Derya Ceylan

 

NEWS CENTER - A slogan shouted at a funeral turned into a popular uprising, a women's movement, and a global memory in three years. ‘Jin, Jiyan, Azadî’ is now the common voice of the demand for equality and freedom around the world.

 

On September 16, 2022, in Tehran, the capital of Iran, Jina Emînî was tortured and killed by regime forces, bringing years of pent-up anger to the streets. Jina Emînî's murder resonated not only in Iran but around the world. The slogan “Jin, Jiyan, Azadî,” shouted at her funeral in her hometown of Saqqez, quickly spread from Rojhilat to Tehran and then across Iran.

 

Led by women and young people, this resistance could not be stopped despite all the tools of repression. Detentions, internet blackouts, and attempts at censorship failed to limit the impact of this slogan. On the contrary, it grew in waves and crossed borders.

 

The 40th day of resistance: The rebirth of courage

 

The resistance that began in Saqqez gained mass momentum again on its 40th day. Thousands gathered in cities, with women taking the front lines. Despite the regime's attacks with live ammunition and tear gas, the people continued their resistance. Night marches were held in Mahabad, Sine, and Cewanro; slogans were heard rising from rooftops.

 

Women cutting their hair, wearing mourning clothes, and carrying photos of Jina Emînî became images symbolizing the courage of the people.

 

‘Jin, Jiyan, Azadî’ in European squares

 

The uprising that began in the fall of 2022 quickly spread to Europe. The largest demonstration took place in Berlin, the capital of Germany, on October 22. Approximately 80,000 people marched with “Woman, Life, Freedom” banners. On the same day, simultaneous solidarity demonstrations were held in cities such as Paris, London, Stockholm, and Rome.

 

These marches were also an important milestone demonstrating the solidarity of the diaspora and different peoples.

 

Women's leadership in the European diaspora

 

The Kurdish Women's Movement in Europe (TJK-E) organized actions in many cities to make this solidarity permanent. March 8 events and September 16 commemorations were held with wider participation each year. Panels, marches, and cultural events were organized in Germany, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Switzerland.

 

These actions both brought the voices of Iranian women to the streets of Europe and made the roots of the Kurdish women's struggle visible.

 

North America: From squares to campuses

 

In Canada, thousands of people marched with “Woman, Life, Freedom” banners, particularly in Toronto and Richmond Hill. These gatherings demonstrated the organization of the Iranian diaspora and continued with regular events in the following months.

 

In the US, large marches took place in cities such as New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. On university campuses, students participated in the process with actions such as candle-lighting and open forums. This slogan was engraved in the memory of the younger generation on campuses such as UCLA, Harvard, and Columbia.

 

The “Jin, Jiyan, Azadî” banners unfurled on campuses across America also appeared at anniversary marches in Paris and Berlin. This connection between universities and cities has created a common language and culture of struggle across different regions.

 

The voice of resistance in Turkey

 

The first major action in Istanbul took place on October 2, 2022, in Kadıköy. Iranian and Turkish women, feminist groups, and NGOs gathered in the square. Slogans were chanted in Turkish, Kurdish, and Farsi. Symbolic actions such as burning headscarves and cutting hair attracted attention.

 

During the commemoration in 2023, despite restrictions on banners and Iranian women, the women did not leave the square. The protests directly linked the struggle in Iran to the killings of women in Turkey.

 

Police attacked the protest held in Ankara on the same day. Meral Danış Beştaş, an HDP MP at the time, cut her hair during a speech in Parliament and expressed her support for the protests.

 

Women's determination from Amed to Rojava

 

The first actions in Amed began on September 24, 2022. Led by TJA, Rosa Women's Association, and DAKAP, huge banners were unfurled and multilingual placards were carried. In 2024, the largest women's march in Amed's history took place; women crossed the police barricade and reached Dağkapı Square.

 

In Rojava, women took to the streets in Qamishlo, Kobanê, and Hesekê at the call of Kongra Star. Slogans were chanted in Kurdish, Arabic, and Syriac. For women in Rojava, this slogan has been part of the revolution for years.

 

South Kurdistan: Streets and Assassinations

 

In Silêmanî, women marched in front of the Iranian consulate. Although actions in Hewlêr were more limited due to diplomatic sensitivities, women's associations and academics made statements. During this process, the murder of Nagihan Akarsel, editor of Jineoloji magazine, in front of her home in Silêmanî, revealed the extent of the threat to the women's struggle in the region.

 

Squares transformed into places of memory

 

In 2023, Paris' Jardin Villemin Park was renamed “Jardin Jina.” The Eiffel Tower was illuminated with the message “Women, Life, Freedom.” In Los Angeles, an intersection was named “Women Life Freedom Square.” These steps showed that the resistance had also found a place in public memory.

 

Support from the world of culture and art

 

Coldplay's performance of the song “Baraye” at their Buenos Aires concert and the #HairForFreedom video reached millions. Institutions such as the Victoria and Albert Museum and Princeton University added protest posters to their collections. Art immortalized the memory of resistance.

 

Echoes from international institutions

 

The European Parliament awarded the Sakharov Prize to the “Woman, Life, Freedom” movement. In a report published in 2024, the UN classified the events as “crimes against humanity.” These statements increased international pressure and legitimized the struggle.

 

Remembering Kurdish identity and roots

 

The slogan is a legacy of struggle carried by the Kurdish women's movement for years. Jina Emînî's Kurdish identity was decisive in making this phrase heard worldwide. Although this was sometimes overlooked in the international media, the emphasis on Kurdish identity in the decision texts of European institutions in particular was an important step in this regard.

 

As repression intensified in Iran in 2024–2025, this struggle became engraved in the global memory. Parks and squares were named after Jina Emînî, and artworks and digital archives were created. This construction of memory showed that the movement was not just a temporary protest, but a lasting call for freedom.

 

Resistance spreading across the world

 

Today, “Jin, Jiyan, Azadî” is not just a slogan, but the universal voice of women's struggle for the right to life. Echoing from Saqqez to Paris, from Amed to Los Angeles, these words represent both an uprising and a global memory.