Iranian-Canadians rally in support of protests in Iran on the steps of CMHR

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This article was published 08/10/2022 (1064 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

More than 100 Iranian-Canadians protested in Winnipeg on the steps of Canadian Museum for Human Rights Saturday as anti-government demonstrations continue to roil Iran.

The rally came as the protests in Iran over the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman detained by the country’s morality police, have stretched into their fourth week, even after authorities disrupted the internet, deployed riot troops and attacked perceived enemies abroad.

Dozens are estimated to have been killed and hundreds arrested in the theocratic government’s crackdown on the protests, which began Sept. 17 after Amini’s burial, who had been detained for an alleged violation of strict Islamic dress codes for women.

“No to mandatory hijab,” chanted the Winnipeg protesters.

The demonstrators held placards and signs in Amini’s memory, chanting slogans calling for women’s rights to be respected — and the regime toppled.

“People in Iran are not backing down. They keep fighting, they stand in front of bullets. It’s the least we can do in a free and democratic country where we won’t be beaten up or killed for gathering,” said Arian Arianpour, president of the Iranian Community of Manitoba cultural association.

“This is the least we can do to support Iranians protesting for their basic rights and against the existence of the regime.”

On Friday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said more than 10,000 members of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard will be barred from Canadian soil as he announced tougher new immigration measures against the Iranian regime.

Arianpour, a 38-year-old former journalist who moved to Winnipeg from Iran in 2018, said the federal government’s move Friday was a good step.

“We have been working with the community, with media, with politicians to raise our voice, raise awareness and pressure the federal government to act,” he said of the work the cultural association has done in recent weeks.

“Until yesterday, it was only calling on the regime, which was appreciated, but more needed to be done. Yesterday’s announcement is a huge step, but there are still steps that need to be taken.”

The Canadian federal government should impose harsher sanctions on Iran’s government, Arianpour said, noting that is his personal opinion, not that of the cultural association.

“Anything even remotely related to the regime must be sanctioned,” he said.

“Iranians are being killed — again — in this new round of protests… I’m not expecting foreign governments to topple the regime, but they shouldn’t make it easier for them to crack down on the protesters.”

Along with other speakers on the steps of the museum in downtown Winnipeg, Arianpour gave a short speech about what the cultural association has done and read a message from Terry Duguid, Liberal MP for Winnipeg South, who could not attend because of an illness.

Shima Talebi, who has lived in Canada 24 years, attended the protest with her husband, their two children and extended family despite a recent surgery that left her in a medical walking boot.

“The terrorist regime of Iran must go, we are the voice of the people of Iran — all we can do is support (the protesters). We want freedom for all the people in Iran,” said Talebi, 39, adding she wants people connected to the Iranian government expelled from Canada.

“That’s what we want Justin Trudeau to do.”

— with files from the Associated Press and the Canadian Press

erik.pindera@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @erik_pindera