People have gathered in London today (Saturday) to support the "women's revolution" in Iran after the death of Mahsa Amini. The 22-year-old died on September 16, after she was detained by police in the capital Tehran for allegedly not adhering to Iran’s strict Islamic dress code.
The incident has triggered mass protests in the country. The demonstrations have involved more than 125 cities; at least 270 people have been killed and nearly 14,000 have been arrested, according to the group Human Rights Activists in Iran, Associated Press reports.
Here, the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain (CEMB), which “fights for the right to leave and criticise Islam without fear and intimidation”, helped organise the rally in Trafalgar Square, estimating that a few thousand people attended. CEMB spokesperson Maryam Namazie said weekly protests have been staged in Trafalgar Square since Ms Amini’s death, and that similar rallies took place in other cities around the world on Saturday.
Ms Namazie, an Iranian-born writer and campaigner, said: “Today, as every Saturday, protesters came to Trafalgar Square to show their support for the women’s revolution on Iran. This is a revolution, with women at its forefront, with men by their side, that will bring the Islamic regime to an end.
“It will herald a new era in Iran, the Middle East and across the world. Its slogan is women, life, freedom. It’s a universal slogan that has captured the world’s imagination.
“From Trafalgar Square, protesters have created a human chain to the Houses of Parliament to call on the UK government to end relations with the Islamic regime, shut down its embassy and Islamic centres promoting the regime’s propaganda against protesters and exiles living in Britain. The British government has a moral duty to stop siding with the regime, stop recognising the regime and ending all diplomatic ties.
“People in Iran, our Generation Z, will bring this revolution to fruition, but we need public support in Britain and across the world to pressure their governments to stop relations. The Islamic regime is a regime of sex apartheid.
“It is unethical to keep working with this government as it murders our young people on the streets. If not now, when?”
On Tuesday (October 25), Education Secretary Gillian Keegan, then a Foreign Office minister, told the House of Commons: “We condemn the Iranian authorities. Obviously we’ve taken very strong action. We condemn the crackdown on protesters, journalists and internet freedom, and the use of violence in response to the expression of fundamental rights by women or any other members of Iranian society is wholly unjustifiable.
“We will continue to work, including with our international partners, to explore all options for addressing Iran’s human rights violations.”
She added: “We will never be able to comment on possible future actions or sanctions or designations.”
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office has been approached for comment.
