All over the world the right to protest is under attack. But protesters still resist oppression and defend human rights.
In Iran, women, men and children are resisting day and night but are met with fierce violence as they demand, ‘Women, life, freedom’. The Iranian authorities have killed over 300 people, including 41 children since protests began on 16 September. We believe the true figure is higher, and are continuing to investigate.
But protest has long been quashed in Iran and many peaceful protesters have been imprisoned in Iran in recent years, such as Vahid Afkari, whose case is featured in Amnesty’s global Write for Rights campaign this year. He has been sentenced to 33 years and nine months’ imprisonment.
With Nassim Papayianni, Amnesty International Iran campaigner and Dr Roja Fazaeli we will discuss how we can help this movement and express global solidarity with Vahid Afkari and other courageous protesters in Iran.
In Zimbabwe, the authorities are increasingly hostile towards people who protest and express dissenting views. Political activists Cecillia Chimbiri, Joanah Mamombe and Netsai Marova, also featured in the campaign, were arrested for leading an anti-government protest. They were forcibly disappeared while in police custody. During their abduction, they were tortured, including through sexual violence.
We are joined by Chenayi Mutambasere, their fellow ally and activist, who has been advocating for Cecilia, Joanah and Netsai from the moment they were taken by the police to date.
Chenayi Mutambasere is a development economist, human rights activist, author and more recently a film producer. Chenayi has been advocating for activists in Zimbabwe since 2015 when she started campaigning after the disappearance of Itai Dzamara. From 13 May 2020 she has been advocating for Joanah, Cecilia and Netsai from the moment they were taken by the police to date.
Nassim Papayianni is a senior campaigner on Iran at Amnesty International. She joined Amnesty International in 2011 campaigning and researching on a wide range of human rights issues in Iran, such as freedom of expression, association, and assembly; the death penalty; due process; and discrimination. Prior to joining Amnesty International, Nassim Papayianni worked as a lawyer practicing US immigration law in the UK and is a member of the State Bar of California.
Dr. Roja Fazaeli is Associate Professor in Islamic Civilisations and a Fellow of Trinity College Dublin. She is also the Warden of Trinity Hall, a residential learning community of Trinity College Dublin comprising more than 900 students. Roja has published widely on the subjects of Islamic feminisms, women religious authorities, women’s rights in Iran, and the relationship between human rights and religion. She is the recipient of a European Research Council Consolidator grant to lead a five-year project (2023-2028) on Building Conceptual and Methodological Expertise for the Study of Gender, Agency, and Authority in Islam (BILQIS). Roja is also a principal investigator on a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions funded project investigating the nature of hate in society (NETHATE). Roja is currently the chairperson of the board of directors of Immigrant Council of Ireland, and a member of the board of directors of Front Line Defenders and Azadi Andisheh (Association for Freedom of Thought). Roja has also been the Scholars at Risk representative in Trinity College Dublin since 2009, and was previously on the boards of the Irish Refugee Council and Amnesty International Ireland.
