Dominique Attias, Chair of the Board of Directors at the European Lawyers Foundation
She has been the President of European Law Society Federation as of March 2021 and the former Vice-batonniere of Paris from January 2016.
The following is the text of remarks by Ms. Dominique Attias at the IWD2024 Conference in Paris.
Last year, we were in Brussels. Today, we stand in Paris, alongside the women of the National Council of Resistance of Iran. It’s been 365 days of relentless struggle—a mere drop in the ocean for these women who, for over 40 years, have championed justice and freedom for the women and people of Iran.
For more than four decades, they have endured exile and tirelessly fought for their cause. Generations of Iranian women demand justice for the 30,000 lives lost in 1988. They cry out for freedom for their sisters still in Iran—freedom for the young girls and women trapped in enslavement, denied education, and forced into marriage with elderly men.
Today, they are not alone. Their voices are joined by those on the inside, proclaiming ‘Women, life, freedom!’ and ‘Women, resistance, freedom!’—a resounding echo from the women of the National Council of Resistance of Iran.
This cry transcends the years and prison walls. Can you hear Maryam Akbari Manfared from the depths of her cell, shouting “Resistance!”? On December 30, 2023, she marked her fifteenth year of incarceration. Arrested at 31, she now stands at 46.
She was whisked away to the grim confines of the city prison at midnight on December 29, 2009, without a chance to bid farewell to her three daughters. Her crime? Simply demanding justice for her four siblings, ruthlessly executed by the clerical regime during the 1980s and the 1988 massacre.
For those unaware, one of the perpetrators of those atrocities was Ebrahim Raisi, now the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Shame on the UN for welcoming this murderer, shame on the Western leaders who shook the bloody hands of this tyrant. Thirteen years later, Azam Gholami Zahab also raises her voice in resistance. Sentenced on September 4 to 16 years in prison for merely being in contact with the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI), whose members I salute today.
She too faced a swift trial, despite already enduring a year of imprisonment. Her arrest coincided with the peak of the protests in October 2022. Both Maryam Akbari Manfared and Azam Gholami Zahab are held alongside common law prisoners, a violation of international law. They endure mistreatment and harassment yet remain steadfast in their commitments. Their resilience commands our admiration.
Let’s stand in solidarity with them in their struggle. How many in Iran endure the same fate, steadfastly refusing to bow their heads to this murderous regime? And how many of you, girls and women of the Iranian resistance in France and across the globe, sacrifice your well-being and family lives for the ideal you’ve devoted yourselves to?
That ideal: restoring sovereignty and freedom to the people of Iran.
You reject both the Shah and the Mullah. You are the inheritors of an ancient Iran, a land where women have historically battled tyranny. You tread the path of those who, over a century ago, in 1906, during the dawn of the Constitutional Revolution, took to the streets armed, courageously confronting the oppressors of their time. You embody courage and progress, supported by enlightened men whom I also commend.
You’ve shown remarkable courage and forward-thinking by electing a woman, Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, as your leader. For years, she has tirelessly advocated for gender equality in a modern Iran, championing the rightful place of Iranian women in society. Even in exile, Mrs. Rajavi has demonstrated her commitment by placing women in leadership roles across every facet of the movement.
Whereas the Shah oppressed Iranian women by coercing them to unveil, the Mullahs continue this oppression by mandating head coverings.
The age-old, futile pursuit of men to dominate women persists. Today, the Mullahs find themselves trembling, unable to contain the unstoppable momentum embodied by you, Iranian women, which threatens to overturn everything. In 1988, they massacred 30,000 members of the People’s Mujahedin. Their brutality continued through the years, exemplified by the 2019 tragedy where they callously fired upon peaceful demonstrators, resulting in the deaths of 1,500 individuals. Yet, they failed to silence you.
Now, they resort to a new tactic. The latest scheme of the Mullah regime is to prosecute those who have lived in exile for over 30 years, nearly half of whom are women. Their charge? Being deemed enemies of God and thus deserving the harshest of punishments.
At this juncture, a well-known adage comes to mind: “What woman wants, God wants.” Given its reference to God, perhaps it’s time to remind them. However, let’s return to this sinister farce, the blatant objective of which is to discredit the Iranian Resistance and its members in the eyes of European countries and institutions. Following the inevitable condemnations that will ensue, it’s contemptuous of our European leaders to believe they can be manipulated in such a manner.
Once again, the Mullahs have only succeeded in discrediting and ridiculing themselves in the face of the unwavering strength of Iranian women.
To what depths has this regime not descended? Eleven years ago, Mrs. Rajavi, during the celebration of Women’s Rights Day, you uttered these words, and I quote, “They have endured torture by the thousands, they have faced execution by the thousands, yet they have not bowed their heads.”
This sentiment holds true today. In the face of a cautious Western world, Iranian women stand resilient against internal adversaries.
No amount of torture, prison walls, or even death can deter them. They possess an unwavering conviction in their eventual triumph. Whether it be tomorrow, the day after, a year from now, or beyond, it matters not.
Until victory is secured, we shall stand by their side, proclaiming “Women, resistance, and freedom.”
