IRAN, 20 June 2017— Tens of thousands of Iranians will gather in Paris, on July 1st, for the Annual “Free Iran” Rally to bring freedom and democracy for their homeland. Each year, The Iranian opposition movement (PMOI/MEK) organizes this convention. The event is especially anticipated by the Iranian youth, who look forward to a time when they can come together and support human rights.
The Iranian people are plagued by arrests, ill-treatment, and executions of Iran’s youth population, of whom reports indicate 10 inmates were executed merely a few days after the 2017 Iranian elections, including 30-year-old Abdulkarim Shahnavazi.
Reports also emerged about 24-year-old Diyako Hashemi, who was killed under torture by Iranian intelligence agents. Additionally, two men in their 30s were sentenced to have their fingers amputated, and 90 children were also arrested in Sepidan, central Iran.
The regime in Iran has a history of raiding gatherings and parties, and imprisoning the attendees, which has escalated in recent years.
Hunger strikes contine, as political prisoner Ms. Atena Daemi refused food for 54 days in protest against the arrest of her sisters. Political prisoner Arash Sadeghi was lasted for a shocking 71 days without food, in protest over the imprisonment of his wife, Golrokh Iraee.
During President Hassan Rouhani’s first term, over 3000 were people were executed, including many in their 20s and 30s. Targeting youth one of the ways the regime aims to prevent anti-government uprisings. But, youth supporters of the PMOI see the Iranian opposition’s convention as an opportunity to raise awareness and bring attention to the plight of their people.
A civil engineering student in Norway, Ehsan Qaraee, plans to attend the convention for the fifth time since he left Iran. While living inside Iran, Qaraee witnessed young children working and begging in the streets to make money for their family and put food on the table. These children cannot attend school. “As long as this regime is in power, I realized the suffering will continue. By participating in the Iranian opposition convention, I can be the voice of those children; voice of the voiceless,” Qaraee said. He added that, “Gatherings like this can bring hope among people in Iran, specifically to youth and women who are direct targets of the regime.”
Not only does Qaraee see the benefit of the convention of freedom-loving Iranians, but Syrians and all who seek peace in the Middle East, as well. “The only solution to end these human rights violations in Iran and the region is to help the Iranian people and the Iranian Resistance overthrow this barbaric regime and establish a state based on democracy, freedom and respect to its neighbors,” Qaraee said.
A psychology student in London, Nargis Rahmanfard, has been attending the annual convention since 2004. Born in Ahvaz, she left Iranwith her family when she was 7 years old. “The arresting of young people at parties, the poverty, suppression of ethnic minorities, suppression of women in Iran are violations that do not have a place in the 21st century, yet are enforced every day to keep the regime in power,” Rahmanfard said, referring toReyhaneh Jabbari, a 27-year-old woman executed for defending herself against sexual assault by an Iranian intelligence member. “She was executed for defending herself against sexual assault.”
Rahmanfard went on to highlight the significance of the upcoming event, and her responsibility to attend. “I believe that all freedom-loving Iranians have a duty to come together and spread awareness about what is happening behind closed doors … As an Iranian youth, I feel it is my duty to represent other youth my age inside Iran and those that do not have the same opportunities I do,” Rahmanfard continued.“If they are risking their lives in Iran, how can I, as a citizen living in a free country, not do anything to take at least a little of the weight off their shoulders?”
Both Qaraee and Rahmanfard are supporters of the Iranian opposition leader and the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) President-elect Maryam Rajavi’s 10-point-plan for a future Iran. Rajavi advocates a free, democratic, and secular Iran. Mrs. Rajavi calls for separation of church and state and reiterates its importance as its non-existent under the Iranian regime. Many are persecuted and imprisoned simply because of their faith.
Rahmanfard said, “In a future and free Iran, Christians, Jews, Sunnis, Shias, Kurds, Baluchis, Arabs and all others who make Iran beautiful should be able to live together in peace.”
The “Free Iran” Rally in Paris this July will be a platform for Iranian youth share their views about the regime, and join the call for its overthrow. Iranian youth support the movement for democracy led by Rajavi, and seek a free, democratic Iran.
