WILPF Condemns the Violent Crackdown on Protests in Iran
A Violent Response to Protest
Instead of addressing the demands of protesters, the Iranian authorities have responded with force. The violent crackdown against protesters echoes the deadly tactics used by the authorities during the 2022 Woman, Life, Freedom protests.
Amid reports of unlawful use of force, killings, and arbitrary arrests of protesters, the Iranian regime has also shut down internet access, undermining the ability of protesters to access information and the documentation of human rights abuses.
Protests Rooted in Structural Oppression and Economic Crisis
The protests arose out of legitimate and organic responses to militarised and harmful governance in Iran, and a deepening economic crisis that has been shaped by international sanctions.
In the face of international interference and threats from global powers such as the United States and Israel, the Iranian regime has invested in militarism, mass surveillance, arrests, and shutdowns, rather than providing for the people. The only ones that have the right to determine their governance is the Iranian people; foreign intervention and militarised state control cannot deliver peace and freedom.
The Role of the Iranian Feminist Movement
The Iranian feminist movement has been critical in mobilising women to address the patriarchal nature of the regime and build a narrative to link public and private violence, within the borders of the state and without, and provide feminist alternatives to militarised violence.
They have repeatedly called for a transformative approach to promote freedom and end structural oppression. It is time for us to heed their calls. The Iranian people deserve an end to the violence and oppression they have endured for decades.
What We Call on the International Community to Do
We call on the international community to condemn the violent crackdown against protesters, call for accountability for all human rights violations, and to reject militarised state responses to lawful protests, as well as external interventions of any kind or the use of force by the United States.
Read and download the full statement to learn more about WILPF’s analysis and recommendations.
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