Video Message from Women Activists: March 8 is the Day of Women's Struggle for Equality with Men

A number of female political and civil activists, ahead of International Women's Day on March 8, released a video highlighting "the struggle of women in Iran and the world for achieving equal political, economic, social, and civil rights with men." In the video, Joanna Timisi, the wife of Mohsen Mazloom, a Kurdish political prisoner executed in February of this year, states: "For me, not only March 8 but every day is a day of struggle and fighting for women's political and social rights, because we see that the freedom-seeking women of my country fight daily against oppression in various ways and do not bow to the Islamic Republic." She congratulated this day to "all freedom-seeking and fighting women of Kurdistan, Iran, and the entire world" and added: "History is not short of women who stood against discriminatory laws, patriarchal culture, and society, and bravely raised their voices for their equal and human rights, sacrificing a lot in this endeavor." Ms. Timisi referred to Zeynab Jalalian, the oldest female political prisoner sentenced to life imprisonment in Iran. Mahla Norouzi also spoke in Norwegian, stating: "Iranian women have been oppressed for years." She mentioned Mahvash Sabet and Fariba Kamalabadi, Baha'i women who were sentenced to 10 years in prison twice, urging people to be their voice on International Women's Day. Aileen Zaghaliyan spoke in Gilaki, saying: "In this land, there are many freedom-seeking individuals fighting for their rights and others, some of whom are activists from Gilan." Ms. Zaghaliyan congratulated International Women's Day with the slogan "Woman, Life, Freedom" to all freedom-seeking individuals and added: "Today, the justice-seeking movement is a universal movement that has a significant legal and political standing in international laws and rights, intertwined with the realization of truth and justice." She mentioned Mehran Basir Tavana's sister, who was killed during last year's protests against the killing of Mahsa (Zhina) Amini by the Islamic Republic's forces, saying: "Mahsa Basir Tavana is one of the brave individuals fighting against the Islamic Republic to ensure her brother's blood is not in vain." Negar Rashidi also spoke in Gilaki, expressing her wish to be the voice of Rahimeh Youssefzadeh, who lost her son, Navid Behboudi, because he was killed, but did not remain silent and protested alongside other grieving mothers. Mina Rafiq, speaking in English, congratulated all women worldwide, especially Afghan women, on March 8, stating that they have shown how strong, determined, and courageous they are over the past three years. She emphasized the struggle of Afghan women and girls for their rights, stating: "If we want our children not to experience the conditions we have faced in the last three years, and if we want our daughters' fate not to resemble Amena Aziz's, we must believe in March 8 and that we will not go back." Mina Rafiq stressed that Afghan women and girls will not go back regardless of what happens, stating: "We will claim our equality and human rights." The Sweden-Iran Labor Syndicates Platform called for the release of women's rights activists from the prisons of the Islamic Republic, and around 25 civil and political groups outside Iran demanded the release of female political prisoners.