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National
Kristy Dawson

'Women, life and freedom': People gather in Newcastle to protest against treatment of people in Iran

Dozens of people gathered in Newcastle city centre to protest against the treatment of people in Iran.

A song about freedom was played at monument at around midday as posters held up signs and waved Iranian coloured flags

One large sign, which was held high by two people, said: "In just 2 weeks 154 people have been killed on the streets for demanding basic human rights." Another sign said: "It is not just a number. They are our sisters, brothers, children."

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A third sign raised awareness of three women who had recently lost their lives in the country. These included Mahsa Amini, 22, who reportedly died after being arrested for wearing an inappropriate hijab.

Parisa Panahi was one of the organisers of the demonstration. The 37-year-old said people have started to say "enough is enough" after the death of Mahsa Amini, who she claims was killed because what she was wearing was deemed inappropriate.

Parisa Panahi was one of the organisers of the protest (Newcastle Chronicle)

Parisa, who lived in Iran until she was 18 but now lives in Heaton, Newcastle, said: "My family moved here and I stayed here because of the rights.

"Last year, my brother died and, because of Iranian rule, I couldn't go to see him. I had no right without the permission of my child's dad. We are divorced and my little boy's dad didn't give me the permission. I couldn't go for his family funeral.

"On the 16th September they killed our 22-year-old Kurdish Iranian girl and since then people have started saying enough is enough.

"The problem is not the hijab, it's the pressure that people have been under for 43 years. I think they have had enough.

"So many people keep being killed and so many people keep being imprisoned. Everybody, but mainly women. This time the movement is coming from women.

"There's no internet in Iran at the moment so they can't spread the word, we're trying to be their voice. Our slogan is women, life and freedom.

"We're going to talk about it a little, play a song that has been going around about freedom and chant about what people want. The songwriter was arrested for writing this song as well.

"We are trying to gather to make more awareness and to tell people what exactly is going on. We're trying to here every week for as long as it takes."

Behshad Shakoor Nejad Namin took part in the protest on Saturday afternoon. The 38-year-old left his home country of Iran 27 months ago and now lives in the Westerhope area of Newcastle.

He said: "In the moment in my country we have a big demonstration about life, women and freedom. I left because I didn't agree with the rights. We're worrying about my family and all the people in Iran.

"I think we will be able to make a change. We believe we have to be patient and work hard to achieve our goals. We will hope to change the Government. We need peace and freedom."

Parisa added: "There are people who say you can't do anything from this side of the world and there's those who say you can.- It's been heart-warming.

"There's lots of petitions going around. Be our voice and spread the word, stand by our side and share our support."

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