The November 2019 uprising exemplified the Iranian people’s determination to overthrow the oppressive regime. Sparked by a sudden hike in fuel prices on November 15, 2019, protests rapidly spread across 191 cities within days. Iranians from all walks of life joined, chanting “Death to Khamenei” and “Death to Rouhani.” In Shiraz, Behbahan, Tehran Province, and other major cities, protesters liberated areas temporarily, confronting security forces and disrupting the regime’s control.
Regime officials admitted that they were combating the uprising in 900 locations nationwide, with 146 hotspots in Tehran alone.
Women as Leaders in the Uprising
Women were central to organizing and leading these protests. Courageous young women, members of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran’s (PMOI/MEK) Resistance Units, rallied the population against the regime.
The state-run Mashreq Daily wrote about the role of women. “Women had a remarkable role in the recent mischief. They had a special role in various scenes in inciting the public to carry out acts against the establishment.” (The state-run Mashreqnews.com, November 20, 2019)
The state-run Fars news agency also wrote: “Some women had a pivotal role in leading the riots.”
Fars added, “Women’s special role in running and leading the recent riots seemed remarkable. In numerous places particularly in Tehran suburbs, women who were apparently between 30 to 35 years old, had a special role in leading the riots… These women wore the same garbs, and each had a different role; one filmed the riots, the other stopped the cars, and another one incited the people to join the ranks of riots…” (The state-run Fars news agency – November 20, 2019)
Stories of women’s bravery abound: one wounded protester recounted how an 18-year-old woman rescued him on her motorbike, while older women prepared food for those on the front lines. The contributions of women like Shabnam Dayani, Halimeh Samiri, and Nikta Esfandani in cities across Iran became symbols of defiance, resilience, and sacrifice.
Shabnam Dayani: The Defiant Voice of Shiraz
Shabnam Dayani, a PMOI Resistance Unit member in Shiraz, faced brutal repression. She had already lost an uncle to the regime’s 1981 executions in Behbahan.
On November 16, 2019, Shabnam Dayani was killed in the Maliabad neighborhood of Shiraz as part of the regime’s crackdown on protesters. Shabnam Dayani, along with 12 others, fell victim to the IRGC-affiliated Basij militia, which ran protesters over with vehicles and then opened fire on the crowd.
Her family resisted state pressures to declare her death accidental and to use a white gravestone (a regime symbol), opting instead for a black one as a sign of resistance.
Maryam Nouri: An Inspiring Symbol of Robat Karim’s Uprising
In Robat Karim, Tehran Province, Maryam Nouri, along with her brother Morteza, played a vital role as PMOI Resistance Unit members. The city was briefly liberated during the protests, with Maryam ultimately being shot by security forces in the Governor’s building. Her courage left a lasting impact on the women of Robat Karim, inspiring many in the fight against oppression.
Halimeh Samiri: Tortured to Death for Freedom
Halimeh Samiri’s tragic death in Abadan underscores the brutality of the November 2019 crackdown. A 34-year-old married woman from Khuzestan, Halimeh Samiri was arrested on November 16, and her tortured body with scars of lashes and bites was later abandoned on her father’s doorstep. The violent repression in Khuzestan, including areas like Mahshahr, involved extreme brutality, with security forces even opening fire on unarmed protesters seeking refuge in marshes.
Nikta Esfandani: An Icon of the Uprising
Nikta Esfandani, a 14-year-old girl from Tehran, became a symbol of the uprising’s innocent victims. Known for her love of music, Nikta was shot in the head by security forces in Tehran’s Sattar Khan Avenue.
Her death became a rallying point for protesters, highlighting the regime’s disregard for young lives and the future of Iran.
The Systemic Violation of Rights
The regime’s response was brutal. When tear gas, water cannons, and plainclothes agents failed to suppress the courage of young protesters, Khamenei issued a ruthless command to open fire. Security forces shot directly at protesters’ heads and chests, deliberately escalating the death toll to instill fear. Mass arrests swept across the country, hospitals were raided to detain the wounded, bodies were removed from morgue freezers, and forensic records were falsified to obscure the scale of killings. In Mahshahr, the Revolutionary Guards deployed tanks, resulting in a massacre that shocked the nation.
By the end, at least 1,500 protesters, including 400 women, had been killed, with thousands more injured. Over 12,000 were arrested, many enduring tortures in overcrowded prisons with limited medical care or legal representation.
Crime Against Humanity: International Condemnation
The regime’s brutal response drew condemnation from international bodies. Michelle Bachelet, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, condemned the violence as a “crime against humanity,” citing evidence of security forces shooting to kill and intentionally inflicting deadly wounds on unarmed protesters. Bachelet expressed deep concern over the “lack of transparency about casualties and the treatment of thousands of detainees,” including the severe physical abuse and denial of due process that many detainees suffered.
She highlighted cases where security forces shot protesters in the back as they tried to flee, deliberately aiming for vital areas to maximize casualties. Bachelet called on the Iranian regime to conduct independent investigations into the violations, urging accountability for the authorities responsible for these crimes.
Amnesty International documented these abuses in its report “Trampling Humanity: Mass Arrests, Disappearances, and Torture Since Iran’s 2019 November Protests.” The report described the regime’s actions as a “catalogue of shocking human rights violations.”
The report documented testimonies of torture and inhumane treatment inflicted on detainees, including beatings, electric shocks, mock executions, sexual violence, and forced administration of chemical substances.
Amnesty International’s findings revealed that detainees were frequently subjected to prolonged solitary confinement, hooded, and blindfolded, with access to legal representation systematically denied. The Amnesty report, titled “Trampling Humanity: Mass Arrests, Disappearances, and Torture Since Iran’s 2019 November Protests,” called out Iran’s judiciary for complicity in these abuses, and urged the international community to condemn these actions.
Diana Eltahawy, Amnesty’s Deputy Regional Director for the Middle East, and North Africa stated that the international community must hold the Iranian authorities accountable for their actions and support Iranian families seeking justice for their lost loved ones.
A Continuing Struggle for Freedom
Despite the crackdown, the women of Iran remain unwavering in their fight for freedom. Since the 2019 uprising, the regime’s fear of female leadership has only intensified, as demonstrated by increased surveillance, arrests, and harassment of female activists. However, the courage of women like Shabnam Dayani, Halimeh Samiri, and Nikta Esfandani has galvanized a movement that refuses to back down.
In the face of a regime that has oppressed them for decades, Iranian women have proven to be a formidable force for change. The path ahead may be fraught with danger. Still, Iran’s women, armed with the lessons of the past and the determination to secure a better future, stand at the forefront of this movement, exemplifying the spirit of resilience and the will to bring about true change.
The November 2019 uprising marked only one chapter in a long-standing struggle against tyranny, with women at the forefront. Their sacrifices have cast a spotlight on the regime’s disregard for human rights, sparking calls for international action to address the crimes committed.
Justice and Accountability
The November 2019 uprising revealed the Iranian regime’s willingness to resort to any means to suppress dissent, but it also showcased the unbreakable resolve of the people of Iran.
This anniversary calls upon the global community to support the Iranian people’s pursuit of freedom and resist tyranny. The tragic deaths of Iran protesters demand justice, and the perpetrators of these crimes must be held accountable.
The voices of Iran’s women, from their graves or prison cells, call for a free and democratic Iran. The legacy of these women endures as a testament to resilience and an inspiration for the continued fight against oppression. The unyielding spirit of Iranian women in the November 2019 uprising, and beyond, echoes with a simple yet powerful message: the people of Iran shall prevail.
