Supporting the rights of Iranian women
Supporting Iranian women’s right to rebel against tyranny and the Iranian regime’s systematic oppression of women has been and continues to be a cornerstone of its rule, from imposing strict dress codes to limiting their access to work and political participation.
Amnesty International published a shocking report on December 6, 2023, confirming that Iranian intelligence and security personnel used rape and other forms of sexual violence to torture and punish protesters and cause permanent physical and psychological harm to the protesters, including children as young as 12 years old.
The mullahs’ approach to women’s rights is a horrifying testament to their deep-rooted misogyny and disregard for human dignity. Thousands of women have been executed for political reasons in the past four decades.
The uprising that swept the country in 2022 and demanded an end to any form of dictatorship, whether religious or monarchical, was led by brave women. More than 90 women were among those killed, and many others were imprisoned in inhumane conditions.
The case of Maryam Akbari speaks for itself. In 2009, she was sentenced to 15 years in prison. She has been imprisoned since then without a single day of rest. She was under enormous pressure as a result of her quest to achieve justice for her sister and three brothers who were executed in the 1980s. As the end of her prison sentence approached, the regime sentenced her again to another three years in prison on trumped-up charges.
The policy of appeasement only encouraged the Iranian regime to engage in repression internally, and terrorism and warmongering abroad. Therefore, it is our duty to stand in solidarity with these brave women and their demands for regime change and the establishment of democracy, gender equality and justice.
The 10-point plan of Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), for the future of Iran, and her 12-point plan on women’s rights deserve our absolute support. The latest plan rejects the Iranian regime’s oppressive laws, and emphasizes complete equality between the sexes in the political, cultural and economic spheres, the right to hold any public office, including the presidency, the judiciary, freedom of dress and marriage, the prohibition of the marriage of minors, equality and the right to divorce.
In keeping with the preamble of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which recognizes the right “to rebel as a last resort, against tyranny and oppression,” we must empower the Iranian people, especially women, to achieve their goal of establishing a secular and democratic republic/government in Iran, which will bring about a new era. Of freedom and fundamental rights for women and men.
Supporting the Iranian opposition and its resistance units, especially women, to confront repressive mechanisms in Tehran is crucial in facilitating change. This must be at the forefront of our strategy, in order to contribute to achieving a stable and democratic Iran, and to contribute to eliminating the threat to regional security once and for all.
