To His Excellency António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations

Your Excellency, the Secretary-General,
Warm greetings,
We write to you today as civil and human rights organizations to express our deep concern regarding the tragic situation and gross violations being committed against Kurdish civilians in the Afrin region of Syria. Since the Turkish military invasion and the armed factions loyal to them, which began in March 2018, these forces and factions have continued to commit severe violations against unarmed Kurdish civilians. These include killing, looting, illegal seizure of property, rape, enforced disappearances, extortion, and forced demographic changes.
Your Excellency, On September 15, 2024, the terrorist faction known as “Sultan Shah,” led by Abu Amsha, attacked the village of Kakhira in Afrin. This attack followed a peaceful protest by Kurdish women, who were expressing their rejection of the ongoing violations in their village, including the imposition of coercive taxes by the terrorist faction. The attack resulted in dozens of women and men being seriously injured and transferred to Afrin hospitals.
In addition, the security forces and military police loyal to these factions cut off the internet and kidnapped some of the wounded in an attempt to cover up the crimes and prevent the spread of information about the atrocities being committed, particularly against Kurdish women. These killings are part of a pattern of human rights violations against Kurdish women that have persisted for more than six years, with no accountability for the perpetrators, despite the clear violations of basic human rights.
Your Excellency, In light of the United Nations’ mandate to protect human rights and dignity, we urgently appeal to you to intervene and lift the oppression inflicted on Kurdish civilians in Afrin, especially the women who are being targeted. We emphasize that these crimes amount to serious violations of international humanitarian law, including the provisions of the four Geneva Conventions of 1949, particularly:

  1. The Fourth Geneva Convention (Article 27), which guarantees the protection of civilians from any assault on their lives or physical integrity, including killing, torture, or inhumane treatment.

  2. Article 32 of the same convention, which prohibits acts of violence against protected persons, including torture and physical assault.
    Moreover, the forced displacement of populations and demographic changes represent a blatant violation of several articles of international humanitarian law.
    Therefore, we respectfully request that you take the following actions:

  3. End the oppression and violations against Kurdish women in Afrin and other Kurdish cities.

  4. Dispatch an investigation team from the International Commission of Inquiry on Syria to Afrin to ascertain the facts of what is occurring there.

  5. Refer the case of the crimes committed to the International Criminal Court through the Security Council.

  6. Place the Afrin region under international protection and transfer it to civilian administration until a political solution to the Syrian conflict is found, in accordance with UN Resolution 2254.

  7. Hold Turkey legally accountable for the crimes committed by its soldiers and allied factions against Kurdish civilians.

  8. Demand that Turkey end its occupation of Afrin and other Syrian cities.

  9. Evacuate all armed factions and their families from Afrin and other Kurdish cities.
    8.Stopping the construction of settements und returning Arab settlers to their areas, and Opening humanitarian ways for the return of displaced Kurdish families to their homes.
    We hope that you will stand as a pillar of support for the oppressed, and help to establish justice and peace in accordance with the principles and laws of the United Nations.
    Please accept our highest respect and appreciation.
    Date: September 15.09.2024

Signatories:

  1. Kurdish Civil Society Organization in Europe

  2. New Middle East peace Organization

  3. The Geostrategic Organization for Kurdish civil society

  4. Human Rights Organization in Syria- MAF

  5. Austrian Kurdish Women’s for Art und Culture

  6. Likolin Center for Legal Stdies

  7. Society for Threatened Peoples-Germany

  8. General Union of Kurdish Writers and Journalists in Syria

  9. Organization for The Defense of prisoners of Conscience in Syria- Rawanka

  10. German Informationen Organization for Development and Peace

  11. Vejin Group

  12. Kurdish Cultural for Association in Danmark

  13. Lost Home Land Organization

  14. Syrian Kurdistan Writers Union

  15. The Syrian Kurdish Community in the Russian Federation

  16. Kurdistan Civil Society forces

  17. Siyal for Humanitarian Aid

  18. Kezi Organization for The Development of Women

  19. Mahabad Human Rights Organization- MOHR

  20. Urzelk House of Culture and Art