Zenobia Women’s Council condemns crimes against women, calls for accountability

The Zenobia Women’s Gathering Council in Raqqa Canton, in the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, issued a statement to the public, in the presence of dozens of women and female members of various organizations, condemning the crimes of killing and assaulting women and young women, and calling for an end to these crimes and for the perpetrators to be held accountable.

The statement was read by council member Samira Muhammad in the square of the Zenobia Women’s Gathering building in central Raqqa.

It highlighted that crimes against women have serious repercussions for society and stressed the need to confront such practices. The Council emphasized the importance of collective action to reduce these crimes, the enactment of laws that protect women, and the promotion of equality and respect to counter all forms of violence and discrimination.

The Council noted that societal silence regarding these crimes constitutes “indirect complicity” and provides perpetrators with a cover that “exacerbates the severity of the crime.” 

The statement further stressed that the murders of women are no longer isolated incidents but have become a phenomenon undermining the very fabric of society, representing blatant violations of human rights, divine laws, and international conventions under any pretext.

The statement called for harsher penalties for perpetrators of domestic violence and murder, as well as comprehensive awareness campaigns to promote values of equality and justice. It also urged cultural and media institutions to play an active role in spreading ethical and humanitarian discourse opposing violence.

The Zenobia Women’s Council also demanded that all relevant authorities hold perpetrators accountable without exception and implement preventive measures to protect women and girls, while holding society responsible for its silence and tolerance of crimes against women.

The statement concluded by affirming that a woman’s life is a dignity that cannot be compromised, saying:

"Let us all stand, locally and globally, against these crimes, and make women’s voices a cry for life that neither violence nor murder can silence. A woman’s life is dignity, and dignity is non-negotiable."

A-H 

ANHA