Zhiyan Group: Releasing Sakar's father is perpetuating the patriarchal structures that discriminate against women

Suleimaniya, Iraqi-Kurdistan April 28th, 2013

Last week, on Monday, April 22nd, women groups demonstrated in front of Suleimaniya Court.

They were protesting the release of Mamosta Sakar’s father. In a controversial case well know to the media and to most people in Kurdistan, the case of Mamosta Sakar has become an icon

of struggle for women’s rights in Kurdistan. The perpetrator of the crime, her father was released for the second time after the court ruled that he can benefit from the general pardon granted by the Amnesty Law passed by the Kurdish Parliament last year.

Zhiyan group, which has been following the case and represents many women groups released this statement to the media during the demonstration:

During the past 20 years the killing and genocide of Kurdish women has become a daily life phenomena. The increase in this type of crime has made authorities including courts and local authorities to deal with the issue as a normal thing. The killing of women is a source of fear for the Kurdish society but what is most fearful is that criminals along with the authorities, including the parliament accept the crimes without punishment.

The case of Mamosta Sakar is an example that proves this reality. Despite all evidence presented in the court that the crime was committed by Sakar's father, the crime went unpunished. We, as Zhiyan group are working to defend women's rights and showing the reality of women in Kurdistan. We do not get any benefit in doing so. We have put all the evidence in front of the court, but the Suleimaniya Criminal Court, without looking to our efforts to uncover the reality, decided to apply the general amnesty law, approved by the Kurdish Parliament and signed by president Mazoud Barzani on 2012.

Zhiyan group wrote and delivered a letter with the case details to Suleimaniya's investigator's office asking the case to be appealed to the Committee of Court and Law. We ask for the revision of the case and a fair trial. We are calling all local and international organizations and the people who are defending women's rights  to pressure the court council to have a fair trial and not to deny the crimes committed against women.

Zhiyan Group

April 22nd, 2013

PS: I keep my efforts to document and be solidary with the work of Zhiyan group in an effort to make the struggle of Kurdish women, and women in Iraq known to the Global Community.

Justice for Mamosta Sakar and for all women in Kurdistan and Iraq!