Nationwide protests in Iran against a 50% fuel price hike over the last few days has seen widespread suppression by the Islamic regime of Iran’s security forces leaving at least 200 dead, hundreds injured and over a thousand arrested. The use of overwhelming force by security forces has been coupled with an Internet black out to prevent news of the uprising and its suppression from reaching the outside world. The protestors are targeting Islamic rule and the clerical dictatorship, including by attacking religious institutions and seminaries, banks, police stations and representations of the clerical leadership.

The protests in Iran follow mass and ongoing protests in Iraq and Lebanon over the past month. In Iraq, more than 300 people have been killed and at least 15,000 wounded. In Lebanon, the protesters have gained victories despite attempts to violent suppression, the last of which was cancelling the parliamentary session for the second time in a row, after protesters blocked all roads leading to parliament.

In all three countries, protestors are demanding jobs, improved services, an end to corruption, sectarianism and the interventions of the Islamic regime of Iran in the region. In Iraq many shouted: “Neither Sunnism nor Shiaism, but Secularism”. In Iran, slogans included “We don’t want an Islamic regime” and in Lebanon, demonstrators demanded that those in power be deposed by saying “All of them means all of them, Nasrallah is one of them” referring to the Islamist leader. The protests are deeply secular, with young people and women taking the lead.

We call on the public to show unequivocal support and solidarity with the protests and defend universal rights, freedoms and demands for secularism. We also call on the public to mobilise condemnation of government forces, including Islamic militia, that are suppressing popular and legitimate uprisings for a better tomorrow.

Nov.22, 2019

Signatories

Maryam Namazie, Political Activist, Iran/UK

Sami Abdallah, Co-founder of Freethought Lebanon

Ahlam Akram, Basira for Universal Women’s Rights

Ali Rizvi, Author

Armin Navabi, Atheist Republic

Ashkan, Ex-musulmani d’Italia and Republica degli atei

Barry Duke, Editor of The Freethinker and Pink Humanist

Cemal Knudsen Yucel, Founder of Ex-Muslims of Norway

Cinzia Sciuto, Editor of MicroMega and Journalist

Dan Barker and Annie Laurie Gaylor, Co-Presidents, Freedom From Religion Foundation

Ensaf Haidar, Raif Badawi Foundation for Freedom

Ex-Muslims of India

Ex-Muslims of Tamil Nadu

Fauzia Ilyas, Founder of Atheist & Agnostic Alliance Pakistan

Gita Sahgal, Spokesperson, One Law for All

Halaleh Taheri, Founder, Middle Eastern Women and Society organisation

Kongra Star Womens Movement in North and East Syria

Halima Salat, Ex-Muslim Somali Voices

Harris Sultan, Author and Activist

Ibtissame Betty Lachgar, Co-founder of Mouvement Alternatif pour les Libertés Individuelles - Morocco

Iman Soleymani Amiri, Researcher and Writer

Irreligious Community of Sri Lanka

Jenny Wenhammar, FEMEN Sweden

Karrar Al Asfoor, Iraqi Liberal Activist

Keith Porteous Wood, President, National Secular Society

Lars Alm, Ateistene Norway

Lisa-Marie Taylor, CEO, FiLiA

Maria MacLachlan, Women’s Rights Campaigner

Marieme Helie Lucas, Algerian Sociologist and Founder of Secularism is a Woman’s Issue

Marwa Radwan Wain, Youtuber

Mersedeh Ghaedi, Spokesperson, Iran Tribunal London

Mina Ahadi, Worker-communist Party of Iran

Nacer Amari, President and Founder of Prometheus-Europe

Nadia El Fani, Filmmaker

Nahla Mahmoud, Human Rights Campaigner

Nastaran Goodarzi, Ex-Muslims of Scandinavia

Nina Sankari, Vice President of Kazimierz ?yszczynski Foundation

Patty Debonitas, Activist

Peter Tatchell, Human Rights Campaigner

Pragna Patel, Director, Southall Black Sisters

Rahila Gupta, Writer and Journalist

Rishvin Ismath, Council of Ex-Muslims of Sri Lanka

Rumana Hashem, Director, Community Women Against Abuse & Phulbari Solidarity Group

Sadia Hameed, Spokesperson, Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain

Samir Noory, Left Worker communist party of Iraq

Sanal Edamaruku, President, Rationalist International

Shakila Taranum Maan, Filmmaker

Soad Baba Aissa, Activist and Feminist

Stephen Evans, Executive Director, National Secular Society

Steven Pinker, Cognitive Psychologist, Linguist, and Science Author

Taher Djafarizad, President, Associazione Neda Day

Taslima Nasrin, Writer

Usama al-Binni, Administrator, Arab Atheist Network and Editor, Arab Atheists Magazine

Waleed Wain, Youtuber

Wissam Charafeddine, Co-Founder, Muslimish

Women Defend Rojava

Yasmin Rehman, Women’s Rights Campaigner

Yoeri Albrecht, Director, De Balie

Yukthivadi Sangham India

Zara Kay, Faithless Hijabi

Zehra Pala, Activist of the Atheism Association of Turkey

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