Women's Rights Activist: The Regime Has Turned Life into Hell with Gender Apartheid

Parisa Pouyandeh, a women's rights activist and secretary of the Committee for the Freedom of Political Prisoners, believes that "the Islamic Republic regime has turned life into hell for everyone with the stamp of gender apartheid." In an interview with Voice of America on the occasion of International Women's Day, she emphasized that "the regime's pressures and repression have not only intimidated women and society." Ms. Pouyandeh pointed out that women and men around the world celebrate March 8, International Women's Day, as a significant global achievement, reflecting on their past successes and accomplishments. She added, "We are approaching International Women's Day in Iran under conditions where we are facing a more protest-oriented and politically charged March 8 compared to previous years." She noted that "today, all people have risen with the common slogan of 'Women, Life, Freedom' to end the regime of gender apartheid that has systematically deprived women of life and freedom." They highlight issues such as "child marriage, honor killings, prostitution, lack of security, repression, and the multitude of political female prisoners, as well as poverty, unemployment, and addiction, all rooted in the regime of gender apartheid." Additionally, she stated that women see March 8 as "a day to raise louder cries for justice and protest against sexual and gender apartheid, as well as against poverty, corruption, insecurity, and discrimination." She emphasized that this political situation reflects the movement of women who the regime has tried to send home for 46 years through discrimination and repression. In response to a question about the widespread presence of women and girls with optional dress despite mandatory hijab after the protests began, she said, "The Islamic regime, during the revolutionary movement of 'Women, Life, Freedom,' has attempted to intimidate and suppress this movement and women through repression, arrests, torture, forced confessions, unfair trials, and issuing death sentences for women. However, women have continuously and powerfully participated as leaders and main organizers of this movement, from prisons to the streets." Parisa Pouyandeh added, "We see that the daily struggles of women have today conquered the stronghold of mandatory hijab, and as time passes, we witness a broader movement against hijab." She pointed out that "the Islamic Republic regime has increasingly intensified organized violence against women and has attempted to suppress women's struggles by imposing legal restrictions in various areas." Ms. Pouyandeh referred to the Hijab and Chastity Law and the death sentences for Variesh Moradi, Sharifeh Mohammadi, and Pakhshan Azizi, emphasizing that "we see that society stands firmly in defense of Variesh Moradi, Sharifeh Mohammadi, and Pakhshan Azizi, referring to them as honorable members of society in this year's March 8 messages and protesting their death sentences." This women's rights activist noted that "the protests of 1401 (2022) are considered the first women's revolution in history, with its most radical expression being the fearless protests of women in front of society without fear of arrest and consequences." She stated, "The daily repression of women in Iran reflects the regime's fear of protests, and this trend shows that the regime's pressures and repression have not only failed to intimidate women and society but also demonstrate that women and the people have made a decisive decision not to go back and to overthrow the entire system."