In a significant turn of events, Kurdish women activists Baran Saedi and Leyla Pashaei have been granted provisional bail following their arrest at an International Women’s Day rally in Sanandaj, Kurdistan Province. The women were detained by Ministry of Intelligence agents and held in solitary confinement for ten long days, where they faced considerable hardship.
During their detention, as reported by the Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN), they were coerced into confessing their involvement in organizing the event, all while being denied legal representation and visits from their families. Food and water access was severely restricted, with provisions only given at specific times corresponding to Ramadan fasting hours.
Saedi, enduring chronic health issues, was notably denied her necessary medication for the initial days of her confinement. After their time in solitary, both women were transferred to a quarantine section at Sanandaj’s Juvenile Detention Centre, finally being released on 25 March on bail fixed at five billion rials (approximately 5,000 USD) each, though still facing charges related to national security disruption.
This incident follows the earlier release of other Kurdish women activists, Soheyla Motaei and Soma Mohammad-Rezaei, who were released on bail in mid-March after similarly being detained. Saedi and Pashaei were arrested on 9 March, while Motaei and Mohammad-Rezaei were taken the next day, highlighting the ongoing persecution faced by activists in the region. Additionally, Saedi, Pashaei, and Motaei had previously been involved in the anti-government Women, Life, Freedom uprising in 2022, showcasing their continued fight for rights amidst systemic oppression.
Kurdish activists Baran Saedi and Leyla Pashaei were arrested after an International Women’s Day event in Sanandaj and held in solitary confinement for ten days. They faced coercion, deprivation of food, and were denied legal representation. Released on bail on 25 March, they face serious charges while previous activists, including Soheyla Motaei, have also been detained during these protests.
The recent provisional release of Kurdish activists Baran Saedi and Leyla Pashaei shines a light on the oppressive conditions faced by women in the region. Their arrests and the severe treatment they endured during detention underscore the broader challenges to human rights in response to peaceful activism. The continuing struggle for women’s rights in Kurdistan is evident in both past and present resistance efforts.
Original Source: kurdistanhumanrights.org
