Emphasis on 'Continuation of Protests' on the Second Anniversary of Mahsa Amini's Death; Iranian Writers Association: Any Change is Only Possible Through the Power of the People

On the eve of the second anniversary of Mahsa Amini's death in the custody of the morality police, which sparked the nationwide protest movement 'Women, Life, Freedom' both inside and outside Iran, many cultural, social, and political figures and institutions have emphasized the importance of continuing protests and nationwide strikes. The Iranian Writers Association stated in a statement that there has not been a day in the past two years when the streets of Iran were devoid of 'manifestations of women's resistance,' adding that women's demands have become 'an inseparable part' of the demands of students, guilds, workers, retirees, and other organizations. The association insists that 'any change is only possible through the power of the people, and not through the consensus of the rulers,' adding that the 'Women, Life, Freedom' movement is a 'wake-up call and alertness.' This cultural institution also referred to the ongoing efforts of the Islamic Republic to intimidate, suppress, and repress. The Iranian Writers Association commented on the 'Seventh Development Plan of the Islamic Republic' following the recent governmental elections, deeming it 'a document for the continuation of the suppression of freedom' and equipping the government with laws that, according to this institution, make 'interference' in people's lives possible and make 'living freely' impossible. This well-known cultural institution stated that the first clause of its charter, which demands freedom of expression, is linked to the achievements of the 'Women, Life, Freedom' movement and reiterated its support for the rightful demands of the people, the seekers of justice, and political prisoners. Shirin Ebadi, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, also stated in a post on her social media that supporting nationwide strikes in the country is 'the least action' to accompany the families seeking justice, emphasizing that each of the victims in recent years could have been one of 'our loved ones, relatives, children, or siblings.' Ms. Ebadi pointed out that the Islamic Republic, using its propaganda apparatus and affiliated groups, is trying to 'whitewash' and 'normalize' the situation. This Nobel Peace Prize winner further referred to the killing of family members' children, chemical attacks on girls' schools, imprisoning the father of a young man executed for seeking justice, and blocking access to cemeteries as 'extraordinary' and stated that by joining the strikes, it is emphasized that 'nothing is normal in this country.' The Democratic and Secular Republican Movement of Iran and the Social Democratic and Secular Republican Party of Iran also emphasized in a joint statement that within the framework of 'maintaining the Islamic dictatorship,' no transformation or reform to improve the economic and social conditions of the Iranian people and transition towards freedom and democracy is possible. They noted the 'important lessons' of the 'Women, Life, Freedom' movement, stating: 'Freedom-seeking activists in Iran are obliged to present their positive and affirmative political and social demands alongside their negative and negating slogans and demands to exit the current situation.' In this statement, all those who believe in democracy are called upon to turn the anniversary of Mahsa Amini's death into a 'Global Day of Solidarity with the Struggles of the People and Social Movements of Iran Against the Islamic Republic.' A wave of arrests in Kurdish cities continues ahead of the second anniversary of Mahsa Amini's death. Mahsa Amini's father stated that the judiciary has not yet responded to the family regarding the case; they will hold a memorial ceremony. The Iranian Association of Artists in Film and Theater Abroad stated that brave women in Iran are at the forefront of the fight against mandatory hijab. The Associated Press reported that seeing women without mandatory hijab in the streets of Iran has become a common occurrence. The United States confirmed the findings of the UN fact-finding committee regarding 'the repression of women in Iran.'