With the economic, political and social crisis that emerged in the Federated Kurdistan Region, the pressures on citizens increased. Especially those who raise their voices against these policies are detained by the KDP forces. Recently, 3 women who are members of the Kurdistan Free Women's Movement (RJAK) were detained by the KDP public order in Hewlêr, when they returned from Shengal on the occasion of the anniversary of ISIS massacre on Yazidis on August 3, 2014. Among the detained, Xewla Mihemed Hesen and Seyran Ehmed Hesen were released after 33 days, while Ciwana Ebdulbaqî has not been heard from for 53 days.

 

Necbir Afrin, a member of RJAK Diplomacy, evaluated Ebdulbaqi's situation and the practices that female detainees were subjected to to the Mesopotamia Agency (MA).

 

LAWYERS WERE BLOCKED FROM DOING THEIR JOB 

 

Afrin stated that one of its members, Ciwana Ebdulbaqi, has only spoken to her family once on the phone so far, and said, "There has been no face-to-face meeting with her so far. They also did not allow the lawyers who wanted to see her. They are using the laws to block us. They want to prolong this situation. We used many ways and methods to reach Ciwana. But we were blocked by different tactics each time."

 

WOMEN ARE BEING THREATENED

 

Noting that the other two members were released after the bail was paid, Afrin said, "With this method, they aim to stop our work. When they detain women, they force them to stay at home by threatening them. They say, "If you carry out women's activities or take part in or participate in their actions, our approach towards you will be very different."  With this method, they want to completely stop our work in the region and liquidate our institution."

 

JUST LIKE TURKEY..

 

Pointing out the similarity between the Federated Kurdistan Region and Turkey, Afrin said, "Very strategic and special war practices are in place. The number of women journalists and politicians imprisoned in the region is also quite high. There is no difference between Turkey and the Regional Government. The policy towards detainees in Turkey is the same. Because both the mentality and the system in these two countries are the same."

 

TREATED AS A PRISONER OF WAR

 

Noting that there are serious violations of rights against detainees, Afrin said: “Laws are not enforced in the region at all. The KDP treats detainees as prisoners of war for months and can arrest them without being brought to court. Detainees are left in solitary confinement breaking the law, in the name of the law. As RJAK, we wanted to conduct interviews with female detainees many times. But this request was never accepted. They do not recognize the rights or the law."

 

Afrin stated that they will not back down in the face of special policies towards women and that they will step up the struggle.

 

MA / Zeynep Durgut