taken so far. On the anniversary of the killing of Jina Amini, demonstrations will be organized in many cities around the world on Saturday, 16 September 2023.