Last weekend, Berlin saw the largest demonstration yet in support of the upheaval in Iran. More than 80,000 people gathered in Berlin. And this wave has to keep going. We at Schaltzeit GmbH are grateful and proud to have a developer from Iran on our team and to support the activities of “Reporters Without Borders.”
When you ask our developer Nilofar about the situation in Iran, she says:
“Can you imagine being segregated by gender at university, having to ride the subway separately and constantly having to feel that you’re being watched? What for? Why? What about the right to self-determination? Why do men get to decide over women? Or the morality police over the people?
Here in Berlin, all is right with the world. There are no morality police checks outside the university, you can go to concerts, dance and feel free. Going out, experiencing things, discovering yourself. All of that is part of a person’s life.
I have many wonderful people in Iran whom I can’t visit right now. A trip to Iran would be a one-way ticket. At the moment, no one can be sure they’ll be able to leave the country again.”
That makes it all the more important to us to express our full support for the men and women in Iran who have been risking their lives for weeks: they are risking their lives, taking action and know that something has to change in their country. It can’t be that people flee the country and the only ones left behind are those who can’t afford a visa – those who are afraid of the police or have come to terms with the system. Because then the upheaval will never succeed.
People must be free to express their opinions!
People who stand up for freedom of expression in Iran, such as Amir Emad Mirmirani or Hossein Ronghi, are arrested and in some cases tortured in order to further oppress the people of Iran. The Iranian government also repeatedly cracks down on Iranian athletes who speak out against wearing the hijab or against the Iranian government, banning them from international competitions or placing them under arrest. It’s madness when athletes like Parisa Farshidi, Elnaz Rekabi, Saeid Mollaei or Kimia Alizadeh have to flee in order to live freely. Wouldn’t it be fantastic to compete proudly as an Iranian for a modern Iran?
No matter which Iranian women & men have already risen up: our only possible appeal is for everyone to support the uprising. For the world to take a stand, just as it has in solidarity with Ukraine. For the upheaval to be supported, human rights to be respected and crimes against the people to be prosecuted.
We want every person to be able to grow and develop freely!
We want no false morality to hold back human development – and would rather trust that the human spirit of discovery, as humanity’s inner drive, brings a great deal of happiness. Iran is at a crossroads right now and can bring down the mullah regime. Let’s use this momentum together, let’s reinforce and accelerate this trend. Be proactive and pre-active in your attitude toward the future. Everyone, support, communicate and fund the upheaval that Iran so desperately needs. Everyone can pull their own levers. Because change won’t come from sitting around and watching. We need all of you!
I’ll close with the words of Parisa Farshidi, 2022:
“The only thing in my power is to take part when demonstrations against the Iranian regime form in Germany – and to share and amplify this on social media. Everyone should see the unbelievable events currently unfolding in Iran.”
#MahsaAmini #IranProtests #WomanLifeFreedom
Below you’ll find a few public social media channels where you can find information and insights on the protests for the people of Iran.
Social media channels and podcasts on the protests in Iran:
- @feminista.berlin • Instagram photos and videos
- Woman*-Life-Freedom (@womanlifefreedomcollective) • Instagram photos and videos
- Feminista Berlin (@FeministaBerlin) / Twitter
- Iran-Journal (@iran_journal) / Twitter
- Proteste im Iran – was ist dieses Mal anders? – Nachrichten – WDR
- Iran-Proteste und feministische Außenpolitik – Kann Feminismus die Welt retten? | deutschlandfunkkultur.de
Sources: Parisa Farshidi: ″Elnaz Rekabi ist eine Volksheldin″ | Sport | DW | 21.10.202
