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This photograph was taken in Wellington during a first part of a two-stage protest organised by the Iranian Solidarity Group on 24 November 2022. The event aimed to draw attention to the Woman, Life, Freedom movement and oppression of women in Iran. The first rally was held at the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the second on Parliament grounds.
In this image, a mix of protesters can be seen gathered on the road outside the Iranian embassy in Hataitai, some wearing white T-shirts stained with red handprints or bearing the words 'Woman Life Freedom' on them. Among the protesters are supporters of the Iranian monarchy (which fell during the Iranian Revolution in 1979, leading to the establishment of the current government, the Islamic Republic). They can be seen waving the flag of the Imperial State of Iran.
Woman, Life, Freedom protests
On September 13th, 2022, a Kurdish-Iranian woman Jina (Mahsa) Amini was arrested and beaten by morality police in Tehran for improperly wearing her hijab. She later died in hospital as a result of her injuries on the 16th of September. The brutality of her arrest and subsequent passing sparked protests across Iran, beginning the Woman, Life, Freedom, movement. This slogan, translated from the original Kurdish “Jin, Jiyan, Azadî,” was a rallying cry that originated in the Kurdish women’s movement. It was used along with other anti-regime slogans. These protests were widespread across the country and were violently suppressed by the Iranian Government leading to the arrest of 22,000 protesters and people connected to them from 2022 into 2023. Media and communications blackouts were another tactic used to supress and isolate protest action.
Protests against the Iranian government and their oppression of women’s rights were held internationally, including in Aotearoa New Zealand. These were staged across the country in the direct aftermath of Amini’s death, as well as ongoing protests and events to bring attention to the continuing struggle. New Zealand’s response has included condemnation and travel bans on Iranian security forces. Squares, streets, and parks were named in Jina Amini’s memory in cities such as London, Ottawa, Paris, and Vienna.