Paul Scarr (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Multicultural Engagement) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to associate myself with the remarks of my fellow senators on this very, very important occasion and this extremely important matter on the second anniversary of the unlawful death in custody of Jina Mahsa Amini on 16 September 2022. I want to read from a release put out by the United Nations Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on the Islamic Republic of Iran on 13 September 2024. It's titled 'Update on the situation of women and girls in the context of the September 2022 protests and the "Woman, Life, Freedom" movement in the Islamic Republic of Iran'. I quote:

… from the months preceding this anniversary of the September 2022 protests, State authorities—

that is, Iranian state authorities—

have expanded repressive measures and policies to further deprive women and girls of their fundamental rights.

Further:

Between July and September 20224, arrests and detention of family members of protesters killed in the context of the movement also intensified …

Just reflect on that. These are Iranian families who've lost family members who died as a result of these protests and as a result of the actions of the Iranian regime, and now these family members of protesters who've been killed are themselves being subject to persecution, particularly in Iran's minority provinces, including Sistan and Baluchestan, Kurdistan and West Azerbaijan. The report continues:

On this day, the Mission reiterates its call to the Islamic Republic of Iran to investigate and prosecute crimes against protesters, including women and girls … In light of ongoing persecutory acts against women and girls, coupled with the absence of meaningful justice and accountability for protesters and their families within Iran, States must continue to place the situation of women and girls in the Islamic Republic of Iran high on the international agenda.

That is what we're doing here today, and it is fit and proper that we do so.

I want to pay tribute to some of the courageous women who continue to fight for freedom within the borders of Iran. I speak of Zhina Modares Gorji, a Kurdish women's rights activist who was arrested by plain-clothes agents in September 2022 and was sentenced by the Revolutionary Court to 21 years in prison and internal exile for her public support, including on social media, of the Woman, Life, Freedom movement. I pay tribute to Sharifeh Mohammadi, a labour activist originally from East Azerbaijan province and residing in Rasht city, who was sentenced to death by branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court for armed rebellion against the state, based on allegations of membership of an opposition group. I pay tribute to Pakshan Azizi, a Kurdish activist, who was the second woman sentenced to death in July. On 17 July 2024, branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court in Tehran sentenced Ms Azizi on charges of so-called armed rebellion against the state—again, for her alleged membership of the Kurdistan Free Life Party. I pay tribute to Varisheh Moradi and Nasim Simiari, two women activists who remain at serious risk of the death penalty, having been charged with the same national security offences. And I pay tribute to Nobel Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi, who has continued to advocate for equality and freedom as part of the Woman, Life, Freedom movement while she has been in custody.

This chamber will continue to advocate to support those seeking freedom within the borders of Iran, and we will continue to advocate for and show solidarity with our wonderful Iranian diaspora across the whole of Australia. I say to the Iranian government and to the Iranian regime: any threats, any persecution or any attack on those within our borders who form part of the Iranian diaspora is an attack on this institution, an attack on our freedoms and an attack on every single elected member of parliament. We are watching, we are supporting our Iranian diaspora and we support Woman, Life, Freedom.