Kurdish Parties Call for General Strike to Prevent Execution of Activists, Ahwazians Show Solidarity

Six Kurdish political parties in Iran have issued a joint statement urging the people of Kurdistan to observe a general strike on Wednesday to prevent the execution of two Kurdish activists, Pakhshan Azizi and Varisha Moradi. The statement calls for the closure of markets, workplaces, and educational institutions as a preemptive measure against these executions.

The parties signing the statement include the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan, the Party of Free Life of Kurdistan (PJAK), the Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK), Komala Party of Iranian Kurdistan, and the Kurdistan branch of the Communist Party of Iran.

The statement highlights the dire situation in Iran, including poverty, unemployment, inflation, and the lack of political freedoms, which have made life increasingly difficult for the people of Kurdistan and Iran as a whole. It accuses the Iranian regime of ignoring the people’s demands and resorting to repression, particularly targeting political prisoners.

Amid these developments, activists from Ahwaz have expressed their solidarity with the Kurdish cause. They have condemned the death sentences and called for unity among all oppressed groups in Iran, urging international human rights organizations to intervene.

Details of the Case

The statement warns that the imminent execution of Pakhshan Azizi and Varisha Moradi is part of a broader crackdown on political dissent. Azizi has been accused of being a member of the Party of Free Life of Kurdistan (PJAK) and participating in activities for the group in Iraq and Syria, as well as in protests dating back to 2009. The regime has sent text messages to citizens warning them against any actions or online activity supporting PJAK, threatening legal consequences.

Varisha Moradi’s death sentence was issued on November 10 by Judge Abu al-Qasim Salavati, while Azizi’s was confirmed on July 24 by Judge Iman Afshari at the Revolutionary Court in Tehran. Azizi, a social activist, was arrested in Tehran on August 4, 2023, and subjected to months of solitary confinement and torture before being transferred to the women’s ward of Evin Prison in late December.

Her death sentence, handed down under the charge of “armed rebellion,” was upheld by the Supreme Court on January 9, and her family has reported that the ruling has been sent to the execution department.

Broader Context

The case of Pakhshan Azizi has drawn widespread attention, both domestically and internationally. Despite evidence proving her innocence, Iranian authorities have upheld her sentence.

According to a January 7 report by the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), at least 54 prisoners in Iran face execution for political or security-related charges. This marks a significant increase compared to February 2024, when HRANA reported 33 political prisoners on death row.

Ahwazi activists have joined Kurdish political groups in condemning these harsh measures, emphasizing the need for collective resistance against the regime’s escalating use of capital punishment as a tool of political repression.

They have reiterated calls for global action to prevent the execution of Azizi, Moradi, and others facing similar fates, and to support the broader fight for justice and human rights in Iran.