Nagihan Akarsel, a Kurdish scholar, activist, journalist and co-founder of the feminist Jineology Research Centre, was shot dead earlier this week in an armed attack in Sulaymaniyah, Iraqi Kurdistan. Her death, which recalls previous extrajudicial killings of Kurdish women’s activists by the Turkish intelligence services, has sparked protests in Kurdistan and around the world. Here, her friend and colleague Haskar Kırmızıgül shares some reflections on her life, work and untimely death. The audio version is read by Rahila Gupta.

"It is a painful reality that the government calling itself ‘autonomous’ is in fact fully dependent on Iran and Turkey. In other words: Kurd-murdering dictatorial states define the Kurdistan region’s economic and security situation, and Kurdish leaders let it happen and don’t protect their people because they are more dedicated to protecting their own financial interests."

The global collective uprising following the Jîna Amini-case carries within it the seeds of something new, a solidarity that extends beyond self-interest, in which women across different backgrounds, ethnicities and borders are empowered to make a common cause to improve women's situation.

“Unfortunately, the resulting report clearly illustrates “the world is facing a wave of autocratization. Powerful autocratic states, former democracies, and political movements within democracies increasingly present ideological challenges to the principles of democratic governance”. Turkey sticks out as a poster-boy example of this negative phenomenon.”

"In other words, one can use democratic means to achieve autocracy. Analyzing Erdoğan’s imaginary train journey, one must conclude that the Turkish leader never intended to reach democracy. Indeed, now that he largely has achieved his actual goal of autocracy, he has jumped off the train!"

“That little urchin with the gold-red hair, whom I have just watched toddling past my house, she shall not be lopped and lamed and altered; her hair shall not be cut short like a convict's; no, all the kingdoms of the earth shall be hacked about and mutilated to suit her. She is the human and sacred image; all around her the social fabric shall sway and split and fall; the pillars of society shall be shaken, and the roofs of ages come rushing down, and not one hair of her head shall be harmed.”
-G.K. Chesterton

'Given his lack of options, Erdoğan may pretend to swallow Putin’s bait. Nevertheless, Putin’s strategy bluntly underestimates the vigilance, the Kurdish people’s historical consciousness of the right to self-determination and war-hardened capacity to survive a prolonged struggle. If Putin’s “wisdom” were of any good in resolving national problems, it should have already guided the Kremlin to pick a “wiser” option to handle its issues with Ukraine than occupying the country and leading Russia to the brink of a nuclear confrontation.' Ertuğrul Kürkçü, Medya News.

"KOBANÊ shows how fast the advance of Daesh was suddenly going, how quickly decisions had to be made about how to defend the city, how Turkey’s support for Daesh wasn’t superficial, but really impacted the battle. How brave individual fighters were and how that bravery strengthened the whole fighting force of the YPG and YPJ. The sacrifices, the destruction, the absolute determination not to give up against all odds."

'The greatest fear of the Turkish state is that the Kurds should achieve power in the political arena. The only thing they want is to leave the Kurds no option but the armed struggle. The Kurds keep calling for a political solution to extricate themselves from this position they have been forced into, but the administration is pressing for unconditional surrender, while the Kurds unconditionally reject the isolation of Öcalan.' Amed Dicle, Medya News

"Though it has been ten years since the establishment of self-rule in the regions of North and East Syria, the first university of the Autonomous Administration was founded only seven years ago; seven years marred by Turkish invasion and threats, continuous ISIS attacks and poor economic conditions. The road ahead for the administration remains full of challenges."