{"id":50551,"date":"2023-09-29T09:31:21","date_gmt":"2023-09-29T07:31:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/iranfreedom.org\/en\/?p=50551"},"modified":"2023-09-29T09:31:21","modified_gmt":"2023-09-29T07:31:21","slug":"iags-president-prof-melanie-obrien-speech-to-the-new-york-rally-in-support-of-uprisings-for-a-democratic-republic-in-iran","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/iranfreedom.org\/en\/activities-outside-iran\/2023\/09\/iags-president-prof-melanie-obrien-speech-to-the-new-york-rally-in-support-of-uprisings-for-a-democratic-republic-in-iran\/50551\/","title":{"rendered":"IAGS President Prof. Melanie O\u2019Brien Speech to the New York Rally in Support of Uprisings for a Democratic Republic in Iran"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\"IAGS — ^{IAGS President Prof. Melanie O\u2019Brien<\/sup><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nDuring a great rally<\/a> held in New York on September 19, 2023, IAGS President Prof. Melanie O\u2019Brien delivered a speech. The rally was held outside the UN in support of uprisings for a democratic republic in Iran and in condemnation of the Iranian regime and its president, Ebrahim Raisi<\/a>, during the session of the United Nations General Assembly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The text of Prof. Melanie O\u2019Brien\u2019s speech follows:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
What a privilege it is for us all to be here, holding this rally, and speaking at this rally. A privilege that we are free to congregate as a group and raise our voices against the scourge of tyranny in Iran, without fear of violence from the authorities. A privilege that those in Iran do not have, where they take great risks to go out and protest, as they have done over the past year since the death of Mahsa Amini <\/a>and in the years beforehand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Iranian regime is so terrified of free speech that they have locked down cities and towns, they have detained her father, and they have spread the IRGC everywhere to discourage anyone from commemorating the one-year anniversary of her wrongful death.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That is why it is so important for us to use our privilege to stand here today, in the United States and outside the United Nations, where Ebrahim Raisi<\/a> is today, and raise our voices against the tyranny and human rights abuses of his authoritarian regime.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So let me hear you make some noise against Raisi in the UN!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I know that I am also privileged, as a professor, to stand here and speak with freedom. I know there are many professors out there in this crowd today, and I hope you also feel the importance of being here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Iranian regime is targeting professors and universities. This is a typical action from an authoritarian regime. They never want anyone to question them or to question their actions, so they clamp down on the very people who teach critical thinking, who question the regime\u2019s way of doing things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, I stand here in solidarity with the professors of Iran who find themselves targeted by Raisi\u2019s regime. I am also privileged, as a woman, to stand here and speak with freedom. It is the death of one young woman, Mahsa Amini, after her arrest by the morality police that has driven this current uprising in the past year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Women are leading the uprising, so to the women of Iran, I say we stand here in solidarity and encourage you to continue your protests, to grow your numbers, and stand up against this sexist and discriminatory regime. Stand on the streets and protest to bring down Raisi and his corrupt and criminal regime.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, I get to stand here, we all get to stand here and say that it is unacceptable that Ebrahim Raisi is here today, in front of us, at the United Nations, speaking to the General Assembly. Raisi, a former member of the death commission that oversaw the 1988 massacres<\/a> of thousands of people detained in Iran, solely because they opposed the regime in power. Raisi, was a perpetrator of human rights abuses and crimes against humanity in 1988, including torture, extrajudicial executions, and enforced disappearances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Raisi, who in his current role as president, oversees a regime that continues to violate human rights and target protesters, professors, girls and women, and anyone who dares speak out against the regime\u2019s brutal conduct, which again includes detention for political reasons, torture, rape, and killing, with hundreds of people killed since the protests began a year ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n#prosecuteRaisiNow<\/a>! Huge turnout for the #FreeIran<\/a> protest at #UN<\/a> #NYC<\/a> today, to protest President of #Iran<\/a>, Raisi, speaking at the UNGA. pic.twitter.com\/3C8iQgHiWD<\/a><\/p>\u2014 Dr Melanie O'Brien (@DrMelOB) September 19, 2023<\/a><\/blockquote>}