CRY FREEDOM.net
formerly known as
Women's Liberation Front
'Insight is the first step of resistance against any ideologic form of dictatorial and misogynistic oppression'
and
'Freedom is like a bird
that nests in ones' soul'
Welcome to cryfreedom.net, formerly known as Womens Liberation Front.  A website that hopes to draw and keeps your attention for  both the global 21th. century 3rd. feminist revolution as well as especially for the Zan, Zendegi, Azadi uprising in Iran and the struggles of our sisters in other parts of the Middle East. This online magazine that started December 2019 will be published every 2 days. Thank you for your time and interest. 
Gino d'Artali
indept investigative journalist
radical feminist and women's rights activist 
'WOMEN, LIFE, FREEDOM'

You are now at the section on what is happening in the rest of the Middle east
For the Iran 'Woman, Life, Freedom' Iran
May 19 - 17, 2025

International Womens Day Middle East 2025
Actual News: April 11, 2025

2025: May wk4 -- May wk3P3 -- May wk3P2 -- May wk3 -- May wk2P3 -- May wk2P2 -- May wk2 -- May wk1P2 -- May wk1 -- April wk4P2 -- April wk4 -- April wk3P3 -- April wk3P2 -- April wk 3 -- April wk2P2 -- April wk2 -- April wk1P2 -- April wk1
2024: Dec wk2 -- Dec wk1P2 -- Dec wk1
Click here for an overview of the Women's Arab Spring Revolt 1.2 2025 - 2024 and 2023

 When one hurts or kills a women
one hurts or kills hummanity and is an antrocitie.
Gino d'Artali
and: My mother (1931-1997) always said to me <Mi figlio, non esistono notizie <vecchie> perche puoi imparare qualcosa da qualsiasi notizia.> Translated: <My son, there is no such thing as so called 'old' news because you can learn something from any news.>
Gianna d'Artali.

YPJ The Women’s Protection Units fighters


Mukaddes Erdoğdu
Jinha - Womens News Center - May 21, 2025 - By ARJÎN DİLEK ÖNCEL
{Mukaddes Erdoğdu: The government should take concrete steps for peace
“The government should take concrete steps for peace now,” said Mukaddes Erdoğdu Çelik, writer and member of the “I Need Peace” Women’s Initiative, stating that the decision of the PKK contains radical changes.
Amed (Diyarbakır)- The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (Kurdish: Partiya Karkerên Kurdistanê, PKK) held its 12th Congress in the Medya Defense Zones between May 5 and May 7, 2025 over the “Call for Peace and Democratic Society” by Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan. On May 12, it announced that it “dissolves itself and ends its armed struggle”. After the call of Abdullah Öcalan and the decision of the PKK to lay down arms, everyone expects a step from the government, calling on the ruling party and all political parties to fulfil their responsibilities for building a permanent peace and democracy in Türkiye. NuJINHA spoke to Mukaddes Erdoğdu Çelik, a writer and member of the “I Need Peace” Women’s Initiative about the recent developments. “We are entering a new era. If we want peace in the world, we should maintain peace in our country too,” Devlet Bahçeli, leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) told journalists on October 1, 2024. On February 27, 2025, Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan made the “Call for Peace and Democratic Society”. Mukaddes Erdoğdu Çelik recalled the speech of Devlet Bahçeli and the call of Abdullah Öcalan and said that the process was achieved through the struggle of the democratic public opinion in Türkiye, especially the People's Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party).
‘They dared to start the process from the end’
The PKK emerged as the “last uprising” against policies ignoring the Kurdish people, Mukaddes Erdoğdu said. “In order to start such a process, first political steps should be taken, a political framework is established, and constitutional principles emerge and the last step is laying down arms. However, the leader of the PKK dared to start the process from the end. This must be respected.” The armed struggle of the PKK had been put forward as the biggest obstacle to Turkish-Kurdish fraternity and democratization for years, Mukaddes Erdoğdu stressed.
“The PKK announced that it dissolved itself. However, all the government says, ‘the MIT (The National Intelligence Organization in Türkiye) has been holding the necessary meetings’. The President only said that trustees would be an exception. The appointment of trustees is an unlawful practice and the prisons are full of tens of thousands of political prisoners, 90 percent of them imprisoned for being involved in the Kurdish political movement.”
‘The genie is out of the bottle’
Mukaddes Erdoğdu commented on the recent developments and said, “The genie is out of the bottle. It has been out of the bottle since October 8. This process has already started and no one can block it.”
‘Everyone should welcome this process’
Mukaddes Erdoğdu called on the government to “take concrete steps for peace. First, the situation of sick prisoners should be put on the table. The isolation imposed on Abdullah Öcalan should be lifted. Everyone demanding rights, law and justice, especially the main opposition party, should welcome this process. The government must build up trust among people because this society needs it. The trustees appointed to municipalities must withdraw immediately, Ekrem İmamoğlu must be released.”
Role of women in peace processes
Mukaddes Erdoğdu also talked about the role of women in the peace processes and said, “Women fought for peace in previous attempts for peace. The struggle for peace is the struggle for democracy, rights and law in Türkiye. Women have become the most oppressed group in Türkiye, where patriarchy still prevails. Since they are the most oppressed, they are at the frontline of the struggle for peace.” The “I Need Peace” Women’s Initiative was formed in February 2025 to increase women’s participation in peace processes. Mukaddes Erdoğdu called on all women to demand peace and democracy everywhere, “Because we need a democratic society and women have the power to build it. If women are not free, society cannot be free.”}
Video: https://jinhaagency.com/en/actual/mukaddes-erdogdu-the-government-should-take-concrete-steps-for-peace-37038?page=1


TJA
Jinha - Womens News Center - May 20, 2025
{TJA to organize march for ‘social peace and democratic solution’
The Free Women’s Movement (Kurdish: Tevgera Jinên Azad-TJA) will organize a march in Amed (Diyarbakır) on May 31 with the motto, “We are marching for social peace and democratic solution”.
News Center- The Free Women’s Movement (Kurdish: Tevgera Jinên Azad-TJA) will organize a march in Amed (Diyarbakır) on May 31 with the motto, “We are marching for social peace and democratic solution”. The march will start at the Şex Said Square at 4 PM with the participation of thousands of women, the movement said in a written statement on Tuesday. “As women struggling for a life without war, exploitation, equality and justice, we are the subjects of construction in the democratic solution of the Kurdish question,” the movement said in the statement. “The democratic solution to the Kurdish question will pave the way for social peace. We call on all women to struggle by saying that a free, equal and fair life is possible although monism, nationalism and sexism are organized as private wars nowadays. Mr. Öcalan’s call on February 27 has cracked the doors of an honorable peace in our country. As women, we are the ones who will embrace this call the most and build a democratic society.” The movement also called on women to participate in the march to demand social peace and free and equal life, the release of all political prisoners and to raise their voices against femicide, all forms of gender-based violence, child abuse, genocidal and assimilation policies.
‘To defend a free and equal life’
“We know that a democratic society means a socialist, equal and free life. We are the organizers and builders of this life. Therefore, we say that we are marching for social peace and democratic solution. We call on all women rights activists, feminists, ecologists, young women, intellectuals and artists, women of different ethnicities and religions to participate in the march to defend a free and equal life.”}
Source: https://jinhaagency.com/en/actual/tja-to-organize-march-for-social-peace-and-democratic-solution-37034?page=1

Jinha - Womens News Center - May 20, 2025 - By PÊLÎN NÛPELDA
{‘The appointment of the killer of Hevrin Khalaf is a clear threat’
“The appointment of Abu Hatim Shaqra, who killed Hevrin Khalaf, is not only injustice, but also a clear threat to women,” said Welîda Hesen, Spokesperson of the Future Syria Party Women’s Council.
Qamishlo (Qamishli)- Syria’s interim government appointed Ahmad al-Hayes (nom de guerre: Abu Hatim Shaqra), the man responsible for the killing of Kurdish politician Hevrin Khalaf, as commander of Division 86 operating across Deir ez-Zor, Hasakah, and Raqqa on May 5, 2025. Abu Hatim Shaqra killed Hevrin Khalaf, the Secretary General of the Future Syria Party, near the M4 Motorway south of Tell Abyad on November 12, 2019, during the Turkish offensive into north-eastern Syria. The appointment of Abu Hatim Shaqra as commander of Division 86 sparked anger among women activists and human rights defenders.
‘This appointment is a clear threat’
“The appointment of a person, who has been listed as a terrorist and brutally killed many people as a commander is a clear threat to all people, especially women,” said Welîda Hesen, Spokesperson of the Future Syria Party Women’s Council. “The appointment of this person, who killed and tortured civilians and raped women in Afrin is unacceptable.”
‘The murderer of Hevrin Khalaf is awarded’
Welîda Hesen recalled that Hevrin Khalaf was a political leader, who fought for peace, freedom and women's rights. “Hevrin Khalaf was a politician. The murderer of Hevrin Khalaf is awarded by being appointed as a commander. This appointment is a clear attack on the will of the people and women.”
‘Murderers must be prosecuted by an international tribunal’
Welîda Hesen told NuJINHA that they, as women and the Future Syria Party Women’s Council, would raise their voices against that appointment.
“As women organizations, we do our part and will take to the streets until the murderer of Hevrin Khalaf is prosecuted. This person was appointed as a commander to places where thousands of Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighters lost their lives. This is unacceptable. We demand murderers be prosecuted by an international tribunal.” Welîda Hesen thinks that the impunity for attacks against women further increases gender-based violence. “Hevrin Khalaf was brutally killed. This massacre shows us the extent of the hatred against women. If those who committed crimes against women go unpunished, women will face more threats.” Welîda Hesen called on all women to raise their voices against the appointment of Abu Hatim Shaqra and said, “Women led the revolution (in Rojava). We will preserve the legacy of Hevrin and will take to the streets to demand justice until the murderer of Hevrin is prosecuted.” Womens News Center - May 20, 2025}
Source: https://jinhaagency.com/en/actual/the-appointment-of-the-killer-of-hevrin-khalaf-is-a-clear-threat-37033?page=1


Kurdish women in Europe
Jinha - Womens News Center - May 20, 2025
{Kurdish women in Europe create initiative for national unity
Kurdish women living in Europe have created a new initiative for “National Unity of Kurdish Women in Europe”.
News Center- Kurdish women living in European countries announced Monday that they created a new initiative for “National Unity of Kurdish Women in Europe”.
“As women from four parts of Kurdistan, we come together on the 51st anniversary of the martyrdom of Leyla Qasim, one of the resistance symbols of Kurdish women, who was executed by the Baathist regime on May 12, 1974, inspired by the tradition of struggle of many women such as Sara, Hevrin Khalaf and Shirin Alam Hooli,” women said in a statement. “Unity is existence,” the statement said, stressing that the initiative aims to unite young people to protect the women’s struggle, tradition and achievements and to preserve this heritage by uniting Kurdish women. “As Kurdish women, who were forcibly displaced from their homeland, we support this historic step. With the strength and inspiration we derive from our century-long struggle, we express once again that we will follow in the footsteps of our women comrades who sacrificed their lives for freedom and democracy. Now, we are at an important stage of history in achieving our national unity and establishing a confederal, democratic organization of women. Therefore, we call on the representatives of women's organizations, our women comrades from all political parties, artists, intellectuals, writers and all women to come together under the umbrella of the initiative for the National Unity of Kurdish Women in Europe.
“As free Kurdish women, we should strengthen our unity and organize ourselves to build a free Kurdistan.”}
Source: https://jinhaagency.com/en/actual/kurdish-women-in-europe-create-initiative-for-national-unity-37031?page=1

Medyanews - May 20,2025
{‘Now is the time to build an equal life together,’ says DEM Party co-chair Hatimoğulları
Tülay Hatimoğulları, co-chair of Turkey’s pro-Kurdish DEM Party, urges parliament to play its “historic role” in resolving the Kurdish question and declares that no obstacles remain to initiate steps toward a just and lasting peace. “Now is the time to build an equal life together—there are no more excuses,” said Tülay Hatimoğulları co-chair of Turkey’s pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party, during a group meeting in parliament in Ankara on Tuesday, urging Turkey’s ruling authorities to take concrete steps toward resolving the Kurdish question and ending decades of conflict. Hatimoğulları stressed the significance of Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan’s rare 27 February message calling for a “Peace and Democratic Society” process. Describing the statement as “the call of the century”, she said: “This is a historic page. It is a unique opportunity to end a 50-year conflict.” The call was echoed, she said, by a recent declaration from the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which on 12 May announced it was closing an era and “opening a new chapter” by re-evaluating its position. Hatimoğulları described the announcement as “a turning point” that opened a path toward peace and democratisation not only for Turkey but for the entire Middle East. “People are now asking key questions,” she added. “How will democracy develop in Turkey? What will become of Kurdish rights? How can all identities and beliefs live freely and equally? These are the questions we must answer if we want a solution.” The veteran leftist politician emphasised that conditions were now ripe for action. “There are no longer any legitimate reasons to delay steps under the pretext of violence and conflict,” Hatimoğulları said. “The government must act with urgency. Legal, political, and cultural reforms must be launched. The classical security mindset must be abandoned.” Hatimoğulları also referenced the economic cost of prolonged conflict and militarisation. “People are starving,” she said. “They are hopeless. And yet, this government has been following the same failed economic programme for two years.” She highlighted that Turkey had spent 725 billion lira on interest payments in the first four months of the year, while military expenditures and security-focused policies had drained public funds. “If these resources had been spent on workers, the poor, or social welfare, we would not be suffering such deep hunger and poverty,” she argued. “We have seen the price of conflict in the crumbs of our bread.” Calling for a shift toward what she termed a “peace economy”, Hatimoğulları said: “This economic model could save us. With fairer distribution, fewer working hours, and better wages for the poorest, we can rebuild.” Turning back to the political dimension, she expressed frustration that imprisoned opposition politicians—such as Selahattin Demirtaş and Figen Yüksekdağ—were still awaiting detailed court verdicts in the Kobani (Kobanê) trial. “Justice is being delayed,” she said. “We send our greetings to all political prisoners. They, too, await justice.” Hatimoğulları underlined the importance of bipartisan cooperation and said her party had already begun its fourth round of meetings with other political factions to build momentum behind peace efforts. After meetings with the Democracy and Progress (DEVA) Party and the Felicity Party (SAADET), she said DEM Party would hold talks with Republican People’s Party (CHP) and the New Welfare Party (YRP) later in the day, followed by others, including the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and its far-right partner Nationalist Movement Party (MHP). “During these visits, we are focusing on a clear and practical roadmap for peace,” she said. “We are discussing the role that parliament must play and why it must take on its historic responsibility.” Hatimoğulları also praised MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli’s recent proposal for a parliamentary commission, describing it as “valuable and worth serious consideration”. She said such a commission could form the legal basis for Öcalan’s proposed ‘Peace and Democratic Society’ process and monitor its future phases. “People are ready,” she concluded. “Conditions are ready. Now is the time for peace, for democracy, for justice. It’s time to write a new chapter of freedom in every corner of this country—with the blue ink of liberty on the white pages of peace.”}
Source: https://medyanews.net/now-is-the-time-to-build-an-equal-life-together-says-dem-party-co-chair-hatimogullari/

Medyanews - May 20,2025
{İstanbul dismissed mayor İmamoğlu slams ‘coerced testimony’ in graft probe wave
İstanbul’s dismissed mayor and opposition presidential candidate Ekrem İmamoğlu has accused Turkish authorities of using threats and blackmail to extract false testimonies in a sweeping corruption probe targeting municipal officials amid rising political tensions ahead of local elections. İstanbul dismissed mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu has denounced a new wave of corruption investigations targeting municipal officials, accusing Turkish authorities of coercing detainees into giving false testimony through threats and blackmail in what he describes as a politically driven operation. In a strongly worded statement posted from his official presidential campaign account on Tuesday, İmamoğlu responded to what he called the “third wave” of a judicial campaign against the İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB), after prosecutors ordered the detention of 22 people, including his close aide Taner Çetin. “This nation will not fall for testimonies obtained under threats, just as they did not fall for your fabricated cases,” İmamoğlu said, urging citizens to share his message. “Now it’s clear: they are forcing detainees into false witness statements through blackmail.” The İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office announced earlier on Tuesday that it had launched a new operation in a long-running corruption investigation into İBB contracts. The probe centres on alleged irregularities involving Medya A.Ş. and Kültür A.Ş., two municipal media and cultural companies. Taner Çetin, head of İBB’s Press and Public Relations Department and a long-time associate of İmamoğlu from his days as Beylikdüzü district mayor, is accused of rigging tenders to benefit affiliated firms in exchange for bribes. According to the prosecutor’s statement, Çetin allegedly amassed properties using funds indirectly transferred from companies awarded İBB contracts. Turkey’s Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK) reported that some of the payments were directly made by firms working with the two municipal companies. Authorities said that these payments were also used to transfer funds to other personnel employed in the same municipal subsidiaries. Prosecutors ordered raids at several locations, the seizure of assets, and the detention of 22 individuals identified as suspects in the tender and bribery network. In his response, İmamoğlu listed a series of previous allegations levelled against him and the municipality that were ultimately discredited, including claims of illicit property deals, hidden cash in municipal vehicles, and connections to terrorism. “Everything they claimed turned out to be fabricated,” İmamoğlu stated. “They accused us of sending cash abroad in hearses – the vehicles never even left the country. They said we handed out free villas – there was only a deposit.” The latest wave of investigations comes as Turkey heads into a high-stakes local election cycle, with İmamoğlu, a key figure in the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), expected to challenge the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) in İstanbul, a symbolic stronghold. Critics have long accused the government of using the judiciary to undermine opposition figures. İmamoğlu has already faced legal challenges, including a conviction for insulting election officials, which briefly threatened his eligibility to run for office. “İstanbul is being targeted because it is not under their control,” İmamoğlu said. “This isn’t justice—it’s a smear campaign disguised as law.” The mayor concluded with a poetic reference dating back over a century: “You think everyone is blind and the world is foolish? The truth will always come out.”}
Source: https://medyanews.net/istanbul-dismissed-mayor-imamoglu-slams-coerced-testimony-in-graft-probe-wave/

Medyanews - May 20,2025 - By Hicri İzgören
{‘Week of the Disappeared’… everything swept under the rug
The past cannot be denied. A democratic state and society cannot be built by consigning all past injustices to collective amnesia. A true democracy, and the will that underpins it, also requires confronting the past and bringing those responsible to justice. This week marks the ‘Week of Struggle Against Enforced Disappearances in Custody’… As in every year, various organisations are holding events and sessions to raise awareness and bring greater visibility to this issue. Turkey continues to occupy a position where justice, rights and the rule of law have yet to be realised. States cannot build a genuine democracy unless they confront their histories openly and honestly. In this country, people were disappeared while in custody. Some lost a brother, some a spouse, some a father, and others a child — suddenly taken from the street, their homes, or places of work, and made to vanish without a trace. Ariel Dorfman says, “To deny the past is not as easy as some would claim. If even a single person in this world still wants to remember and keep them alive, it is impossible to do so. That is enough — one person crying out in the moral desert, then another, and another — this is enough to prevent the spark of justice from dying out. History may be listening to us; history may answer us. Indeed. History is listening to us, and it will, sooner or later, respond — we must believe this with all our hearts. But first, we must remember. Turkey is unwilling to enter the areas of its history that have been left in the dark. All governments past and present have either denied or attempted to erase events and truths that require confrontation, as if in consensus. The International Committee Against Disappearances (ICAD), in its statements, affirms that enforced disappearances remain a serious issue in today’s world, noting, “Those taken into custody are often killed under torture and buried in secret locations, with their bodies made to disappear.” It also highlights the long-standing struggle of the Mothers of Plaza de Mayo in Argentina, as well as the determined efforts of Turkey’s Saturday Mothers. It is for this reason that Turkey has placed reservations on the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance. Among the crimes committed by states and governments against humanity, enforced disappearances are one of the foremost. To preserve their grip on power, those in opposition have sometimes been tortured to death and disappeared by the state’s security forces or by paramilitary structures. What we call “disappearance” is, in fact, the denial or concealment of the truth about what happened to them. Investigations into the disappeared were either left unresolved, closed without prosecution, or allowed to lapse through statutes of limitation. In this regard, justice has consistently favoured the perpetrators. Those shielded by protective immunity were defended by the state. Legal cases were deliberately prolonged to fall under time limitations. However, under international conventions, statutes of limitation should not apply to such crimes. For years, regardless of snow, cold, or police batons, mothers have taken part in sit-in protests seeking news of their children or spouses, hoping at the very least to have a grave to visit. One by one, they are passing away without ever receiving an answer. In Turkey, the persistent efforts of the Human Rights Association (İHD) regarding the disappeared must be acknowledged. For years, despite the costs and relentless pressure on its administrators and members, it has carried out this crucial work. Sit-in protests for the disappeared have continued for years. Actions and events have been organised to seek the truth about those who were forcibly disappeared in custody and to demand the prosecution of those responsible. The past cannot be denied. A democratic state and society cannot be built by consigning all past injustices to collective amnesia. A true democracy, and the will that underpins it, also requires confronting the past and bringing those responsible to justice. Hicri İzgören is a poet and writer. He was born in 1950 in Siverek, Şanlıurfa. He graduated from the Social Studies Department of the Diyarbakır Institute of Education. He is a member of the Turkish Writers’ Union, the Association of Literary Writers, and PEN.}
Source: https://medyanews.net/week-of-the-disappeared-everything-swept-under-the-rug/


Medyanews - May 20,2025
{Rethinking coexistence in Turkey: Öcalan’s call for a new Social Contract
After eight meetings with Abdullah Öcalan since October, a new reconciliation process gains momentum. The imprisoned Kurdish leader’s call for a “brotherhood-based contract” challenges the deep-rooted nationalist framework of the 'Turkishness Contract' (Türklük Sözleşmesi) hinting at a democratic and inclusive political future.}
Read more here: https://medyanews.net/rethinking-coexistence-in-turkey-ocalans-call-for-a-new-social-contract/

Medyanews - May 19,2025
{Turkish opposition leader Özel calls Erdoğan a ‘local dictator’ at İzmir rally
Turkey's main opposition CHP leader Özgür Özel directly challenges President Erdoğan at a mass rally in İzmir, accusing him of authoritarianism and likening Silivri Prison to infamous jails used to silence political opponents. At a mass opposition rally in İzmir on 19 May, Turkey’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Özgür Özel delivered a fiery speech directly addressing President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, calling him a “local dictator” and accusing him of silencing dissent through judicial repression. Speaking to hundreds of thousands gathered in Gündoğdu Square, Özel said: “You cannot be a global leader if you are not democratic at home. And I say this looking you in the eye: you are not a global leader, you are a local dictator.” He described Silivri Prison—where many opposition figures have been detained—as a “detention camp for dissidents”, comparing it to Adolf Hitler’s Stadelheim Prison and Bashar al-Assad’s Sednaya facility. The rally, titled ‘Protecting the National Will’, marked the sixth mass mobilisation by the CHP since the controversial arrest of İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, Erdoğan’s main rival in the upcoming 2028 presidential elections. The event coincided with the 19 May Atatürk Commemoration and Youth Day, lending symbolic weight to the opposition’s message of democratic renewal. Özel’s speech focused heavily on the erosion of democratic institutions under Erdoğan’s leadership. He accused the government of orchestrating a “civilian coup” through judicial mechanisms, saying: “There are two kinds of coups: military and civilian. The one in Turkey today originates in Beştepe [the presidential complex], and its weapon is the judiciary.” Özel presented a platform focused on youth, pledging to abolish the Higher Education Council (YÖK), end political appointments of trustees (a practice in which elected mayors are replaced by state officials), and eliminate visa restrictions. “We will establish a Turkey free of bans and borders during our first years in office,” he said. He also promised improved access to internet technologies and increased student grants. In response, ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) spokesperson Ömer Çelik accused Özel of echoing the rhetoric of Europe’s far-right. Writing on social media platform X, Çelik claimed, “Özgür Özel’s statements are largely a copy of Europe’s far-right. Now he has taken on the role of translating for Europe’s fascists.” Dismissing the CHP leader’s remarks as derivative and inflammatory, Çelik added, “Calling our President a ‘local dictator’ is the kind of language first and most often used by European fascists. It is tragic that someone who has not even succeeded as a local leader dares to comment on the leadership of our President.”}
Source: https://medyanews.net/turkish-opposition-leader-ozel-calls-erdogan-a-local-dictator-at-izmir-rally/


Women of Kobanê
Jinha - Womens News Center - May 19, 2025 - By BERÇEM CÛDÎ
{Women of Kobanê: The physical freedom of leader Apo is the freedom of women
“We will play a leading role for the freedom of Abdullah Öcalan,” said women of Kobanê, who attended the opening ceremony of the “Syrian Initiative for the Physical Freedom of Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan” center.
Kobanê- The “Syrian Initiative for the Physical Freedom of Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan” was opened in Kobanê, a city in the Euphrates Canton of North and East Syria, on May 18, annually observed as Martyrs' Day by the Kurdish people. The initiative aims to share and spread the ideology of Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan and struggle for his physical freedom. ‘We will ensure the physical freedom of leader Apo’ “Although leader Apo (Abdullah Öcalan) is in prison, in an aggravated isolation, he offers many projects and solutions for women,” said Dîcle Bozî, a member of the initiative. “Therefore, leader Apo is a light against the darkness imposed on women. Today, we exist and struggle for his physical freedom thanks to the efforts made by leader Apo. We will work and ensure the physical freedom of leader Apo.” Fatma Xelîl, member of the Hîlala Zêrîn Culture and Art Movement, thinks that the physical freedom of Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan will pave the way for a new era. “Today, the center of the Initiative for the Physical Freedom of Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan was opened. Leader Öcalan is the comrade of women and ensuring his physical freedom is our most important mission. The era in which women are enslaved and killed will end.”
‘Kongra Star will support the initiative’
Macîde Hesûn, coordinating member of Kongra Star, also attended the opening ceremony of the initiative. “We, as Kongra Star, will support the initiative to break the system in the prison island of Imrali,” she told NuJINHA. “I believe that this initiative will work hard in order to make the ideology of leader Apo permanent in the region and across Syria. The physical freedom of leader Apo is the freedom of women.” ‘We want to welcome leader Apo in Kobanê’ Women of Kobanê look forward to welcoming Abdullah Öcalan in Kobanê, Macîde Hesûn emphasized and concluded her speech as follows:
“Meetings have been recently held with leader Apo in Imrali. These meetings strengthen us but are insufficient. We always say that there is no life without leader Apo. We will keep struggling until we ensure the physical freedom of leader Apo. As the people of Kobanê, especially women, we want to welcome leader Apo once again.”}
Video: https://jinhaagency.com/en/actual/women-of-kobane-the-physical-freedom-of-leader-apo-is-the-freedom-of-women-37027


Culture festival celebrates Kurdish heritage
Medyanews - May 19,2025
{Culture festival celebrates Kurdish heritage in Paris
Paris's 4th Kurdish Culture Festival, running from 17-23 May, celebrates Kurdish heritage with music, dance and cuisine. Held in the city's 10th Arrondissement, it unites the diaspora and promotes cultural resilience amid historical challenges.
On 17 May, Paris’s 10th Arrondissement, often called “Little Kurdistan”, came alive with the sights and sounds of the 4th Kurdish Culture Festival, a week-long celebration of Kurdish heritage that throws a light on the resilience of the Kurdish diaspora. Organised by the Democratic Kurdish Community Federation in France (FCDK-BF), and running until 23 May, the event features traditional dances, music, cuisine and exhibitions, drawing hundreds to honour a culture that has faced decades of suppression in Turkey, Iraq, Iran and Syria.
The festival began with a vibrant parade from the Ahmet Kaya Kurdish Cultural Centre, named after the iconic Kurdish musician, to the district’s town hall. Participants, adorned in colourful traditional costume, danced the govend, a Kurdish folk dance, to the rhythm of the drum, zurna (a double-reed woodwind instrument) and erbane (a large, flat drum very like the Celtic bodhran), filling the streets with energy. Azad Doğan, co-chair of the FCDK-BF, opened the event with a call to preserve Kurdish identity. “Every tree grows from its own roots,” he said, highlighting the festival’s mission to resist cultural erasure. This celebration is more than a cultural showcase; it is a defiant stand against historical attempts to suppress Kurdish language, music and traditions. Kurds, an ethnic group of about 30 million spread primarily across Turkey, Iraq, Iran and Syria, have long faced policies aimed at assimilating their identity, such as bans on speaking Kurdish in public or, in some regions, even performing traditional songs. In Paris, home to a significant Kurdish diaspora, the festival fosters pride and solidarity, inviting both Kurds and non-Kurds to engage with their rich heritage. The event’s political undertones were evident when Alexandra Cordebard, mayor of the 10th Arrondissement, addressed the crowd. “We are proud to host this event in our borough, known as Little Kurdistan,” she said, adding support for Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan’s efforts toward democratisation and peace.
On 18 May, the festival resumed at Café A, where a well-known chef presented reimagined Kurdish dishes during a brunch accompanied by Dengbêj (bards who preserve Kurdish history through song) performances. An exhibition on the Kurdish language, showcasing dialects like Kurmanji, Sorani and Zazaki, opened and will remain on display until early June. The festival also includes workshops on kilim (Kurdish rugs) and kofî (traditional women’s headwear) crafting, as well as children’s storytelling sessions, encouraging younger generations to connect with their roots. The festival extends beyond Paris to Montreuil, where a musical evening featuring Kurdish artists is planned, though on which day remains unspecified. The exhibitions and workshops are continuing today, 19 May, with the festival set to conclude on Friday with a concert by Mà Music, a dynamic group from Diyarbakır (Amed), known for its vibrant performances rooted in Kurdish musical traditions. This is the fourth iteration of the festival, which began in 2022 and has grown each year. Previous festivals featured theatre performances and exhibitions like the “Jin, Jiyan, Azadi” (Woman, Life, Freedom) exhibition, focusing on Kurdish women’s struggles. Despite challenges, including a 2023 attack on the Ahmet Kaya Centre that killed three Kurds, the festival remains a beacon of resilience. The 4th Kurdish Culture Festival not only celebrates a vibrant heritage but also reaffirms the commitment of the diaspora to preserving their identity in the face of historical adversity, making it a significant cultural moment in Paris.}
Source: https://medyanews.net/culture-festival-celebrates-kurdish-heritage-in-paris/

Medyanews - May 19,2025
{Calls grow for release of sick prisoners as step towards peace in Turkey
Rights activists and politicians attending a panel in Turkey have urged the government to release seriously ill prisoners, describing it as a moral necessity and a potential first step toward a wider peace process. Calls for the release of gravely ill prisoners have intensified in Turkey, as prominent human rights defenders and political figures declared such action a moral and political necessity for initiating peace. Kurdish politician Sebahat Tuncel, forensic expert Şebnem Korur Fincancı and human rights lawyer Eren Keskin, speaking at a panel titled “The first step in building peace: release sick prisoners” in Urfa (Riha) in southeast Turkey on 17 May, criticised what they described as inhumane conditions in the country’s prison system and the political nature of the continued detention of sick prisoners. “Prisons are not places of health; they produce illness,” said Fincancı, a former chair of the Turkish Medical Association. “We are faced with ethical violations, discrimination and an unhealthy environment that cannot be justified. Many Kurdish political detainees are held in aggravated isolation. People fall ill in these spaces, and some are afraid to even go to hospital due to the treatment they receive there.” According to Fincancı, decisions by Turkey’s Forensic Medicine Institutes to keep sick prisoners incarcerated are often driven by political motivations. She argued that the current prison population — estimated at over 350,000 — is unsustainable, and disproportionately affects political prisoners. Eren Keskin, co-chair of the Human Rights Association (İHD), added: “Prisons have been turned into commercial enterprises. Sick prisoners are only released when it’s too late — often at the point of no return. Why isn’t this more widely discussed? A major reason is the opposition’s double standards.” She also criticised Turkey’s failure to uphold its international obligations, saying that torture and abuse persist both in prisons and in wider society. “The responsibility lies not just with those who commit abuse, but also with those who turn a blind eye,” she said. Sebahat Tuncel, a prominent figure in the Kurdish-led Free Women’s Movement (TJA) and a former MP, described the prison system as being governed by the “law of the enemy”. Drawing on her own experiences in detention, she said, “In prison, the state is always right. Even when prisoners are right, the first rule still applies. [The practice of] isolation is no longer limited to İmralı — it’s spreading across the entire prison system.” İmralı is the island prison where Abdullah Öcalan, regarded as the leader of the Kurdish movement in Turkey, has been held under strict isolation for over a quarter of a century. On 27 February, Öcalan called for a new phase of peace and democratic coexistence, a message cited numerous times during the panel. “Releasing sick prisoners is not a political concession — it is a human duty,” said Tuncel. “Without this, we cannot honestly speak of peace. If the state ignores this call, it ignores the humanity of its own citizens.” Tuncel further argued that structural inequalities remain entrenched. “You can be anything in this country — except Kurdish,” she said. “But despite everything, Kurds continue to insist on peace.” The event concluded with a question and answer session, where participants voiced concern over the lack of transparency in prison health protocols and decisions made by parole boards and observation committees, which sometimes override doctors’ recommendations on security grounds. The panellists agreed that any real peace process must begin with practical steps rooted in human dignity, starting with the release of prisoners whose lives are at risk in custody.}
Source: https://medyanews.net/calls-grow-for-release-of-sick-prisoners-as-step-towards-peace-in-turkey/

Medyanews - May 19,2025
{“Now the ball is in Ankara’s court”: Experts urge Turkey to act for peace
The PKK’s decision to disarm and dissolve, announced on 12 May, follows Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan’s call for peace. Political analyst Kemal Chomani and KNK spokesperson Nilüfer Koç urge Turkey to follow PKK’s disarmament with legal reforms, third-party mediation and action on Öcalan’s rights. Medya News’s latest podcast episode features a detailed discussion on the Kurdish peace process in Turkey following the historic dissolution of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). Political analyst Kemal Chomani and spokesperson for international affairs of the Kurdistan National Congress (KNK) Nilüfer Koç unpack the motives behind the PKK’s move and the lack of a reciprocal roadmap from Ankara. The PKK has ended its armed campaign and formally dissolved its organisational structures, marking a historic shift in Turkey’s decades-long conflict with its Kurdish population. The move, announced on 12 May 2025, follows a call for peace by imprisoned Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan on 27 February, and is seen by many as a pivotal moment that could open the door to political resolution. KNK spokesperson Nilüfer Koç says the PKK had fulfilled its original aim. “The PKK achieved its goal of raising awareness on the Kurdish issue and breaking the century-old policy of denial and annihilation of the Kurdish people in Turkey,” she said. Founded in 1978, the PKK launched its armed struggle in 1984 in response to brutal assimilation policies targeting Kurds in Turkey. Since then, it has been at the centre of a bloody conflict that has claimed tens of thousands of lives, mostly Kurdish civilians. Koç noted that the actions of the PKK brought the Kurdish identity to the fore not only within Turkey but also across the wider region and diaspora. She emphasised that with the PKK stepping back, responsibility now shifts to the Turkish state and its Western allies. “The Kurds are not the problem but the solution; they are becoming key players in the Middle East,” she said, adding that the dissolution of the group removes a long-standing pretext used by Ankara and NATO countries for ignoring Kurdish demands for democratic rights. Despite Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan calling the disbanding of the PKK a “pivotal step for national unity”, concrete reforms have yet to materialise. Koç voiced scepticism about the Turkish government’s intentions: “Turkey is playing with time, using positive words to gloss over the lack of political will,” she said. Among the unresolved issues are Öcalan’s continued imprisonment on İmralı Island, the absence of legal and constitutional reform, and the state’s ongoing policy of appointing trustees to replace elected pro-Kurdish officials—most recently seen in crackdowns on the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party. Kamal Chomani, a Kurdish analyst and PhD candidate at the University of Leipzig, highlighted Öcalan’s enduring influence. “Öcalan has the patience to approach this process strategically, prioritising Turkey’s democratisation over his own freedom,” he said. He warned, however, that Ankara’s reluctance to release Öcalan or improve the conditions of his detention suggest a lack of political will. “Turkey must provide legal guarantees and a clear vision if it is serious about resolving the Kurdish question,” Chomani added. The international dimensions of the Kurdish issue were also raised in the interview. Koç criticised the West for its framing of the PKK as a terrorist entity due to Turkey’s membership of NATO. “The PKK is gone. How will you deal now with 50 million Kurds?” she asked, calling for a new paradigm in international diplomacy. The end of the PKK’s armed campaign follows decades of failed peace efforts, including notable attempts at a solution in 1993 and 2013-2015. Analysts say that without institutional reform, recognition of the Kurdish identity, and renewed political dialogue, the current window of opportunity could close quickly. Kurds have increasingly positioned themselves as crucial regional actors—particularly in the fight against Islamic State (ISIS) alongside the International Coalition in Syria. But unless Turkey matches the PKK’s disarmament with meaningful political engagement, experts warn that the Kurdish question will remain unresolved.}
Video: https://medyanews.net/now-the-ball-is-in-ankaras-court-experts-urge-turkey-to-act-for-peace/

Medyanews - May 18,2025
{Turkey’s far-right leader calls for Peace Commission after PKK disarmament
MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli marks 19 May, a national holiday in Turkey, by calling for a 100-member parliamentary commission to advance the peace process following the PKK’s dissolution and disarmament. Devlet Bahçeli, the leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and a long-time ally of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), issued a notable statement on the occasion of 19 May, Atatürk Memorial, Youth and Sports Day. In his address, he proposed the formation of a parliamentary commission to guide Turkey through a new phase in the peace process following the Kurdistan Workers’ Party’s (PKK) recent declaration of organisational dissolution and the end of armed struggle.
Bahçeli described the current moment as “delicate, fragile, and demanding patience,” calling on all political actors to act responsibly and avoid inflammatory rhetoric. He emphasised the importance of broad consensus and unity, warning against division. Framing the PKK’s 12 May announcement as a historic turning point, Bahçeli proposed the creation of a “National Unity and Solidarity Commission for a ‘Terror-Free’ Turkey.” He suggested the body should comprise 100 members, representing all 16 political parties in the Grand National Assembly (TBMM), and function transparently and inclusively.
He outlined seven key principles for the proposed commission:
1.Representation from every party with at least one member.
2.Additional seats allocated according to party strength.
3.Each party to nominate two subject-matter experts.
4.The commission to determine its own procedures.
5.The Speaker of Parliament to chair the body.
6.Decisions to be made by simple majority.
7.Final proposals to be submitted to Parliament for legislation.
Bahçeli framed this initiative within a broader historical and strategic narrative, praising the Turkish state’s recent moves as autonomous and constructive. He welcomed the disarmament statement by the PKK and Abdullah Öcalan’s accompanying call from İmralı as positive steps. Declaring that “there is no turning back,” Bahçeli warned that attempts to obstruct the process would carry serious consequences. Quoting nationalist thinker Ziya Gökalp on Turkish–Kurdish ties, Bahçeli stated: “We are one, together, and brothers. We are the Turkish nation.” He closed his speech by honouring Mustafa Kemal Atatürk’s legacy, saying that the 106th anniversary of the 19 May landing in Samsun should be a rallying point for peace, strength, and national renewal. Ziya Gökalp (1876–1924) is regarded as a principal architect of Turkish nationalism and a foundational figure in the modern Turkish Republic. A sociologist and political theorist from Diyarbakır (Amed), Gökalp promoted a version of cultural nationalism based on shared civilisation and values, rather than ethnicity. His concept of Turkishness was envisioned as a civic identity capable of uniting diverse communities. Bahçeli’s reference to Gökalp aligns with the MHP’s ideological tradition and signals an effort to frame Turkish–Kurdish unity as part of the national story.
Why 19 May Matters
19 May 1919 marks the beginning of the Turkish War of Independence, when Mustafa Kemal Atatürk arrived in Samsun to mobilise resistance against foreign occupation following the Ottoman Empire’s collapse in World War I. The day is commemorated as the symbolic starting point of the Turkish Republic. By issuing his statement on 19 May, Bahçeli evokes this founding moment—suggesting that the Republic’s second century could begin with renewed unity and cooperation, including with Kurds. His message implicitly advocates a new social compact to replace conflict with coexistence.}
Source: https://medyanews.net/turkeys-far-right-leader-calls-for-peace-commission-after-pkk-disarmament/

Medyanews - May 18,2025
{New political paradigm for Kurdish movement
PKK co-founder Cemil Bayık says the Kurdish movement is developing a new ideological and political framework, days after the PKK announced an official end to its armed struggle and its own dissolution during its 12th Extraordinary Congress. Cemil Bayık, co-founder of Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), has declared that the Kurdish movement is formulating a “new paradigm” to guide its future political direction, following a landmark decision to formally dissolve the PKK and end its armed campaign, announced at the 12th Extraordinary Congress of the PKK, held from 5-7 May. Speaking in a televised interview on Friday, Bayık said the congress marked a turning point for the movement and signalled a renewed focus on solving not only the Kurdish question but also wider democratic issues facing the Middle East. “We are developing a second manifesto that addresses freedom and democracy for all peoples, not just the Kurds,” he said. The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) emerged in the late 1970s as a Marxist-inspired armed movement. Its founder, Abdullah Öcalan, has been imprisoned in Turkey since 1999. The group shifted increasingly towards a model of local democracy and ideological mobilisation, especially following the collapse of peace talks in 2015. Bayık, who co-chairs the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK)—the broader political umbrella structure of the Kurdish movement—emphasised the historical weight of the group’s origins. “There was nothing left for the Kurds: no identity, no language, no hope,” he said. “The intervention of Rêber Apo [Leader Öcalan] was historic—it revived a people on the brink of erasure.” Bayık described the 12th Congress of the PKK as the product of decades of struggle, hardship and ideological evolution. He paid tribute to fallen members of the group and credited Öcalan, along with political figures such as the late Sırrı Süreyya Önder, with shaping the movement’s current trajectory. “This congress could only happen because of the sacrifices made,” he said. Reflecting on the early years of the PKK, Bayık recounted how the movement took shape amid the political repression of the 1980s. “There was no Kurdish organisation, no movement, no sense of self-determination,” he said. “We had to recreate not just a party, but a people.” The new phase, he said, involves advancing democratic principles, women’s liberation and grassroots participation. “We proved that Kurds exist, that they can stand with dignity and that they have a right to a future,” he said. Bayık added that the transformation of the PKK produced tangible ideological changes, including in the 1990s, the development of an “ideology of women’s freedom”, which became a central pillar of the movement’s political thought. Bayık criticised the Turkish state’s continued refusal to engage in meaningful dialogue, arguing that previous peace efforts initiated by Öcalan had been deliberately undermined. He nevertheless reaffirmed the group’s commitment to a peaceful and democratic solution: “If there is to be life, it must be a free life,” he said.}
Source: https://medyanews.net/new-political-paradigm-for-kurdish-movement/

For more news go directly to

and
Women's Liberation Front 2019/cryfreedom.net 2025