On the eve of the fourth anniversary of the state killing of Jina (Mahsa) Amini and the "Jin, Jiyan, Azadi — Woman, Life, Freedom" uprising, the Iran Freedom Congress announces its support for the call by the coalition of Kurdistan's political parties for a general strike in the cities of Iranian Kurdistan on Wednesday, September 16, 2026. The unequivocal support of the Congress's General Assembly reflects the solidarity of its diverse political currents with the people of Kurdistan and underscores the role of Kurdish parties in the shared struggle for freedom.
As inscribed on her gravestone, Jina did not die — her name became a symbol. The slogan "Jin, Jiyan, Azadi" echoed at her funeral in Aychi, Saqqez, and from there "Woman, Life, Freedom" became the central slogan of a nationwide uprising against discrimination and tyranny. In his message marking the fourth anniversary, Amjad Amini wrote that through all these years the family has kept one eye on her grave and one on the day the truth comes to light. The silence surrounding her death and the deaths of others buried in that ground, he wrote, will not hold forever. In honoring that memory, we stand with her family and with every family seeking justice, and we affirm the pursuit of truth, justice, and accountability for those who ordered and carried out the Islamic Republic's atrocities.
Previous strikes have shown that calls by Kurdish parties, drawing on their popular base, are met with broad public participation across Kurdistan. The same form of protest spread to other cities of Iran during the "Woman, Life, Freedom" uprising. The Iran Freedom Congress regards the general strike as a civil and effective way to voice the people's demands and to stand against repression.
From its suppression of the "Woman, Life, Freedom" uprising and the protests that preceded it, to the unprecedented killing of people during the uprising of January 2026, the Islamic Republic has repeatedly resorted to atrocity to preserve its hold on power. The memory of those who lost their lives, the continuation of their path, and the pursuit of justice on their behalf are inseparable from our struggle. Realizing the aspirations of "Woman, Life, Freedom" requires ending the Islamic Republic and transitioning to a pluralistic democratic system grounded in human rights, equality, and an end to discrimination.
The Iran Freedom Congress supports the initiative of Kurdistan's political forces and their call for a general strike, as part of the civil struggle for freedom and justice, and sees in it an opportunity to affirm the progressive values of the "Woman, Life, Freedom" movement and to deepen solidarity with the freedom-seeking people of Kurdistan. We extend that support equally to citizens and to civil and political forces elsewhere in Iran who, in ways suited to their own circumstances and capacities, honor the memory of Jina and all those killed, and who carry forward the aspirations of "Woman, Life, Freedom."
Woman, Life, Freedom
Central Council of the Iran Freedom Congress