Everything You Need To Know About The Iran Protests + How You Can Help
Andrea Simmons
??Creative Storyteller + Strategist: ??Copy.??Content.??Events. Partnerships??Engagement?? Podcast Producer?? ??Journalist Advocate??: Empathy. Accessibility. Human Rights??Talent Relations?? Sales+Fundraising Leader??
UPDATED: 1/2/2023:
The following is a detailed overview regarding the current Iranian Revolution,*** including resources. Iranian & Human Rights Advocate Friends, please don't hesitate to let me know if there are any edits or additions I should make. Thank you!
Yesterday evening I had a number of friends message me, who shared that they weren't aware of the Woman Life Freedom movement and vicious attacks against protestors happening right now in Iran.
This has been shamefully under-reported by the international media, leaving those of us following the situation in shock.
After always trying my best to help amplify other important human rights movements over the years: Women's Rights, LGBTQ+ equality, , BLM, Puerto Rico, Ukraine, Covid-19 safety awareness, etc., this has been the first event of this magnitude that I've ever witnessed, possibly in my lifetime, receiving such disproportionate and often inaccurate/misleading news coverage.
Of those that are reporting this story, there are many that are twisting the facts to support their own selfish agendas, some going so far as to manipulate details of this movement to support bigoted opinions, propped up by their own ignorance, and not facts (not that this is a new thing).
??CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY ARE TAKING PLACE RIGHT NOW??
??What's currently happening in Iran: brutal shooting at protestors, often going so far as to shoot them in the eyes to blind them, assault, imprisonment, torture and murder, among various other forms of retaliation, are crimes against humanity. The world’s media and leaders have mostly remained silent.
??The human rights organization, Amnesty International , has started a petition for a UN investigation (everyone is encouraged to please sign and share: www.amnesty.org/en/petition/end-the-protest-bloodshed-in-iran
????People around the world are being asked to amplify the voices of Iranians on social media (more on that below), contact their elected officials to request that they do everything in their power to support the people of Iran and not the regime, and to put pressure on the United Nations to establish an accountability mechanism, so that Iranian leaders know that they can't kill and get away with it.
Ways to Learn More & Get Involved
??HISTORICAL CONTEXT
For over forty decades, Iranians have lost their ability to live authentically and freely. Art, culture, justice, truth, and basic dignity have been constantly suppressed.
In mid-September of this year, the largest uprising of Iranians against the Islamic Republic began with a women's rights movement (Woman Life Freedom), and has evolved into an all out rejection of Islamic Republic rule. Brave young women are leading this call to action for change. The protests have now reached major universities, high schools and even grade schools. Yesterday there was a flood of videos leaked that went viral, showing high-school students and grade school students removing their hijabs and expressing their disgust to the ayatollahs:
Security forces continue to shoot and beat protesters across the country. On Sunday, they attacked protesting students at Sharif University, one of Iran’s most prestigious educational institutions.
This movement began in 1979, following the Islamic Revolution. At the time, about 100,000 women came to the streets of Tehran to protest the new enforced hijab law (see photo attached to this article).
??OVERVIEWS OF THE SITUATION:
Over 150 Cities Around the World Protested Over The Weekend: To get a sense of the scale of the turnout, here is an aerial view of the people that marched in Toronto, which was estimated to be around 50,000 people at that location alone
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??The best coverage of this story has been almost entirely over social media. (Primarily Instagram and Twitter)
People are posting and sharing around the world, while everyday Iranians from inside Iran are risking their lives to get these stories out via their smart phones. Journalists inside Iran are also risking their lives by covering these stories. (International reporters are not allowed in Iran. The international news media relies on those inside to acquire information.)
On the team of journalists responsible for breaking the Mahsa Jina Amini Story
Against all odds, a determined team of journalists managed to get Mahsa's story out, by harnessing the power of celebrity & influencers, who shared the news with their followers, increasing awareness of the situation with a reach that could not been achieved otherwise.
You can read more about their efforts, here.
The Mahsa tragedy can be looked at as a George Floyd-like catalyst which fueled this entire movement: Iranian Support of George Floyd Protests.
??Brave young women have been leading the protests within Iran.
They are fighting for their rights, and this number continues to rise with the support of millions of people around the world, including the Iranian diaspora who share their stories and organize events worldwide.
Brutal security forces are opening fire on protesting Iranians that have no way to defend themselves. Despite their attacks, the forces have failed to control this revolution.
To put things in perspective, in the previous Iran protests, about 1500 people were killed and many more were imprisoned, according to human rights organizations Amnesty International and The Center for Human Rights.
At the time, the world has been too busy with the unfolding pandemic to pay attention. Around that time was when I first learned that the Islamic Republic has a silencing tactic where they jam the internet in an effort to try and silence protestors' voices to the outside world. They spy on their people's online communications, when the internet is available, as well. Such spying can result in arrests and other forms of retaliation.
Iranians have generally faced a difficult path to freedom, with the lack of free internet and little resources due to sanctions, against a regime that links to all major national revenues and is backed by Russia and China. But stopping now is far more dangerous, as the state will track down protestors and execute activists, a massacre in silence.
????Iranians' access to social media platforms has always been limited to only a couple platforms, but now the internet has been shut down to stop social media coverage in the current nationwide revolution against the Islamic Republic. An estimated 80% of Iran’s 86 million population is usually connected to the web and active on social media, despite strong internet censorship.
Unlike other causes, this is one where social media posts, shares and posting the hashtag "#WomanLifeFreedom" everywhere is one of the BEST ways for everyday people around the world to help, because it's the way most people around the world get their information.
Most importantly, the more a topic trends, this influences what the mainstream media covers, and gets people in leadership positions' attention, as well. And that's where hashtags come in. They are used as one way to measure how much a topic is trending. This is why you will see people posting about the situattion in comment sections of unrelated stories and posts, because it keeps the awareness going and it's also being used to encourage others to post about the topic, as well. This is a global effort.
Currently, Iranian society is becoming secular.
With only 1/3rd of the population recognized as Muslims in independent online studies, the majority are being controlled by a conservative minority ever since the Islamic Revolution began over 40 years ago.
CHALLENGES
Iranians face a difficult path to freedom with the lack of free internet and little resources due to sanctions, against a regime that links to all major national revenues and is backed by Russia and China. But stopping now is far more dangerous as the state will track down protestors and execute activists; a massacre in silence.
WHAT'S CHANGED?
The difference between now and previous years is that the people of Iran are not backing down. Women and men of all ages. Students and children. Iranians are risking their lives to protest for women's rights, including against enforced hijab. While this specific movement was triggered by the death of Mahsa Jina Amini, this is also the result of the snowballing anger formed from over four decades of injustice, corruption, mismanagement & abuse of power.
I cannot stress how much danger Iranians are putting themselves in by simply engaging in protests. And this is across the entire country. Iranians have nothing to defend themselves beyond using their voices and documenting what they see on their phones. Now it's up to the world to listen and amplify this situation, so that the spotlight stays on this story. It's what the regime fears most, the truth getting out.
MORE INFORMATION
??I've written overviews about what people are doing/how to help in previous Facebook posts, so I won't rehash too much. (If you like, you can follow me on Instagram, @andreainthecitynyc where I have done my best to curate extensive highlights of the most informative posts, news and ways to help regarding this topic, via those that are far more knowledgeable about the situation than myself. I'm fairly new to Instagram, and am mostly using it like a journal to post and write about old memories, so bear with me.)
??The number of times this protest's hashtags have been used have broken records! Influencers are posting. Celebrities are posting. But the vast majority are everyday people. The thing that's so shocking to everyone trying to help is that there are so many people that could be allies, that have a history of supporting other human rights causes that aren't doing a thing and it makes no sense. This is a humanitarian crisis. This is a MASSIVE story that is simply being ignored:
These posts expressing frustration sum up these past few days:
The stories that finally *did* get posted yesterday were mediocre at best, and no doubt due to public pressure. I have never felt so let down by our media and I will never view it the same way again.
The mainstream networks are aware of this story, but aren't giving it the serious attention it deserves. And so much of the reporting has been so sloppy that even major outlets have foolishly reported the regime's damage control, pr-spin talking points, as opposed to doing proper research, thinking critically and reporting the facts, which are readily available.
It's not that the news outlets aren't aware - it's that they know and they aren't deeming it a priority! This is a historic moment for the people of Iran, and the support of the world via amplifying what is going on is a critical factor in Iranians gaining their most essential human rights. I try my best to always stay on top of human rights situations going on here and globally and always try to do what I can. I have never seen this many people turn a blind eye, and it has absolutely broken my heart.
People to follow on Instagram
- @smohyeddin
- @masih.alinejad
领英推荐
- @nazaninboniadi
- @1500tasvir
- @iamnazininnour
- @gissounia
- @donya.delsous
- @yelmjouie
- @styleshah
- @docsarvo
- @azadeh.afsahi
- @iranrights
- @iraniandiasporacollective
- @azadi.daily
- @amnesty
- @middleeastmatters
- @ranarahimpour_bbc
- @natashafatah
- @jomanacnn
- @resaian
- @ksadjadpour
- @omidmemarian
- @bahmankalbasi
- @hdagres
- @camanpour
- @yasharali
- @moj
- @mandy
- @taragrammy
- @nicolenajafi
- @helenkamali
- @mytwinkleland
- @3aboor
- @nioushah
- @golfarahani
- @saraseyed
- @sepidmoafi
- @ninaansary
- @drshaheem
- @chaiandconversation
- @saghdashloo
- @arianmoayed
- @mozhanmarnowastak
- @nasimpedrad
- @nicole_ansari
- @babaktafreshi
- @omidscheybani
- @mary.farahzadi
- @maxcomedian
- @mazjobrani
- @omiddjalili
- @sarahfatemiofficial
- @toomajofficial
- @nargis
- @shervinine
- @hosseinronaghi
- @freejamshidsharmahd
- @shirin__neshat
??The more people that are aware of what's going on, that's a win in itself.
THANK YOU to everyone that has reached out to me for more information and took the time to read & share this today!
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***It's important to note that current protests are about so much more than mandatory hijab laws. This is a feminist-sparked movement for women's rights, bodily autonomy, human rights, and an end to the regime.
***
Andrea Simmons is a senior producer, strategist, writer and creative consultant living in New York City.
Specializing in thought leadership, strategic direction and innovation, her creative solutions to marketing, engagement, customer success, partnerships, public relations, and sales have guided clients and brands to reach their full potential in the entertainment, health/wellness, fashion, beauty, fintech, philanthropic and humanitarian communities. She is passionate about bringing a brand's authentic voice & mission to life, as well as championing clients' needs and bringing a voice to those without a platform.