What is going on in Iran? -Izzy S
One area that interests me beyond the classroom is international relations and the complexity of different nations around the world. Most recently my interest has been directed towards Iran and the current Women’s Rights Movement. I have decided this week to shed some light on what is happening in Iran currently with the anti-government protests, feminist resurgence and most notably the anti-hijab movement which is gaining momentum nationally and internationally.
Background
The Iranian government has installed a strict dress code for women since 1979 post Iranian revolution, this was a step back as prior to this women were attending universities and wearing the latest fashions (especially Western styles). The hijab was mandatory for women after 1979, if a woman effused to wear one, she would be lashed or imprisoned for defying Islamic dress code removing her free will. There have been several protests condemning the mandatory hijab rule since, however none so far have proved to be successful due to the tight control the government has. However, a tragic recent event has sparked change and has empowered women to speak up.
On the 16th of September, Mahsa Amini a 22-year-old women was brutally murdered by the ‘mortality police’ which are Iranian government officials responsible for implementing the government standard. A singular strand of hair was hanging out of her hijab, and she was violently beaten due to a breaking of the strict dress code. This resulted in her death with reports saying her head was repeatedly beaten with a baton and whacked against a police vehicle. She was then taken to Vozhara detention centre where she fell into a coma and tragically died 3 days later.
The response
An outcry has been heard around the world with more people becoming aware and outranged by Iran’s repressive regime following Mahsa’s brutal murder. It is extremely important to note that people are not angry and protesting due to the fact they have to wear a hijab, it’s the fact that they don’t have the choice to wear one or not. They are simply protesting for the wright to be given more freedom whilst holding the government responsible for the deaths of countless women that have become victims to this outdated law. Since the night of the incident, protests have been heard all around Iran with chants such as ‘death to the dictator’ and ‘women, life, freedom’ these have been reacted to by the government severely. Additionally to this, women inside and outside Iran have been cutting their hair publicly to show solidarity and support for the feminist movement. In an Iranian school, students took to social media to show them waving their hijabs in the air chanting ‘freedom, freedom, freedom’ and ‘get lost Basiji’ proving that this is a movement all generations are in on. On social media the #Mahsa_Amini exceeded tweets and retweets of nearly 80 million showing the passion people feel and need for change.
What has the government of Iran done to combat these protests?
They have responded harshly by firing metal pellets into crowds, dispersing tear gas and water cannons. Not only have they responded physically and violently but online as well by blocking access to social media apps, apps which are used for people to come together to spread awareness and collaborate. With the blocking of apps such as WhatsApp and Instagram, accessibility to organise protests has been greatly limited. This is the greatest restriction on media ever since the 2019 internet ban the last time this happened 1500 protesters were killed. This leaves it to us that have a voice to help.
What can I do to help?
Sometimes you can feel useless when you see these horrendous events unfold in the media. Just because we are in the UK doesn’t mean we can’t help. There are still a few things you can do to help and support these women and make an impact.
- In the UK itself you can write a letter to your local MP urging them to support Iranian Women’s Rights publicly.
- Donate and support Human rights and women’s charities- the Centre for Human rights in Iran research and documents HR violations and disclosing these events to the public
- Join in the protests, I’m not saying cut all your hair off but joining in with this movement shows solidarity with Iranians and puts pressure on our government to do something
- Read books and articles that educate on matters such as this and why this movement is important
- Follow the social media coverage and keep up to date with key figures advocating for change such as non-profit organisations such as Middle East Matters, the Human Rights Watch and Amnesty
I hope this article has made you more enlightened surrounding this current and ongoing issue and has shown you the importance of using your voice in a country where we are not repressed and can use our influence for good.
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