This year, we approach the fourth anniversary of the revolutionary “Woman, Life, Freedom” (Jin, Jiyan, Azadî) uprising at a time when, on the one hand, threats to life, economic hardship, and the devastation caused by war have severely affected the lives of millions of people. On the other hand, the Islamic Republic, by intensifying its repressive policies, carrying out an unprecedented increase in executions, and using charges such as “espionage” and “threatening national security,” is attempting to silence the voices of popular movements and political opponents.
At the same time, right-wing and authoritarian forces, both inside and outside Iran, who seek to reproduce old forms of despotism, dependency, and discrimination, are attempting to appropriate the “Woman, Life, Freedom” movement, strip it of its liberatory and progressive content, and redefine it within the framework of their own political and class interests.
Woman, Life, Freedom was an uprising led by women and intertwined with the struggles of different social groups, nationalities, and marginalized and oppressed communities. From Kurdistan to Balochistan, and from Khuzestan to Azerbaijan, the movement continued through the resistance of queer people, migrants, and workers.
This movement opened new horizons for the struggles of the people of Iran, transforming freedom from compulsory veiling—one of the longstanding instruments of repression and control over women—into a central demand of the struggle. Alongside this, it turned the demand to end systematic repression, discrimination, and inequality into a nationwide call for change. On the fourth anniversary of this movement, we pay tribute to those who lost their lives and salute the steadfastness of the thousands who have been arrested, tortured, and sentenced to death, including women journalists and civil society activists. We emphasize that defending the lives of political prisoners, supporting the “No to Executions Tuesdays” campaign, now in its 135th week of struggle, and fighting for the abolition of the death penalty are among the most essential responsibilities of all forces committed to freedom and equality. According to the latest figures released by Amnesty International, 2,159 people were executed in Iran last year, representing a 50 percent increase compared with the previous year. This is the highest number of executions in Iran in 44 years—that is, since the mass killings of the 1980s. Since the beginning of the year 1405 in the Iranian calendar, at least 378 people have been executed, 48 of whom were women. More than 60 people arrested in the recent protests are also at risk of execution.
We emphasize a fundamental principle: freedom and justice do not come through war and militarism. War has created even harsher conditions for the lives of millions of people, including women—many of whom are street vendors, heads of households, or workers in small workshops—and has placed them increasingly at risk of patriarchal violence, as reflected in the rising number of femicides. Women continue to be denied the right to sing, and those who resist this prohibition face severe punishments, including flogging and imprisonment, as well as unfounded charges. Among them is Hiva Seyfizadeh, a singer and teacher of traditional Iranian music, who has been sentenced to four years in prison on charges of “encouraging corruption and prostitution.” On August 25 of this year, two women who had protested during the Dey protests each received 31 lashes. Eight women have been sentenced to death on political and ideological charges.
We, the 22 independent Iranian women’s organizations, reaffirm our commitment to the people’s right to life, to living in peace, and to freedom from all forms of violence. We declare our full support for the “Woman, Life, Freedom” movement and its achievements. We believe that its path forward lies in independent organizing, building connections among social movements, strengthening networks of civil resistance, and preserving nationwide solidarity.
Woman, Life, Freedom
August 30, 2026
Signatories:
Together for Women’s Health Foundation
Free Iranian Women’s Association – Italy
Dallas Iranian Women Association (DIWA)
Iranian-German Women’s Association – Cologne
Partow Women’s Association
Montreal Women’s Association
MeToo Movement Iran
Iranian Circle of Women for International Networking (ICWIN)
Women for Sustainable Freedom & Equality
Iranian Women Activists in Exile – Berlin
IKWRO – Women’s Rights Organization
Organization for Emancipation of Women
Everyday Feminism
Forum of Iranian Women in Vienna
Woman, Life, Freedom Collective – Rome
Campaign to Stop Honor Killings
Gender Equality Committee of Solidarity of Republicans of Iran
Left Women’s Unity Group
Northern California Women’s Group
Orange County Women’s Studies Group
Manaav LGBTQ Organization
Iranian Women’s Assembly – Hannover