Women bid farewell to Kurdish activist assassinated in KRI

Women in Sulaimani city of Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) held a ceremony in respect of a Kurdish activist who was assassinated on Tuesday in front of her house, Mezopotamya Agency reported. 

The coffin of Nagihan Akarsel was carried on the shoulders of angry Kurdish women who decried oppression chanting “Jin, jiyan, azadi” (Women, life, freedom) and “Zilan namire” (Zilan will never die) before being sent to her hometown Konya in central Turkey.

Akarsel, who moved to the Kurdistan Region of Iraq to conduct women's studies was killed on Tuesday with multiple shots. KRI police later said it captured assailants but did not identify any of them. 

One of the colleagues of Akarsel said everybody in the region was living in danger. 

“The bullet that was fired against Nagihan today but may be shot at you or family tomorrow. Do not deceive yourself, if you live the Kurdistan Region,” said Necibe Qeredaxî, a member of the Jineoloji Academy, who was speaking in the ceremony. 

Seywan Rostem, a member of the Kurdistan Women's Union, who also spoke at the ceremony said: "You cannot finish the work of women by murdering Nagihan. Such murders will make us to further enlarge the revolution, the struggle for rights and freedom.”