On November 5, in a show of solidarity, members of the UK House of Lords convened with Women for a Free Iran in Parliament to support the women-led movement in Iran fighting for human rights and freedom under the banner “Women, Resistance, Freedom.” The event, attended by British lawmakers and Iranian activists, brought attention to the courageous struggle of Iranian women against oppressive laws and human rights abuses.
Rosa Zarei, the event host and daughter of a former political prisoner, opened the meeting. Zarei highlighted the urgent need to address the repression Iranian women face, saying, “Iranian women and girls have bravely stood at the frontline of the struggle for dignity, equality, and justice, facing grave adversity, risking their safety, and sacrificing their well-being to demand the same fundamental rights many of us here take for granted.” She emphasized that their rallying cry, “Women, Resistance, Freedom,” reflects universal values, as Iranian women strive not just for personal freedoms, but for the core human rights of safety, dignity, and autonomy.
Among the speakers was Baroness Beverley Hughes of Stretford, a long-time advocate for women’s rights and a Labour member of the House of Lords, who spoke passionately about the strength of Iranian women leading this movement. “The battles that the women of Iran are fighting make our battles seem insignificant, although they’re not,” she said, commending the courage of Iranian women who risk their lives and families to stand up against a repressive regime. “Their resistance is a bulwark for the more fundamental change of the political, economic, and social system in Iran,” she added, urging that their courage deserves every possible support.
Baroness Meyer offered a personal connection to the struggle, sharing her family’s history of persecution and repression. “Freedom for women is very close to my heart,” she expressed. Reflecting on her visit to Iran, Baroness Meyer described the suffocating reality faced by Iranian women, expressing her strong support for their right to freedom and an end to dictatorship.
Speaking next was Baroness Redfern, who voiced her horror at the recent wave of executions in Iran, including the deaths of over 250 people since July and several women executed in October. “There must be an end to the Mullahs’ Sharia law and the banning of Islamic revolutionary courts,” she insisted, calling for fundamental rights such as freedom of expression, the press, and the ability to make personal choices. Redfern urged Iranian women and girls to “never lose heart” and assured them that their bravery was recognized and supported internationally.
We need more parliamentarians to join this movement. Please retweet and show your support. https://t.co/tQOZnhIBdZ
— Baroness Meyer, CBE (@ladylilo2) November 8, 2024
Baroness Verma underscored the importance of global parliamentary support for Iranian women’s rights in an emotionally charged address. Citing her special relationship with the President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, Verma stated, “I am a good friend of the women of Iran who have fought without any fear for their lives.” She called on her fellow parliamentarians worldwide to amplify these women’s voices, urging, “If good people stay silent, evil prevails.” Verma emphasized that unity and action from the international community are essential to challenge the Iranian regime’s oppression.
Dr. Elaheh Zabihi, president of Women for a Free Iran, provided a powerful overview of the ongoing resistance. She explained how women and young girls led the 2022 uprisings, using graffiti and banners to protest the regime’s leaders. “This slogan, ‘Women, Resistance, Freedom,’ declares that true freedom requires active resistance,” she said. Zabihi also recounted the story of Maryam Akbari Monfared, a mother and political prisoner who has endured 15 years in detention for seeking accountability for her siblings’ executions in the 1980s. Zabihi called for international governments to formally designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization and sever diplomatic ties with Tehran until political prisoners are released. “The situation in Iran is urgent,” she warned, “and without decisive international intervention, repression and violence will continue.”
The gravity of these issues was further illustrated by Monir Hosseini, a former political prisoner and human rights activist who survived torture in the Iranian regime’s detention. “I was arrested in 1983 for supporting the People’s Mujahedin Organization of Iran,” she recalled, describing her months in solitary confinement. Hosseini praised the bravery of current political prisoners participating in the “No to Execution” campaign, which has seen prisoners go on hunger strikes every Tuesday for 41 weeks, despite the harsh conditions in Iranian jails. “This campaign has become a symbol of resistance against the regime’s executions,” she said, urging international support for the NCRI as a viable alternative to the current government.
Tahereh Safdari highlighted the crisis faced by Iran’s educational system, where students and teachers are caught in the regime’s crackdown. She detailed the recent wave of deliberate chemical attacks targeting schools, designed to instill fear and quell dissent. “Students were poisoned in what appeared to be an attempt to scare them and their families,” she explained, recounting protests by teachers and parents demanding school safety and accountability. Mrs. Safdari described the tragic toll on students, with at least 78 killed and many more tortured in custody. She emphasized the courage of Iranian teachers who, despite arrests and intimidation, continue to rally for fair wages, safe schools, and the release of their jailed colleagues. “The bravery of Iran’s students and teachers shows us that the spirit of freedom is alive even in the darkest times,” she concluded, calling for international support and sanctions against Iran’s leadership.
Dr. Yana Solikova, University Researcher, presented a grim overview of the Iranian regime’s systemic human rights violations, particularly against women and youth. Referencing the findings of the International Fact-Finding Mission on Human Rights Violations in Iran, Dr. Solikova highlighted abuses reported since the protests that began in September 2022. She cited the regime’s use of indiscriminate force, arbitrary arrests, torture, and illegal detention targeting not only protesters but also their families, lawyers, and supporters. “Children who were arrested without their family’s knowledge were also abused both physically and sexually, and some even died from torture,” she noted. Dr. Solikova called for a stronger international response, proposing an international conference to amplify victims’ voices and legal avenues like universal jurisdiction to prosecute Iranian officials for these crimes. She concluded by urging a firm end to policies of appeasement toward Iran’s regime, emphasizing that accountability is essential for justice.
Women for a Free Iran, was honoured to have a meeting in UK Parliament with members from House of Lords to explore and address the impact of Iran's women-led movements with the new slogan: Women Resistance Freedom #زن_مقاومت_آزادی pic.twitter.com/ReUMzd1wYg
— Women For a Free Iran (@women_Free_Iran) November 7, 2024
In an unplanned yet heartfelt address, Dr. Shida Oraki shared her solidarity with Iranian resistance forces, recounting the personal cost her family has paid under the Iranian regime. She recalled the tragic death of her sister-in-law, who was tortured and killed in custody for discussing the resistance over the phone. “After her murder, her 12-year-old daughter was also arrested and imprisoned for over a year,” she said, illustrating the regime’s reach and brutality. Reflecting on the 1988 massacre in which three other family members were executed, Dr. Sheila underscored that Iranians’ struggle is a fight for basic freedoms—speech, political participation, and personal liberty. Despite exile and persecution, she expressed optimism, hoping one day to return to Tehran and celebrate freedom in Azadi Square, saying, “Freedom comes from within Iran, with support from those of us outside.”
Finally, Rana Rahmanfard shared a historical perspective on the women’s rights struggle in Iran, from the 1909 Constitutional Revolution through the 1979 anti-monarchic revolution. She noted that women’s calls for equality were ignored under previous governments and actively suppressed by the current regime. “Women have not been deterred from fighting to obtain their most basic rights,” Rahmanfard emphasized. Highlighting the leadership of Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, who has championed a Ten-Point Plan for a free and democratic Iran, she said this vision “brings Iran into the 21st century and into the family of nations who strive for peace, stability, freedom, and equality.” Rahmanfard called on the international community to help end “this misogynist and medieval regime,” saying that the vision of a democratic Iran is not just a dream but an achievable future.
