Kurds for Change: More than seven months have passed since the arrest of Ronak Safazadeh and Hana Abdi, women’s rights activists and members of the One Million Signatures Campaign, in Sanandaj, Kurdistan. Despite the completion of interrogations and investigations, and the transfer of their case files to the courts, these two women’s rights activists remain in prison and court officials refuse to issue an order for their release. Ronak Safazadeh and Hana Abdi had been active with Azar Mehr Women’s NGO in Sanandaj. Their activities in this organization were peaceful and concentrated on cultural activities designed to defend the rights of women and children. Despite this, security forces have charged these two young women, aged 21, with actions against the state. Human rights activists are worried that serious security charges against these two will lead to the continuation of their arrest and heavy sentences in their cases will ensue.
We the signatories of this statement, while objecting to the continued detention of Ronak Safazadeh and Hana Abdi, request that judiciary officials recognize the civil and human rights of these two women’s rights activists and take into consideration their past peaceful and social activities and in turn order their immediate and unconditional release.
