Leaders of the Global Conference on Religious Freedom to VOA: The Islamic Republic No Longer Has the Support of the People

The leaders of this year's International Religious Freedom Conference stated in an interview with VOA that the Islamic Republic no longer has the support and companionship of the people, declaring that the time for the rulers in Iran has expired. Katrina Lantos, co-chair of the conference, referred to the 'Women, Life, Freedom' movement in Iran, saying, 'It is hard and upsetting that human rights and freedoms are still being violated in Iran,' and added, 'We have witnessed the amazing actions of Iranian women and girls who have risked their lives and have bravely inspired the whole world.' She emphasized that the Iranian regime no longer has the support and companionship of the people and that its foundations of power are crumbling. Lantos also commented on the Islamic Republic's foreign policy, stating that the regime supports terrorism, conducts assassinations worldwide, and brings the world to the brink of disaster and war. She said, 'What we need is a government in the U.S. that has more will to confront the regime in Iran and its malevolent actions.' Sam Brownback, another leader of the conference, pointed out the repression of religious minorities by the Islamic Republic, stating, 'The situation for the people of Iran is very bad and deplorable,' adding, 'Baha'i, Christian communities, and almost anyone who is not part of the ruling clerics' mainstream is being persecuted and harassed.' He noted that 'Sunni Muslims are also facing similar conditions.' Brownback remarked that 'we are witnessing people rising up. More and more protests are forming in Iran, and this trend continues.' He declared that 'the time for the rulers in Iran has expired,' stating that people see these rulers caring for other people in the Middle East but paying no attention to their own people, and their patience has run out. He added that everyone can see that the rulers of the Islamic Republic spend huge amounts of money on groups like Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis but do nothing for the people of Iran. He emphasized that 'I believe we are close to a boiling point inside Iran.' Violence and hatred are not a reflection of power; they are a reflection and sign of weakness. Our humanity is the true reflection of our value and power. We must change the mindset of what power is and recognize that the efforts and resilience of ordinary people who rise up and demand justice have a tremendous power within them. Payam Akhavan, former prosecutor at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, spoke with VOA's Persian section about the repression of religious minorities, especially Baha'is in Iran, stating, 'Baha'is have always been a group that has been victimized, and every time there is unrest in Iran, religious hatred against Baha'is increases accordingly.' He referred to the systematic execution of Baha'i leaders in the first decade of the revolution, the imprisonment of thousands of Baha'is, and their torture, adding, 'Today, we are witnessing a very serious increase in religious hatred against Baha'is; accusations that have no basis or foundation.' Akhavan cited the confiscation of farmers' assets in Mazandaran Province and the accusation of espionage for Israel against Baha'is, saying, 'One wonders how an 85-year-old farmer in Mazandaran has anything to spy on for Israel,' adding, 'Such meaningless actions indicate the weakness of the Islamic Republic, which needs to demonize a peaceful minority just to maintain its power and rule.' He emphasized the need for global solidarity and empathy with persecuted minorities, such as Baha'is, stating, 'We are witnessing the persecution of Kurds in Iran, Baluchis in Iran, Gonabadi dervishes, Christians, Jews, and many others who are suffering under the totalitarian ideology of the Islamic Republic; an ideology that feels it must suppress any form of pluralism in the name of preserving the Islamic Republic's rule.' Akhavan, who is a professor of international law at Massey College at the University of Toronto, also told VOA that the positive aspect about Iran is that the people have awakened. During the 'Women, Life, Freedom' movement and the Mahsa Amini revolution, a new generation has emerged that says it will no longer accept this collective deception. The former prosecutor at the International Criminal Court in The Hague found this to be a source of hope and noted that 'there is still a long way to go to reach a non-violent transitional period.' He added, 'I want to emphasize the non-violence in this transitional period, which is not just a change from one oppressive group to another but is accompanied by cultural transformation.' Akhavan stressed that this widespread change is what democratic institutions must be based on and added that what is very good about Iran is that it has the most dynamic women's movement and the most active civil society movement in the Middle East. He expressed hope that after traversing this long road ahead and reaching a better future, the experience of violence and suffering in Iran will lead to the creation of a humane space that can be utilized to build a better future. Akhavan spoke to VOA about the significance of his presence at this conference, stating, 'My life changed in 1983 when my 17-year-old classmate, Mona Mahmoudnejad, was executed in Shiraz along with 10 other women. Last year, we commemorated the 40th anniversary of that tragic execution, which shook my life and taught me that human rights is not just a conceptual word.' He added, 'Behind every victim is a name, a father, a mother, a brother, and a sister whose future has been forever lost.' The former prosecutor at the International Criminal Court in The Hague added, 'Together with my brothers and sisters in Iran and in the global community, we have a personal sense of responsibility to expose the truth and speak about justice. This is the path through which we can achieve meaningful change.' Akhavan stated, 'Whether here, at other conferences, or in relation to my home Iran or the Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar, the Yazidi Kurds in Iraq, the Bosnian Muslims in former Yugoslavia, where I began my work with the United Nations, or the Tutsi minority in Rwanda, when we talk about human rights, there is a universal and impactful narrative that is very simple.' He concluded by stating, 'Violence and hatred are not a reflection of power; they are a reflection and sign of weakness. History is on the side of those who seek truth and justice. We must all join hands and seek truth and justice to escape this terrible darkness.' According to a VOA reporter, the repressive activities of the Islamic Republic in the field of religious and religious freedoms, belief and opinion, and freedom of expression were among the main themes of the two-day International Religious Freedom Conference.