Open Editorial, Guardian, October 18, 2022
You can find a Persian version here. 
در اینجا می توانید نسخه فارسی آن را پیدا کنید

 

J'accuse!


A large wave of protests is roaming through all parts of Iran.

Protests that have been sparked by the murder of 22-year-old Mahsa Jina Amini by the so- called morality police. Protests that are based on the consequences of four decades of oppression. Four decades during which the regime in Iran has been silencing the voices of women, the voices of critiques of any kind through violence, intimidation, imprisonment, torture and murder. Four decades of lost youth for young Iranians wanting all the things that we all want: to be able to laugh and live, to love and dance, to study and work, to have an opinion and to be allowed to express it, to have a choice and to be allowed to make a decision, to be free.

These young Iranians are bold and brave and not willing to give into the ruthlessness of the regime any longer. They are fighting for their life and they are fighting with their lives. Meanwhile, the Iranian regime is antagonizing their own population by imprisoning, torturing and killing. And it is antagonizing the “free world” with a cruel game of chess with a hostage taking policy using dual citizens or non-Iranian citizens as pawns. Torturing them in solitary confinement, denying them basic human rights, destroying their lives and those of their families. But is the free world feeling antagonized at all? In the face of injustice and oppression, democratic countries have a responsibility to speak out and have a choice to make: Will we side with the oppressor or with the ones screaming for freedom and justice? While Ukrainians are battling an outside invader, Iranians are fighting an inside enemy – the regime. The “free world” has proven that it is capable of supporting the fight for freedom of Ukraine, sanctions have been decided within days, clear actions have been taken.

Now is the time to take action and to support the Iranian people in their struggle against a dictatorship. The regime of the Islamic Republic of Iran has shown its multilayered dreadful face over and over again. We have seen and heard the terror they are capable of. The leaders of democratic countries have a responsibility to take action and hold Iran accountable for the numerous human rights abuses of their own population and of the dual national, mono-national and foreign national hostages.

Zan, Zendegi, Azadi (Women, life, freedom)

 

92 Signatories

Signed by (in alphabetical order):

  1. Ainhoa Achutegui, Planning Familial, Luxembourg
  2. Nazanin Afshin-Jam, Human Rights Activist, Co-Founder Stop Child Executions, Canada
  3. Mina Ahadi, Political activist, International Committee Against Executions, Germany
  4. Kawa Ahangari, Political Activist, Belgium
  5. Masoud Akhtarani, Journalist
  6. Ebrahim Ahrari Khaaf, Activist for the Rights of the Sunni Minorities, Malaysia
  7. Reza Akvanian, Poet and Human Rights activist, Belgium
  8. Roham Alvandi, Associate Professor of International History, London School of Economics, UK
  9. Elika Ashoori, Daughter of former hostage Anoosheh Ashoori, UK
  10. Alireza Azami, Political activist and writer, The Netherlands
  11. Siavosh Bakthiari, Political activist
  12. Jamshid Barzegar, Journalist and author, UK
  13. Ahmad Batebi, Journalist and former political prisoner in Iran, USA
  14. Laleh Bazargan, Family of victim of the 1988 massacre, USA
  15. Lawdan Bazargan, Family of victim of the 1988 massacre, USA
  16. Ulrike Becker, Mideast Freedom Forum, Berlin, Germany
  17. Said Boluri, Author and political activist
  18. Ladan Boroumand, Historian and human rights activist
  19. Jason Brodsky, Policy Director of United Against Nuclear Iran, USA
  20. Mariam Claren, Daughter of German citizen and political prisoner Nahid Taghavi, Germany
  21. Soheila Dalvand, Activist for Campaign to free political prisoners, Canada
  22. Adil Demirci, Social scientist and political activist, former political prisoner in Turkey
  23. Vazrik Der-Sahakian, Translator, USA
  24. Ewa Ernst-Dziedzic, Member of Parliament for the Austrian Green Party, Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs, Migration, Human Rights and LGBTIQ, Austria
  25. Kei Esmaeilpour, Recipient of Meritorious Service Medal by Canadian Governor General, Canada
  26. Morteza Esmailpour, Political Activist and Journalist
  27. Amir Ezati, Writer and Filmmaker, Finland
  28. Guila Fakhoury, Amer Fakhoury Foundation, USA
  29. Azad Farsani, Political Activist, USA
  30. Leila Ghalebani, Family of victims of 1980’s IRI mass executions
  31. Akhtar Ghasemi, Journalist and photographer, Germany
  32. Roya Ghiasi, Family of victims of 1980’s IRI mass executions
  33. Damon Golriz, Lecturer and researcher, The Netherlands
  34. Madieh Golroo, Feminist and human rights activist
  35. Ramin Haghjoo, Journalist, USA
  36. Shammi Haque, Exile Journalist
  37. Rahim Hamid, Ahwazi Freelance Journalist, USA
  38. Shoura Hashemi, Lawyer, Austria
  39. Rahim Hemmati, Member of the Social democratic Party in Germany
  40. Ehsan Hosseinzadeh, Lawyer, France
  41. Miriam Hufgard-Leitner, Physician, Austria
  42. David Ibsen, Executive Director of United Against Nuclear Iran, USA
  43. Ali Javanmardi, Former Independent journalist and Political Activist, USA
  44. Claire Jungman, Chief of Staff of United Against Nuclear Iran, USA
  45. Saeed Khalilirad, Psychotherapist and political activist, UK
  46. Amanda Lavandera, Court reporter with US Legal Support, Campaign activist for those unjustly detained
  47. Lawyers without Borders Student Division, Ludwig-Maximillians University, Germany: Manuela Castellanos, Lisa Sronipah, Philine Kieslich
  48. Martin Lessenthin, Political scientist, spokesperson of the board of the International Society for Human Rights, Germany
  49. Mohsen Lotfi, Political activist, Germany
  50. Shiva Mahbobi, Spokeswoman for Campaign to Free Political Prisoners in Iran, UK
  51. Kamran Malak Motiei, Actor, USA
  52. Fanak Mani, Daughter of Austrian citizen and hostage Massud Mossaheb, Austria
  53. Sirwan Mansouri, Journalist and Refugee Rights Activist, Turkey
  54. Soran Mansournia, Family of victims of Nov. 2019’s protests
  55. Daryoush Memar, Journalist
  56. Mariam Memarsadeghi, Founder and Director of Cyrus Forum and Senior Fellow MacDonald-Laurier Institute, USA
  57. Siroos Mirzaei, Physician and Human rights activist, Austria
  58. Rajab Mohamadin, Filmmaker and Photographer, The Netherlands
  59. Khatereh Moini, Family of victim of the 1980’s IRI mass executions
  60. Kylie Moore Gilbert, Academic and author, former hostage of the Islamic Republic Iran, Australia
  61. Nilufar Mossaheb, Daughter of Austrian citizen and hostage Massud Mossaheb, Austria
  62. Ezat Mossallanejahd, Settlement/Trauma Counselor, Policy Analyst and Researcher at the Canadian Centre for Victims of Torture, Canada
  63. Khashayar Mostafavi, Filmmaker, Germany
  64. Kaveh Moussavi, Human Rights Lawyer, International Arbitrator
  65. Kazem Moussavi, Spokesperson for the Green Party of Iran in Germany
  66. Maryam Namazie, Women’s Rights activist
  67. Nasrin Namdarpour, Journalist
  68. Kamran Nikseresht, DDS, FAGD, No to Execution Campaign
  69. Reza Parchizadeh, Political Theorist and Security Analyst
  70. Fatemeh Pishdadian, Family of victims of 1980’s IRI mass executions
  71. Jason Poblete, Esq., President Global Liberty Alliance, USA
  72. Laura Pohl, International Society for Human Rights, Germany
  73. Parisa Pouyandeh, Coordinator for the Campaign to Free Political Prisoners in Iran, The Netherlands
  74. Hadi Rad, Family of victims of 1980’s IRI mass executions
  75. Hormoz Raha, International Committee Against Executions
  76. Barry Rosen, Survivor of the Iran Hostage Crisis and Senior Advisor at United Against Nuclear Iran, USA
  77. Farhad Salmanian, Journalist
  78. Rebecca Schönenbach, Frauen für Freiheit (Women for Freedom), Germany
  79. Iman Sefati, Activist, Germany
  80. Daniela Sepehri, Activist, Germany
  81. Shoresh Shahbaz, Political Activist, Iraq
  82. Kaveh Shahrooz, Lawyer and Senior Fellow, Macdonald-Laurier Institute, Canada
  83. Adel Sharifi, Political activist and journalist
  84. Gazelle Sharmahd, Daughter of German citizen and US national political prisoner Jamshid Sharmahd, USA
  85. Michael Spaney, Executive Director, Mideast Forum Berlin, Germany
  86. Arash Tahmasbi, Translator, USA
  87. Farhad Taleshi, IT Specialise and Political Activist, UK
  88. Peter Tatchell, Peter Tatchell Foundation, UK
  89. Nina Toobayi, Family of victims of 1980’s IRI mass executions
  90. Mark D. Wallace, Ambassador, CEO of United Against Nuclear Iran and former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations for Management and Reform, USA
  91. Mahshid Zamani Bozorgnia, Documentary Filmmaker and Film Critic, USA
  92. Siamak Zare, Journalist