Please note there is sensitive and upsetting information in this blogpost.
Woman, Life, Freedom: CMNH Stands in Solidarity with Women and Protesters in Iran.
CMNH stands in solidarity with those who speak out about the injustices occurring in Iran and who aim to bring awareness to the issue affecting millions of Iranians worldwide. The Islamic Republic of Iran is a threat to democracy worldwide and its people are being silenced. Dissenting and protesting voices need to be heard and action needs to be taken.
On September 16, the Islamic Republic of Iran’s “morality police” killed 22-year-old Mahsa Amini for improperly wearing the hijab. While Mahsa was detained by authorities she was suspiciously injured, and later died from her injuries accrued from her detainment. Following her death, thousands of Iranians flooded the cities, both in Iran and across the globe, to protest Mahsa’s unjust murder caused by mandated hijab laws and the violent crimes of the Islamic Republic regime. This is the largest feminist movement our generation has seen across the globe. Women are bravely taking their hijabs off, cutting their hair, and chanting “Woman, Life, Freedom” and “Death to the Dictator” in the streets. Men are also by their sides supporting them.
To be clear, this is not a protest against Islam. The protesters want freedom of choice, freedom of beliefs, freedom of expression, freedom to love who they want, and basic human rights. They do not want a reform; they want a regime change. In response to the peaceful protesters, the Islamic Republic of Iran has responded brutally and inhumanely. These are some ways in which they have responded (list not exhaustive):
- Shooting, beating, raping, and arresting peaceful protesters, including teenagers and children
- Cut off the nation’s internet access to silence the dissenting voices and cover up what is happening
- Massacred marginalised communities in Iran, such as in Sistan-Baluchistan and Kurdistan
- Held students hostage at universities, and raping, killing or arresting any student who engages in any form of protest
- Raided girls’ schools beating and shooting anyone who refuses to sing the national anthem or take their hijabs off
- Detained school-girls in a mental institution in order to be “corrected”
- Raped and tortured detained protesters and political prisoners
- Ordered 14,000 detained protesters and political prisoners to be sentenced to death without a fair trial, and to rape any virgins before they are executed so that ‘they cannot enter heaven’.
The reported death toll is in the hundreds, but the true number is likely to be much more. Thousands have been arrested for speaking out against the regime, including actors, sports players, journalists, lawyers, human rights activists, artists, singers, etc. Despite all this, the Iranian people are not giving up and protests have now turned into a revolution. With the death toll rising every day, the Iranian community living outside of Iran feels helpless and scared for their loved ones back home.
Mainstream media has mostly stayed quiet on what’s going on in Iran. The Islamic Republic of Iran still sits within the United Nations and on the Women’s Rights Commission of the UN. There is still discussion of the UN reinstating the Iran Nuclear Deal. This deal will not help the Iranian people. It will only fund the Islamic Republic of Iran.
As academics, we have a responsibility to address the Iranian revolution, as we’ve done for other social rights movements, These human rights issues in Iran need to be acknowledged in acts of solidarity to amplify the voices of the Iranian people who have been oppressed for 43 years. Raise awareness on what is going on. Sign petitions. Put pressure on your local MPs to do more.
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