Call for the Immediate Release of Kurdish Women Activists in Syria
Date: Wednesday, February 20, 2008Kurdish National Congress Of North America
Press Release
Call for the Immediate Release of Kurdish Women Activists in Syria
On November 28, 2007 two Kurdish women 'Aisha Afandi, aged 48, and Kawthar Taifour, aged 50, active members of the unauthorized Democratic Union Party (PYD) in Syria were arrested by members of State Security, the security police and are being held incommunicado in detention at the women's section of al-Maslamieh prison with criminal prisoners and suspects in Aleppo.
In November 2007 the Kurdish Community held a peaceful demonstration in the cities of Qamishli and 'Ein al-Arab (Qoubani). The demonstration had been arranged by the PYD to protest against Turkish threats to invade Kurdish areas in northern Iraq. The arrest of Afandi and Taifour occurred shortly after that, The reason for their arrest has not been provided and the women do not have access to legal counsel or contact with their families
The KNC expresses deep for the welfare of Aisha and Kawthar, especially after the torture and ill treatment other Kurdish detainees have suffered.
We urgently demand an immediate release of the two Kurdish women activists from Syria's prison. We condemn and protest the Syrian regime's continuing oppression of the Kurdish community in Syria.
We call upon Human Rights Watch, Women's Rights Organizations, United Nations, US Human Rights Organizations, Members of the Parliament of European countries, political parties, Amnesty International and individuals to raise their voices to free the Kurdish Women activists.
Chair of Kurdish Women Rights Committee, KNCNA,
Soraya Fallah
For more information contact: knc@kurdishnationalcongress.org or Soraya@vokradio.com
Feb20 2008
