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More than 40 students from Saint Louis University and Washington University gathered at the clock tower Wednesday morning to stand in solidarity with Iran protesting against the Islamic Republic of Iran . The demonstration was organized by the Cross Cultural Center of SLU, the Center for Social Action and the Iranian Students for Freedom. The Iranian Scholars for Liberty is a collective group of Iranian scholars from universities around the globe whose mission is to amplify the voice of the people of Iran.
The Islamic Republic has experienced a number of anti-government protests following the death of Iranian-Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini. He died in the custody of the morality police on September 16 after being arrested for wearing clothes considered inappropriate. The protesters are calling for the overthrow of the Iranian theocracy.
University of Washington medical student Amir Kucharski hosted the demonstration.
“This is no longer a riot or a protest, it’s a revolution,” Kucharski said.
He urged those who attended the demonstration to understand the gravity of the situation and its global implications by comparing the ongoing crises in the Middle East to the beginning of the Second World War.
“The parallels are unmistakable and that is why we need to be the voice of freedom. Not only because we need to defend human rights everywhere, but because if we do not defend human rights everywhere, human rights will be affected everywhere,” Kucharski said.
Two SLU students, Nikolay Remizov, a sophomore, and Abtin Alizadeh, a freshman, also spoke at the rally. Remizov addressed the mass killings of Kurdish protesters by the Islamic Republic.
“To date, the regime of the Islamic Republic has killed more than 120 Kurdish people and arrested more than 1,300 people whose lives are at risk of the death penalty,” said Remizov. “A full genocide is happening in Iran and we have to be their voice.”
Alizadeh presented a list of demands aimed at academic and government institutions.
“In solidarity with the people of Iran. For women, life, freedom,” said Alizadeh.
The questions were centered on students as many Iranian students, in particular, women, face restrictions in access to education. denied access to education.
Alizadeh and Iranian Students for Freedom asked the following:
- To issue an official statement condemning and demanding an end to the assault on the academic community in Iran.
- Boycott Iranian university officials and academics who have actively facilitated and facilitate the Regime’s attacks on Iranian students and scholars; this includes the prevention of their participation in international events and conferences, their collaboration to the discourse and scientific publications and their presence in academic institutions.
- To provide protective and facilitative measures for Iranian scholars at risk or in exile; measures include the creation of scholarships, explicit application processes; waiver of tuition and application fees, and other hosting actions.
- To establish and promote educational activities including funding programs and academic research projects that raise awareness of the human rights situation in Iran; workshops, panel discussions, conferences and publications can be called on this matter both in the short and long term.
- To disengage with the Regime lobbyists who promote the Regime’s propaganda, and to amplify the collective voice of the Iranian people.
- To demand a firm and unequivocal release of all political prisoners and detainees of the current revolution in Iran and to support international organizations including the UN and all its branches to apply maximum international pressure to make the Regime responsible for their crimes and violations against humans. rights
- To request the cessation and refrain from any agreement or action that will help financially or otherwise the Regime.
Dr. Fred Pestello, president of Saint Louis University, attended part of the event and promoted it on his Instagram with the caption: “Today, demonstrations in solidarity with the protesters in Iran will take place at @SLU_Official and at over 150 universities around the globe. . We stand in support of our Iranian students and scholars who are raising their voices for human rights, dignity and freedom. #CampusRallyforIran.
Kucharski ended the rally by urging people to call their legislators and ask them to pass Concurrent House 110 and Senate Concurrent Resolution 47. These bills are officially “praising the bravery, courage and determination of the women and men of Iran who are demonstrating in more than 80 cities and risking their safety to speak out against the human rights abuses of the Iranian regime.” The event was hosted in conjunction with a call defense day sponsored by the Cross-Cultural Center and the Center for Social Action supporting the same bills.
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