JINHA

AGIRÎ – In Turkey's Ağrı province, citizens have held a range of memorial activities to commemorate Kurdish woman Sema Yüce, who lit herself on fire in protest in prison in 1998.

Sema Yüce lit herself on fire on Newroz Day 1988 in Çanakkale Prison. Sema, a PKK fighter with nom de guerre Serhildan, is a symbol of resistance for many Kurdish women. She lost her life on June 17, 1998. Today, there are a range of memorial activities planned for Sema in her native province of Ağrı.

A group traveled to the village of Kargalık, where Sema is buried, to hold a moment of respect and a prayer in her memory. Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) and Democratic Regions Party (DBP) members were among those in attendance. The group next went to the Sema Culture Center in the city of Ağrı for a memorial ceremony and film screening about Sema.

"Heroes like Sema Yüce opened the way for the struggle of women," said Ağrı co-mayor Mukaddes Kubilay, speaking at the ceremony. Attendees chanted "martyrs never die" at the ceremony.

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