On the occasion of International Day of Elimination of Violence against Women
On the International Day of Violence against Women, Maryam Rajavi, saluted all Iranian brave women who have stood up against one of the most violent dictatorial regimes in the world, all women political prisoners in Khamenei’s prisons, and all women around the world who are struggling against all types of violence, cruelty, oppression, discrimination and inequality. She said, “Today, we remember all the women around the world who during the past year became the victims of cruelty and inequality and suffered from all types of violence.”
Pointing out that “Oppression and violence against women is the basis for ruling and an essential leverage for this regime’s survival”, Rajavi said, “They have ruled the country over past three decades by imposing discrimination, torture and aggression against women. Torturing and execution of tens of thousands of struggling women and girls, including as young as 13 year old girls, pregnant women and elderly mothers is only part of this regime’s record. A so called religious fatwa issued to justify raping women prisoners has been the guideline for judicial, intelligence and security organs and also the torturers of the mullahs’ antihuman and anti-Islam regime for the past three decade; an ignominious record of this regime’s crimes that is unprecedented in the contemporary history of mankind.”
“Systematic violence against women consists of numerous bans in various aspects including freedom to choose clothing, right to divorce, right to travel, right to employment and many other fundamental human rights. However, when it comes to women’s right to fight for their country’s freedom, the ruling criminals resort to all types of crimes against women who dare to stand against this regime. Thousands of imprisoned women have been tortured, and PMOI women members and those struggling against this regime have lost their lives, and all the inhumane pressures imposed against the 1,000 women in Ashraf and Liberty, are all proofs of this fact,” said Maryam Rajavi.
Rajavi added, “In the latest attack against Ashraf on 1 September 2013, 52 PMOI members were killed, including six women, and six other women were taken hostage. They are currently in the custody of Iraqi forces and are facing the grave threat of being extradited to the criminal mullahs.”
She emphasized, “Today, efforts to save the lives of these hostages and supporting the security of the women in Liberty, have become a vital humanitarian duty and especially the responsibility of the equality movement. Many of these pioneering women have been imprisoned in the regime’s dungeons for years; and most of them have three decades of resistance experience, making them valuable assets of the equality movement.”
Referring to the fact that the mullahs’ regime has the pivotal role in imposing violence against women and exporting misogynous viewpoints to the countries of the region, Maryam Rajavi described the struggle to change this regime as an important step in eliminating violence against women in the Middle East and the entire world. Rajavi went on to call on women across the globe to rise in defense of the rights and providing security for the women in Liberty, and also all the suppressed women in Iran.
Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran
November 20, 2013
