The NCRI Women’s Committee urges all human rights defenders, women’s rights organizations and advocates to sign this statement to support the Iranian women’s struggle for freedom and equality.
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Statement to support the Iranian women’s struggle for freedom and equality
October 2022
The uprising in Iran sparked on September 16 by the death of an innocent young woman at the hands of the so-called “morality police” has spread to more than 170 cities in all 31 provinces across Iran. The protesters have been chanting, “Death to the dictator,” and “death to Khamenei.”
As of October 1, at least 400 demonstrators have been killed, countless others have been injured, and over 20,000 arrested. However, no amount of brutality has contained people’s protests and cries.
In all these scenes of courage and bravery, the world admired the inspiring and leading role of Iranian women who have been at the forefront of all protests. Standing up to the Revolutionary Guards and their snipers and repelling them with bare hands. Fearless women, run agile in all directions, and inspire others to not fear, advance and charge at the repressive forces.
Iranian women are indeed the force for change. For over four decades, they have borne the brunt of oppression under the mullahs’ rule and yet they have resisted the mullahs’ coercions with all their might.
Tens of thousands of young women and girls of the opposition PMOI/MEK and other groups were executed by the clerical regime in the 1980s, for opposing the mullahs’ tyranny and oppression and for refusing to renounce their beliefs in freedom and equality. Thousands of women were among the 30,000 political prisoners massacred in the summer of 1988. More women were killed during the uprisings in 1999, 2009, and 2019.
Iranian women have paid the price of freedom with their lives. On June 20, 1995, the National Council of Resistance of Iran President-elect Maryam Rajavi told the mullahs, “You have used all possible forms of humiliation, oppression, repression, torture, and murder against Iranian women. But be sure you will receive the fatal blow from those you never count. Be sure that your oppressive rule will be swept away by Iran’s conscious and free women.”
Today, after 44 years, the sacrifice of Iranian women has proven decisive in leading the protests to bring about change. In their final leap to freedom, the brave women of Iran need the support of their sisters from around the world.
We, the undersigned,
- Support the brave Iranian women who are at the forefront of the nationwide uprising. Their courage is inspiring the whole world to stand with the people of Iran as they rise up to end the misogynist regime and to secure the right of women to assume social and political leadership in Iran to pursue prosperity, happiness and realize their dreams and to shape their country’s future for the better.
- Strongly condemn the killing of demonstrators in Iran and urge the United Nations and its member states to take urgent action to stop this repression, and secure the immediate release of those detained. We urge UN Women and all women’s rights associations to intervene to secure the release of all detainees and political prisoners, particularly female prisoners. The Iranian regime’s membership at the UN Commission on the Status of Women must be revoked.
- Recognize the right of the Iranian people and especially women in Iran, to defend themselves against brutal suppression, and overthrow the regime by any possible means.
- Support the democratic alternative to the mullahs’ regime in Iran, which has paid the price of freedom for 44 years. The goals outlined in the Ten-Point Plan of Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, will guarantee freedom and equality and prosperity for Iran.
