'They want the world to hear them:' St. John's rally held in solidarity with Iran protests
CBC
The Iranian community in Newfoundland and Labrador came together for a rally Saturday to show solidarity with the people of the nation.
Following the death of 22-year-old Masha Amini while in police custody on Sept. 16, large-scale protests against the country's morality police have erupted.
Amini was arrested in Tehran for allegedly failing to wear the hijab in accordance with the country's strict laws toward women.
A crowd of roughly 300 people gathered at the Colonial Building in St. John's on Saturday in support of protesters in Iran, many of whom are their own friends and relatives.
Mohammad Afkani, one of the event's organizers, says after decades of brutality, Amini's death was a tipping point.
"There were many Masha's before in Iran," said Afkani. "She's not the first one. She definitely won't be the last. People are tired of 44 years of the Islamic regime killing people. This corruption should be done. We're tired of this situation."
Afkani, originally from Tehran, is currently completing his masters degree in physics at Memorial University. He said given the internet shutdown in Iran after Amini's death, he has been unable to speak to his family.
"We don't really know much," said Afkani.
"But [from] the videos and voices that we can see, we know that everyone in Iran, in every city, every village, they are shouting and they want the world to hear them."
Afkani said the goal of the rally was to implore government to impose sanctions against the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, a branch of the Iranian Armed Forces.
"This can be any of us," said Afkani." Any of my friends, my family. I feel really terrible that I live in this fear that [they] can die any day."
Sheyda, an attendee at the event, saw it as an opportunity to support action against what she called a dictatorship in her home country. CBC News is only referring to Sheyda by her first name.
"Women need freedom," said Sheyda. "All human beings need freedom. In Iran, people want to choose their religion, or anything in their lives. They don't believe that religion, or anything should be mandatory, including the hijab. Especially for women."
Of Amini's death, Sheyda said it is an unfortunately all too common occurrence, adding that the situation brought about deep grief for all women in her country.
