SOAS stands against the Iranian state’s brutality
Professor Adam Habib joins national calls to condemn the Iranian authorities following the death of a young Kurdish woman who was arrested for wearing a hijab ‘improperly’. The incident has sparked world-wide protests.
SOAS University of London joins other academic institutions worldwide in condemning the recent brutality of security forces in Iran against peaceful demonstrations supporting women’s freedom and citizenship rights.
Last month Mahsa (Zhina) Amini was detained by the morality police in Iran, for breaking hijab rules and later died in custody.
In response, the compelling chant, ‘Woman, Life, Freedom!’ originally translated from Kurdish, has echoed throughout the streets of major cities in Iran and beyond.
Consequently, human rights organisations have documented the crackdown on public protests, including the discharge of live ammunition and increased numbers of arrests.
Security forces have entered university campuses and intimidated staff and students. Using Internet blackouts, the regime has attempted to slow down the flow of information and evidence from inside the country.
Professor Adam Habib, SOAS Director commented:
“SOAS has a long history of supporting and promoting scholarship on Iran.
‘We therefore condemn the Islamic Republic’s use of force against peaceful protesters on the streets and within university campuses.
“We express our solidarity with the legitimate demands of Iranians for freedom and the establishment of an independent UN mechanism to ensure accountability under international law.
“Our thoughts are with Mahsa’s family and friends during this abhorrent time and we stand with them in this quest for justice."
