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From the International Emergency Campaign to Free Iran’s Political Prisoners Now (IEC)

A Most Timely Webinar:

Persistent Brave Resistance by Iran’s Women Prisoners Up Against Execution Surge and Threats of Wider Regional War

Revcom.us editors’ note: We received the following from the International Emergency Campaign to Free Iran’s Political Prisoners Now (IEC).

Announcement about IEC Webinar

 

A timely, spirited and informative webinar took place on Sunday, August 25, with over 70 people—in at least 4 countries and 10 cities—participating via zoom or in-house at the First Unitarian Universalist Society of San Francisco (UUSF). Watch the full video on our website: https://bit.ly/Webinar-IEC-UUSF.

The event was inspired by the political prisoners in Iran, especially the women in Iran’s Evin prison, and spotlighted their urgent struggle against a surge of executions taking place in Iran. The speakers all brought heart and substance to the webinar’s theme. While coming from different perspectives, each gave a view of a facet of an alarming yet complex situation that challenged the audience. There was a spirit of unity in the genuine care and support for Iran’s political prisoners, in opposing the Islamic Republic’s theocracy, AS WELL AS  in opposing U.S. imperialism.

The event was co-hosted by the International Emergency Campaign to Free Iran’s Political Prisoners Now (IEC) and the Global Conversations Group of the UUSF. It opened with the reading of a warm welcome message from UUSF Minister, Rev. Millie Phillips, followed by presentations from the four speakers.

Professor Stephen Zunes1 set the stage by giving a compressed yet accessible overview of some of the historical and current dynamics of the Middle East. Lili Babayi2 highlighted the long history of the regime's oppressive rule, and the tenacious, heroic resistance of women in Iran. Gavrilah Wells3 used a PowerPoint to graphically show the gut-wrenching statistics of Iran’s recent execution surges. Dolly Veale4 spoke to the responsibility of people in the U.S. to bring forward another way in the interest of humanity—through the IEC’s work, as well as through engaging the revolutionary leader @BobAvakianOfficial on possibly ending the system of U.S. imperialism in this “rare time.”

Two powerful poems contributed a unique and lively cultural component—a hallmark of IEC events. Rafael J. González sent a short solidarity comment to accompany a previously recorded video of his poem in Spanish and English “El Cabello de la Mujer/The Hair of Women.” Raymond Nat Turner joined via Zoom to give a live reading of his new work “Can we walk, talk, chew gum, text and BREATHE at the same time?” There were heartfelt solidarity messages from individuals in the Seattle (Dan Ellsberg) chapter of Veterans For Peace, and from Sharat Lin of San Jose Peace and Justice Center.

We encourage everyone to watch, spread and utilize this video—of this one-of-a-kind internationalist webinar—especially as high school and college classes are opening for the new school year at this extraordinary and challenging moment in the world and in the U.S. Join us to reach a goal of 500 views on our YouTube channel by September 10 (as we write on 8/31, it is at about 120 views between the UUSF and the IEC YouTube channels combined (in addition to the 8/25 audience of about 70). 

Write us your comments, suggestions and reports—and to volunteer and donate. Stay tuned for news and announcements in September of events that will mark the 36th anniversary of the Islamic Republic’s 1988 massacre of its political prisoners, and/or for the second anniversary of Mahsa Jina Amini’s murder (that sparked Iran’s historic 2022-2023 uprising). Share your plans and reports—inside Iran, in the Iranian Diaspora, and worldwide. Write us at FreeIransPoliticalPrisonersNow@gmail.com

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FOOTNOTES:

1.  STEPHEN ZUNES, Professor of Politics and International Studies at the University of San Francisco, founding director of the program in Middle East Studies.  [back]

2.  LILI BABAYI, a revolutionary communist, supporter of the Communist Party of Iran MLM and a follower of revolutionary leader Bob Avakian. She is fighting to put an end to the oppression of women and of LGBTQ in Iran and around the world. She thinks this is not possible without breaking with the system of capitalism-imperialism and Islamic fundamentalism as part of that.  [back]

3.  GAVRILAH WELLS, a longtime human rights activist and social justice advocate. She is the Coordinator for Amnesty International USA (AIUSA) Group 30 based in San Francisco, and is an AIUSA Death Penalty Abolition Coordinator for California.  [back]

4.  DOLLY VEALE, a co-initiator of the IEC, together with longtime feminist and abortion advocate Carol Downer. Dolly is a spokesperson for the IEC. She is also a contributing writer to revcom.us, and contributes to revcom’s “American Crime” series.  [back]