On Monday, January 20th, six political parties in Iranian Kurdistan issued a joint appeal, calling on the Kurdish people to go on a general strike on Wednesday 22nd, in protest against the confirmation of Pakhshan Azizi and Varisheh Moradi’s death sentences. These Kurdish parties said that a general strike is a “civil solution” to stop the execution of these two female political prisoners and save their lives.
This is the first time that all parties active in Iranian Kurdistan, including the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran (KDPI), Komala Party of Iranian Kurdistan, Kurdistan Free Life Party (PJAK) and Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK) have issued a joint call to action. The call for a general strike was also widely supported by many other leftwing Iranian organisations and groups.
Many news sources and social media users in Kurdistan have published videos showing many shopkeepers in Iran’s Kurdish areas closing their shops and taking part in this general commercial strike. Most shops in the traditional markets and other shopping areas of Sanandaj, Divandareh, Marivan, Dehgolan, Saghez, Paveh, Javanrood, Bukan, Sardasht, Baneh, Mahabad, Naqadeh, Piranshahr, Mohamadyar, Rabat, Kamyaran, Ilam, Urmia and Oshnavieh remained shut on Wednesday, January 22nd.
There are reports that at the same time as the general commercial strike, the Iranian regime postponed Pakhshan Azizi’s death sentence.
The Iranian regime continued its intimidation of the Kurdish population in many cities through mobilisation of the Pasdaran (IRGC) and other uniformed and plain-clothes thugs, sending threatening text messages and damaging some shops and stores.
The Shahrokh Zamani Action Campaign welcomes this united action and hopes that the Kurdish parties will take further steps to co-ordinate and link their struggles with other oppressed national minorities and all workers in Iran.
Shahrokh Zamani Action Campaign
27 January 2025
