On Wednesday, September 16, 2026, markets across multiple Kurdish cities came to a complete standstill. Specifically, business owners closed their shops to mark the four-year anniversary of Jina Amini’s death. Her death in police custody originally sparked the historic “Woman, Life, Freedom” (Jin, Jiyan, Azadi) uprising. Therefore, this strike demonstrates ongoing civil resistance across the region. Check out our Latest news on human rights in Kurdistan to follow updates on civil resistance and regional developments.
Widespread strike actions were heavily documented in Saqqez, Sanandaj, Kamyaran, Mahabad, and Bokan. Furthermore, business owners in Marivan, Piranshahr, Oshnavieh, Paveh, and Divandarreh also joined the movement.
Mass Strike Actions and Heavy Security Crackdowns
The strikes followed a joint call to action by a coalition of Kurdish political forces, urging citizens to participate in non-violent civil disobedience. Consequently, Iranian security agencies responded with heavy intimidation tactics:
Security Forces Deployment: Armed forces blanketed major city centers. Additionally, they blockaded roads leading to Aichi Cemetery in Saqqez, which is Jina Amini’s burial site.
Summons and Arrests: Intelligence agents summoned and detained multiple shopkeepers in Sanandaj and Oshnavieh. Indeed, these arrests occurred simply because citizens participated in the general strike.
Prisoner Solidarity Hunger Strike:
Four prominent Kurdish political prisoners—Zeinab Jalalian, Vrisha Moradi, Sakineh Parvaneh, and Matlab Ahmadian—announced a simultaneous hunger strike from behind bars to support the public protest.
Moreover, you can read more about ongoing political prisoner resistance on our Political Prisoners archive in our news section.
The Enduring Legacy of “Jin, Jiyan, Azadi”
@Four years after September 2022, the slogan born in Kurdistan continues to define the broader political struggle. In fact, citizens still actively resist state oppression, mandatory hijab laws, and severe human rights abuses.
Ultimately, the coordinated shuttering of commercial centers proves that Jina Amini’s legacy remains a living demand for freedom. As a result, the demand for equality and justice endures despite unrelenting state pressure. To read related reports, please check out our Protests tag in our news.
