On Wednesday, January 15, 2025, a group of women activists in Sanandaj gathered in front of the Kurdistan Governor’s Office to protest the upholding of the death sentence for political prisoner Pakhshan Azizi by the Iranian Judiciary.
Despite a heavy security presence, the protest went ahead, with participants reading a statement condemning the verdict. Security agencies had attempted to deter the gathering by threatening several women activists via phone calls a day earlier.
The statement read by the protesters highlighted:
“Pakhshan Azizi, a woman who dedicated her entire life to helping others, was a social worker who stood unwaveringly amidst the humanitarian crises of refugee camps for over a decade. She symbolized selfless service, resilience in the face of despair, and the embodiment of true compassion and kindness.
Pakhshan was not an ordinary social worker; she was a beacon of hope for thousands of women and children—women whose lives had been shattered by war and destruction, and children who could see no future beyond the darkness.
The sentence issued against Pakhshan Azizi—a selfless, innocent social worker—is unjust. Saving lives and restoring hope can never and will never be a crime. The annulment of this verdict and all unjust sentences against prisoners of conscience is the very least that can be done to restore a semblance of humanity and moral integrity to the criminal justice system.”