Eye on Iran’s Protests - March 21, 2024

Anti-Islamic Republic sentiment dominated Nowruz festivities in Iran and around the world. “Woman, Life, Freedom” chants resounded from street gatherings in Iran, despite significant risk of arrest, incarceration, torture, or death. The regime has killed over 500 people since the protest movement began in September 2022—countless others have had their lives destroyed.

The U.N. Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on the Islamic Republic of Iran concluded Jina Mahsa Amini's death was unlawful and that the state was responsible. A year-and-a-half after her death, Iranian women continue to suffer, the chair of the fact-finding mission added in her testimony.

"Martyrs won't die," people chant in the hometown of Jina Mahsa Amini, Iran's Kurdish city of Saqhez, as her father lights the Nowruz bonfire. The fire of Woman, Life, Freedom won't die.

“Woman, Life, Freedom” chants during Nowruz celebration in Saghez.

Nowruz celebrations in Tehran, Iran are marked by youth taking to the streets, chanting slogans like “Woman, Life, Freedom” and “Death to the dictator.”

Another tragedy in Iran: Alireza Khari, a brave Iranian who burned Khamenei's photo in front of the IRGC headquarters and who was released from prison recently, has reportedly taken his own life due to relentless security pressures.

This is a harrowing UN Human Rights Council report on the Islamic Republic of Iran. A 17-year-old boy recounted, “You don’t know what they did to me. They kept telling me to say I killed someone. I was forced to say what they wanted because they raped me with a hosepipe.”