Two hundred and sixty eight Iranian feminists and human rights defenders have issued a statement of solidarity with the Palestinian people, who have been suffering unthinkable violence and brutality over the past 7 months as a result of Israel’s military offensive in Gaza. Those signing the statement call for an immediate ceasefire, criticize the continued support of Western nations of Israel’s deadly war against Palestinians and strongly urge the international community to uphold international law and hold Israel accountable for its campaign of genocide against the Palestinians.
The signatories represent a wide spectrum from among Iranian civil society and human rights community both inside the country and within the diaspora, including feminists and women’s rights activists, human rights defenders, labor rights activists, journalists, lawyers, university professors, teachers and educators, researchers, artists, writers, peace activists and political activists, including several former political prisoners. Read the full statement.
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We, the undersigned Iranian feminists and rights defenders, issue this statement to express our steadfast solidarity with the Palestinian people. We extend our solidarity not only because of the unspeakable violence that Palestinians have endured for the past seven months but for the decades of an occupation that has denied them their dignity and most basic human rights.
The currently brutal military offensive in Gaza has killed over 34,500 people, of which, according to UNICEF, over 13,000 are children. Thousands more Palestinians are thought to be dead, but uncounted, as their bodies remain trapped under rubble. More than 75,000 Palestinians have suffered injuries; many have lost limbs and have permanent disabilities. The scope, scale, and speed of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza constitutes the most intense military assault anywhere since World War II, as a result of which over 80 percent of the population has been displaced. In northern Gaza, more than 70% of the homes have been totally destroyed. The destruction includes schools, hospitals, clinics, universities, houses of worship, libraries, and heritage sites.
In its military assault, the Israeli army has targeted doctors and other healthcare workers, humanitarian workers, university professors, and journalists. In fact, more journalists have been killed in Gaza than during any other conflict, regardless of length. Entire family lines have been obliterated. The destruction of medical facilities and the dearth of medical supplies and medicines have left the people in Gaza in a real health crisis. Doctors have been in the unthinkable position of having to perform operations and amputations on children without anesthesia. Israel’s restrictions on humanitarian aid to Gaza have left the population at risk of starvation. The recent discovery of mass graves of nearly 400 Palestinians at Al Nassar and Al Shifa hospitals in Gaza, with some showing signs of torture, is another example of the war crimes that have been committed.
We note, with deep concern, that the presently estimated 1.4 million Palestinians who have been forcibly displaced to Rafah are at great risk of mass slaughter now that the Israeli army has begun a ground invasion.
What compounds the tragedy in Gaza is the fact that Palestinians living there have experienced numerous military offensives since Israel placed the Gaza Strip under blockade in 2007. Moreover, Israel has pursued a policy of isolating the Gaza Strip and preventing its economic development since 1993. These measures have devastated Gaza’s economy and left its population highly dependent on international aid long before the current assault began.
We are also alarmed at the current rise in violence in the West Bank, where mobs of settlers have been attacking Palestinians and destroying their property, and where the Israeli army has carried out raids and has arrested at least 8,000 Palestinians since October. The current escalation of violence comes on top of a brutal military occupation that has robbed Palestinians of their basic human rights on a daily basis.
As human rights defenders and activists, we are especially discouraged to see the little weight given to international humanitarian and human rights law, as Israel flagrantly violates them. Early in the current military campaign, a number of legal scholars issued a statement warning of the potential for genocide in Gaza. Since then, the International Court of Justice issued an interim ruling, ordering the Israeli state to take all measures within its power to prevent genocide. Even a federal court in the United States has found that there may be a plausible case of genocide in Gaza. Despite this, and despite multiple efforts by the UN General Assembly and UN Security Council to pass resolutions calling for a ceasefire, Israel’s violence goes unabated.
Currently, on university campuses around the world, students are rising up to condemn these atrocities, and calling for a ceasefire and justice for Palestinians. We are alarmed at the violent suppression of these movements, especially in the United States, where the right to free speech and assembly are enshrined in its constitution.
As human rights activists from a country where we have struggled to hold our government to account for human rights violations, we look to international law mechanisms to seek redress for the injustices we have suffered. We are dismayed to see these institutions and mechanisms undermined and put at great risk of being rendered completely irrelevant as a result of the double standards being applied to the state of Israel. It is deeply troubling to see the same countries that purport to support human rights offering military, financial, and political support to Israel, even in the face of abundantly clear evidence of Israel’s countless international crimes.
We fear that the international community’s unwillingness to put an end to this unparalleled scale of violence will only normalize heinous atrocities in all future conflicts. We are also concerned about the expansion and repercussions of this conflict in our region and for our work as rights activists.
Therefore, we call on the international community–and specifically, countries that are currently supporting the Israeli state–to push for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and the unobstructed provision of humanitarian aid to Palestinians. We call on the supporters of Israel, and especially the US, Germany, and the UK, to end their military aid to the country and press for the entry of independent UN investigators into Gaza, where they can investigate allegations of war crimes and genocide.
Realizing that there can be no peace without justice, we call on the international community to work toward an end to the occupation and a just peace for Palestinians, in line with international human rights standards.
Signatures
Adam Baranzehi, Civil Society Activist
Adeleh Samimi, Psychologist
Afi Shohreh
Afrooz Maghzi, Feminist and Lawyer
Afsaneh Khajavi, Rights Activist
Aida Qajar, Feminist and Journalist
Aida Saadat, Feminist and Women’s Rights Activist
Akbar Zamani Pour, Freedom Activist
Al Banifazl, Human Rights Supporter
Alborz Ghandehari, Professor of Ethnic and Gender Studies
Ali Akbar Mousavi, Digital Rights Researcher and Advocate
Ali Nadimi, Political Activist
Ali Vaezipour, Physician
Alireza Hassani, Poet and Translator
Arash Zaryabi, Project Manager
Ashraf Milani, Women’s Rights Activist
Asieh AliNejad, Women’s Rights Activist
Assal Rad, Historian
Atena Kamel
Atieh Pirhayati, Women’s Rights Activist
Avatef Asadian, Leila Mahmoudi Eyvagh
Azadeh Bizargiti, Writer and Filmmaker
Azadeh Chavoshian, Woman’s Rights Activist
Azadeh Forghani, Social Activist
Azadeh Peyman, Scientist
Azadeh Sadeghi, Documentary Filmmaker
Azadeh Sobout, Researcher and University Professor
Azadeh Tajpour, Visual Artist
Azam Akbarzadeh, Civil Society Activist
Azam DehSoufiyani, Researcher
Azam Zati, Chemist
Azar Mahloujian, Writer
Azin Mohajerin, Feminist and WHRD
Bahar Sharifi, PhD
Bahareh Besharati
Bahareh Soleimani, Marxist Activist
Bahereh Alamdari
Bahereh Hafezi
Bamdad Jabali, Painter and Graphic Designer
Bamdad Moujani, Graphic Artists
Banafsheh Madaninejad, Executive Director at Bulbul Collective, Human Rights Organizer
Banafsheh Ranji, Researcher
Barbod Golshiri, Artist and Critic
Behnaz Farmanbar, Peace Activist
Behrang Jabali, Translator
Darya Moosavi, Feminist Activist/Cancer Researcher
Delaram Ali, Feminist and Women’s Rights Activist
Denna Millet, Program Manager at Human Rights Organization
Dorsa Sobhani, Pychotherapist and WHRD
Effat Mahbas, Human Rights Defender
Ehteram Shadfar, Women’s Rights Activists
Elahe Sadr, Immigration and Asylum Advisor
Elahe Amani, Feminist, Peace Activist and University Professor
Elham Rahmati, Artist
Elnaz Ansari, Writer
Esha Momeni, Feminist and University Lecturer
Faezeh Peyman, Engineer
Farakhroo Maghzi, Psychologist
Farhad Davari, Retired Labor Activist
Farkhondeh Ghorbani, Educator
Farkhondeh Jabarzadegan, Social Activist
Farnoosh Hashemian, Human Rights Lawyer
Fatan Jokar, Women’s Rights Activist
Fateme Fanaeian, Journalist
Fatemeh Hassanpour, Writer
Fatemeh Norouzi, Translator and Social Researcher
Fatemeh Rezaei, Human Rights Defender
Fazel Ganji, Researcher and Social Activist
Fereshte Tousi, Feminist and WHRD
Fereshteh Jamshidi, Huamn Rights Activist
Fery Malek Madani, Feminist and Women’s Rights Activist
Firouzeh Mohajer, Feminist and Translator
Firouzeh Nouri
Firouzeh Rad, Women’s Rights Activist and Leftist Political Activist
Ghamar Fallah, Women’s Rights Activist
Ghonche Ghavami, Women’s Rights Activist
Gohar Shemirani, Women’s Rights Activist
Guissou Jahangiri, Vice President International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH)
Haideh Daragahi, Writer, Journalist and Feminist
Hajar Moradi, Artist
Haleh MirMiri, Student of Wome and Gender Studies
Hamed Farmand, Children’s Rights Activist
Hamid Roshan, Media Activist
Hanieh Jodat, Political Consultant
Hengame Fallah, Artist and Social Activist
Hengameh Hoveyda Author and Sociologist
Hesam Salamat, Researcher and Sociologist
Hosein Derakhshan, Researcher and Journalist
Hossein Raeesi, Human Rights Lawyer
Iman Vaghefi, Independent Researcher
Jaleh Rouhzadeh, Women’s Rights Activist-Retired
Jaleh Taleb Hariri, Women’s Rights Activist
Jasmin Ramsey, Feminist and WHRD
Jila Baniyagoub, Journalist
Jila Golanbar, Journalist
Kazem Motevali, Civil Society Activist
Kowsar Gowhari, Lawyer
Laleh Janipour, Engineer
Leila Asadi, Feminist and Refugee Rights Advocate
Leila Heidari, Attorney at Law and Masters of Human Rights
Leila Mahmoudi Eyvaq, Programmer
Leila Seyfollahi, Social Activist
Leila Shafaie, Lawyer
Mahboubeh Hosseinzadeh, Feminist and Women’s Rights Activist
Mahdieh Golroo, Women’s Rights Activist
Mahdieh Javid, Human Rights Activist and Lawyer
Mahdieh Zohdi, Women’s Rights Activist
Mahin Fahimi, Historian
Mahnaz Tonekaboni, Educator
Mahsa Amrabadi, Journalist
Mahsa AssadollahNejad
Mahsa Khanbabai, Attorney
Mahvash Dalai, Women’s Rights Activist
Majid Maleki, Political and Women’s Rights Activist
Majid Tamjidi, Social Worker
Mali Boreyri
Maliheh Zehtab, Women’s Rights Activist
Mani Mostofi, Human Rights Lawyer
Mania Akbari, Feminist Filmmaker
Manijeh Khani
Mansoureh Behkish, Women’s Rights Activist
Mansoureh Khosroshahi, Women’s Rights Activist
Mansoureh Shoajeei, Feminist and Women’s Rights Activist
Marya Ashrafi, Documentary Photographer
Maryam Anvari, Psychologist
Maryam Arbab, Social Activist
Maryam Bahreman, Women’s Rights Activist
Maryam Fathi, Women’s Rights Activist
Maryam Rahmani, Women’s Rights Advocate
Maryam Rezaei, Journalist and Woman’s Rights Activist
Maryam ShirinSokhan, Women’s Rights Activist
Maryam Tadayon, Women’s Rights Researcher
Maryam Zandi, Women’s Rights Advocate
Masoume Ganjei, Writer and Cinema Teacher
Mehdi Mahmoudian, Human Rights Defender
Mehrangiz Ramezani, Social Activist
Mehraveh (Somayeh) Mousavi Jahanabadi, Writer and Documentary Filmmaker/Women and Children’s Rights Activist
Mehrnaz Khodayar, Educator
Mehrnoosh Mazarei, Writer
Mehrnoosh Oshtarani
Mehrnoush Etemadi, Feminist and WHRD
Mercedeh Momeni, Civil Rights Attorney
Mina Fakhravar, Feminist Researcher and Activist
Mina Farahmand, Educator
Mina Keshavarz, Filmmaker
Minoo Mortazi, Women’s Rights Activist and Researcher
Mitra Farahani, Engineer
Mohamad Karim Asayesh Researcher and Civil society Activist
Mohammad Khosravi, Equal Rights and Democracy Activist
Mohammad Mehdi Hatef, Researcher on Philosophy
Mohsen Khoshbin, Labor Rights Activist
Mojgan Dastory, Publisher
Mojtaba Nazari, Leftist Political Activist
Mona Moafi, Civil Society Activist
Mona Tajali, Women’s Rights Advocate
Nader Hashemi, Associate Professor
Nahal Sharafi, Physicist
Nahid Motie , Researcher
Nahid Navab, Artist and Women’s Rights Supporter
Nahid Siamdoust, Assistan Professor, Media and Middle East Studies
Narges Azari, Sociologist and Researcher
Narges Keshavarznia, Digital Rights Activist
Narges Shahkar
Nasim Khosravi, Writer/Theater Maker
Nasrin Isfandary
Nasrin Navab
Nasrin Taatian, Educator and Civil Society Activist
Nastaran Ahmadi, Journalist
Nayereh Tavakoli, Women Studies and Sociology Professor
Nazanin Khosravani, Journalist
Nazli Kamvari, Researcher and Writer
Nazy Azima, Writer and Translator
Nazy Oskouie, Women’s Rights Adovacte
Neda Milani, Educator and Researcher
Neda Pelar, Scientist and Social Activist
Negin Khazaee, LGBTQI Rights Activist
Niayesh Dolati, Researcher and Sociologist
Niki Akhavan, University Professor
Niloofar Rasooli, Writer
Nima Alavi, Writer
Nooshin Nikpour
Noushin Keshavarznia, Feminist and Women’s Rights Activist
Nusaybah Subhani, Women’s Rights Activist
Omid Kharazmian, Civil Society Activist
Pantea Pezeshkan, Freelance Photographer
Parastou Hassouri, Lawyer
Parisa Kakaee, Women and Children’s Rights Activist
Parvaneh Azimi, Woman’s Rights Activist
Parvaneh Chaman, Teacher
Parvaneh Qasemian, Retired Teacher
Parvin Ardalan, Feminist Activist
Parvin Fahimi Social and Peace Activist
Parvin Samadzadeh Reitred Social Worker
Parvin Zarabi Women’s Rights and Environmental Activist
Peter Behravesh, Writer
Raha Askarizadeh, Women’s Rights Activist
Reza Esfahani, Labor Rights Activist
Rezvaneh Mohammadi, Human Rights and LGBTQ+ Rights Defender
Roja Fazaeli, Professor at the Irish Center for Human Rights, University of Galway
Roozbeh Kamali, Poet, Writer and Journalist
Rosa Sabet, Journalist and Human Rights Activist
Roya Saidi
Saeed Hormozy, Equality Rights Defender
Sahar Maranlou, Feminist, Lawyer and University Lecturer
Sahar Hatami Lahaghi, Social Activist
Salome MC, Multimedia Artist & Educator
Saloumeh Rahimi, Feminist and Women and Gender Studies Student
Saman Ghazali, Journalist and Environmental Activist
Samira Banihashemi Student
Sanaz Hamzeali, Sociologist
Sara Afrasiyabi, Psychologist, Writer and Feminist
Sara Laghaie
Sara Loghmani, Feminist and Women’s Rights Activist
Sedeghe Gharagozlisn
Sepideh Khosrowjah Filmmaker and Playwright
Sepideh Rezaein, Equal Rights and Environmental Activist
Setareh Sabety, Blogger
Shadi Mokhtari, Assistant Professor, American University
Shaghayegh Norouzi Gender Equality Activist
Shahin Nawai, Feminist and Scientist
Shahla Feizi
Shahpar Bamdad
Shahriar Tahari, Artist and Human Rights Activist
Shahrzad Arshadi, Artist/ Feminist and Social Justice Activist
Shahrzad Hashemi, Women’s Rights Activist
Shahrzad Najafi, Lawyer
Shain Pooya, Women’s Rights Activist
Shervin Aazami
Shiba Malek, Educator
Shirin Asa, Researcher
Shirin Karimi, Researcher and Translator
Shirin Saeidi, Associate Professor of Political Science Director of King Fahd Center, University of Arkansas
Shiva Dolatabadi, Psychologist
Shiva Ghalvazi, Filmmaker
Shiva Nazarahari, Feminist and Women’s Rights Activist
Shohreh Ghanbary, Political and Women’s Rights Activist, Former Political Prisoner
Sholeh Irani, Journalist
Siamak Naseri, Lawyer
Sima Shakhsari, University Professor
Simin Isfahani, Women’s Rights and Political Activist
Simin Mortazavi, Teacher
Sina Toossi, Human Rights Activist and Analyst
Soghra Moosavi, Children’s Rights Activist
Somayeh Rashidi, Feminist, and WHRD
Sonya Ghafary, Women’s Rights Activist
Sorour AliMohamadi, Sociologist and Political Activist
Srwa Hassani Woman, Life, Freedom Activist
Sudabeh Farokhnia Women’s Rights Advocate
Surur Jackson
Sussan Parvar, Artist
Sussan Tahmasebi, Feminist and Women’s Rights Activist
Suzan Karimi, Feminist Writer
Tahmine Mofidi, Women’s Rights Advocate
Tina Bonyad, Researcher
Yaghma Fashkhami, Journalist
Yasmin Moaf, Researcher and Student in International Relations and Philosophy
Zabiyano Judaki, Civil Society Activist and Laborer
Zahra Ajerloo, Educator
Zahra Kohram, Child Rights Advocate
Zahra Sadeghi, Human Rights Professional
Zahra Zamani
Zara Amjadian, Women’s Rights Activist
Ziba Mir-Hosseini, Legal Anthropologist
Zohreh Asadpour, Women’s Rights Activist
Zohreh AzizAbadi, Sociologist
Zohreh Moieny, Women’s Rights Activist
Zohreh Taravati, Women’s Rights Activist
Zohreh Tonekaboni, Political and Civil Society Activist