By Kayhan Life Staff
On 8 Nov., a demonstration was held in London to raise awareness about the ongoing persecution of women in Iran. Iranian and non-Iranian activists marched from Parliament Square to Trafalgar Square, dressed as Handmaids from Margaret Atwood’s novel, The Handmaid’s Tale.
The protest was organized by Stage of Freedom. Ellie Borhan, the group’s founder, explained, “The Handmaid’s Tale outfits have become a symbol of female oppression in pop culture; that’s why we wear them. It is not for any man, religion, or government to dictate what we do with our bodies or how we choose to dress.”
Zara Agharezaie, a documentary maker, wore purple and striped underwear in solidarity with Ahoo Daryaie, a 30-year-old doctoral student at Tehran’s Islamic Azad University. Daryaie had removed her clothing on campus after being harassed by the morality police regarding her hijab.
Agharezaie expressed to KayhanLife that Daryaie’s bravery inspired her to participate in the performance, stating, “In this cold weather, even with my illness, I want to be the voice of Ahoo so that everyone can see and hear what the Islamic Republic is doing to the girls and women of Iran.”
Reports from international rights groups indicate that security forces severely beat Daryaie before her arrest before being detained and subsequently. Following her detention, she was labelled mentally unwell by university officials, a common tactic used by the Iranian regime to discredit dissenters.
Agharezaie had “The Ekbatan Kids” written across her body. The phrase refers to eight men, all under 30, who face imminent execution. The Center for Human Rights in Iran reports that interrogators subjected these detainees to physical and psychological torture to extract false confessions.
A revolutionary court tried the young men behind closed doors for “waging war” and “acting against national security” after they were arrested for killing a member of the Bassij paramilitary force in an apartment complex in Tehran called Ekbatan during the 2022 nationwide protests in Iran. Those demonstrations, which continued into 2023, were sparked by the death of Mahsa (Jina) Amini in the custody of the morality police.
The Stage of Freedom uses artistic performance to raise awareness about the brutal treatment of peaceful protesters in Iran and to engage the British public.
Woman Strips off Clothes at Iran University in Apparent Protest, Reports Say
