Two awards for late murdered Kurdish politician Hevrin Xelef

Two awards were given in Italy to the late Kurdish woman politician Hevrin Xelef, who was brutally murdered by Turkish state-linked mercenaries.

Hevrin Xelef was awarded the Margherita Troili award given annually by the Municipality of Capua.

The award called 'A woman for women' is given in memory of teacher Margherita Troili, an antifascist and communist politician who participated as a partisan in the liberation war against fascism in Italy.

Lawyer Hazal Koyuncuer received the award given to Xelef at the ceremony held on 25 November.

Xelef was also awarded the young activist award 2019 given by the Italian Coalition for Civil Rights and Liberties.

Kurdish women's movement activist Zilan Diyar received the award on behalf of Xelef at the ceremony on Saturday 30 November.

Noting that Xelef deserved this award, Diyar said: "This award encourages us Kurdish women who are trying to build a new social system with our struggle."

Hevrin Xelef, co-chair of the Syrian Future Party, was brutally murdered on 12 October by mercenaries affiliated to the Turkish army. The murder of Xelef caused intense reactions internationally.

As a continuation of these reactions, the announcement of a signature campaign was published in the Italian daily paper La Repubblica.

The campaign was signed by 100 women, including former ministers, trade unionists, journalists, lawmakers, activists and mayors.

A meeting will be held in Trento on 16 December to spread the signature campaign across the country. The collected signatures will be presented to the international and national courts to require the prosecution of Turkey for war crimes.