Maryam Rajavi has become a beacon of hope, and I call her the Mandela of our era
On November 20, 2024, the European Parliament welcomed Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, the NCRI’s President-elect, to speak on the process of regime change and transition of power to the people of Iran.
Among dozens of meetings at the European Parliament, Mrs. Rajavi had a meeting with a group of women’s rights activists on the eve of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. Ms. Dorien Rookmaker, a former Member of the European Parliament, addressed this meeting.
Following are the remarks by Ms. Dorien Rookmaker.
Thank you so much. And thank you so much, Maryam Rajavi, for your inspiration.
Honorable colleagues and friends, when we talk about Iran and the prospect of democracy and freedom, we must recognize and honor the women for their extraordinary courage, and unwavering resistance against a brutal, misogynistic regime.
Ever since the mullahs stole the people’s democratic revolution overthrowing the Shah’s dictatorship in 1979, women have led the charge for freedom, democracy, and equality enduring unspeakable hardships.
Many women, girls, and even pregnant women have been executed by this brutal regime.
One prominent case, as you already mentioned, Maryam, is Maryam Akbari Monfared. She has been imprisoned for 15 years without one single day of leave. And due for release in 2019, but the regime fabricated new charges extending her sentence by two more years.
Her real crime is seeking justice for her siblings who were executed by the regime during the infamous 1988 massacre, which the UN Special Rapporteur on Iran recently described as a real genocide.
Despite the confiscation of her family’s property and relentless abuse, Maryam remained steadfast in her pursuit of accountability, a testament to the resilience of Iranian women.
And I would like to ask the European Commission to make a special case for this lady, this courageous woman. I don’t think she ought to be in jail anymore or any longer. She has to be freed.
The systemic cruelty is pervasive. The tragic case of Nika Shakarami, a young protester who was sexually assaulted and killed in custody, reflects the regime’s ongoing use of sexual violence as a weapon to crush dissidents.
Such atrocities have targeted women and girls of all ages for over 4 decades, and this is going on until this day by a regime that calls (itself) religious. It is a disgrace.
The EU must act now, endorsing Madam Maryam Rajavi’s Ten-Point Plan and standing with her and the Resistance and protest movement led by the brave women and girls of Iran
Yet the regime’s oppression has only strengthened this resolve. During the recent two major uprisings in November 2019 and 2022, women organized and led protests in close to 200 cities, but there have been a lot of uprisings, so much.
So, when people ask me, is there an opposition in Iran? I say, well, you know, watch the news.
You can see the opposition. There are so many. There have been so many uprisings. There’s so much proof. There is an opposition. Today, their active participation in Resistance Units inspires millions to rise up against the regime.
Even state media acknowledged their pivotal role in directing protests, rallying crowds, and defying security forces. This bravery is no accident.
Iranian women find inspiration in Maryam Rajavi, and so do I, by the way. It makes me humble because I know what you have been through, and I think everyone in this room knows what Maryam Rajavi has been through. And the courage that she shows on a daily basis is enormous.
She has become a beacon of hope, and I called her more than once. She is the Mandela of our era.
She is the Mandela of our era, and she’s leading a movement that envisions a future of gender equality and democracy under the banner of “women, resistance, freedom.” She champions equal participation of women in leadership and government, and freedom of choice from clothing to marriage, education, and employment. The abolition of all forms of violence and discrimination.
Iranian women are not just resisting, they are leading a revolution. Their defiance has brought the regime to its knees, and they will not rest until Iran is free.
The EU must act now, endorsing Madam Maryam Rajavi’s Ten-Point Plan and standing with her and the Resistance and protest movement led by the brave women and girls of Iran, and so many are here today. They are the driving force of change.
The mullahs are the past. Women are Iran’s future and the guarantor for a free and democratic Iran. And we, as European women, I think, can take an example by the way you are acting and your endurance and perseverance. It’s really admirable.
So, Iran’s future can be described with the following popular slogan and three words mantra, which we all know: “Women, Resistance, Freedom.”
Thank you so much, and thank you, Maryam.
