"We are like the Afghan women that the West has abandoned in the hands of the Taliban. Who will defend us to the end? I have no illusions, I saw the tweezers that your President Macron took at UN when he met [Iranian President] Ebrahim Raissi," said Niloufar*, a 39-year-old Iranian protester joined in Tehran.
On the left arm, this office worker has a bruise of about ten centimeters, as evidenced by a photo that she posted on social networks.
"I received a truncheon, the agent hit with all his might," says the one who demonstrated several evenings in a row after work.
"But it's nothing compared to others. Today my arm is better, but my heart is broken."
Like Niloufar, some Iranian protesters are getting impatient.
Ten days passed before the Quai d'Orsay condemned the violent response of the Iranian authorities to the protests which have inflamed Iran every night since the death of the young Mahsa Amini after her arrest by the morality police on September 16.
The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs ended up taking a position on Monday, September 26, in a press release stating the "strongest condemnation of the violent repression, by the Iranian security apparatus, of the demonstrations" in Iran.
"This brutal repression has already led to the death of several dozen demonstrators in recent days", denounced French diplomacy, specifying that Paris was examining with its European partners "the options available in reaction to these new massive attacks on women's rights and human rights in Iran".
Before that, the French president had met, on September 20, with the ultra-conservative Iranian president, Ebrahim Raïssi, in New York, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
A meeting during which he had told his counterpart of the "shock which was his at the news of the death of Mahsa Amini after his arrest", and called for a "transparent investigation".
The French head of state also reported to the press that he "insisted on respect for women's rights" in the country.
Iranian ambassador summoned to Germany
A response considered timorous, as well as the press release from the Quai d'Orsay, if we compare with other partners of France.
Namely Germany, which summoned the Iranian ambassador on Monday morning about the wave of repression of protests, or even Canada, which is going to impose sanctions against a dozen Iranian officials and entities whose vice squad.
Meanwhile, the list of victims of repression continues to grow, without deterring young Iranian demonstrators from returning to the streets after dark.
On Tuesday, September 27, protests continued for the eleventh consecutive night in about ten cities across the country, according to state media and social media posts.
The exact number of victims remains unknown.
At least 41 people were killed, according to an official report including demonstrators and police.
The NGO Iran Human Rights (IHR) reports "at least 76 people killed in the demonstrations".
Information is trickling in as Iranian authorities have restricted internet access since September 21 to prevent protesters from posting videos on social media, as revealed by data posted to Twitter by the NetBlocks organization .
A blockage that the youngest Iranians manage to circumvent by using VPNs and Tor, but the connection remains slow and random.
⚠️ Confirmed: Live metrics show the loss of internet connectivity at #Amirkabir University in #Iran as students strike over the death of #MahsaAmini.
Meanwhile:
▶️ Daily mobile disruptions continue
▶️ Social media restrictions remain in place
📰 Report: https://t.co/8cCHIJA2Oi pic.twitter.com/fGKr4QGW9b
— NetBlocks (@netblocks) September 26, 2022
Challenge the American stars of the #Metoo wave
To circumvent censorship, but also to make themselves heard by Western leaders, the Iranians have organized themselves.
On Instagram, the most used social network in Iran, messages are multiplying asking the Iranian diaspora to challenge politicians in their countries of residence.
A significant spokesperson since more than four million Iranians live abroad.
In Santiago de Chile, in Paris, in Los Angeles, in London, in Berlin… the images of numerous demonstrations in support of the Iranian protesters have made the rounds of the media.
Moreover, in a few days, the hashtag Mahsa Amini in Persian has generated more than 100 million tweets mentioning the name of the young woman who has become the icon of the blunders committed by the Iranian morality police.
Despite the threat, from Iran, director Asghar Farhadi, internationally known for having received two Oscars and two awards at the Cannes festival, also called for support for the demonstrations outside the borders.
"I invite all artists, filmmakers, intellectuals, civil rights activists around the world (...) to express their solidarity with the powerful and courageous women and men of Iran by making videos, writing or n 'any other way," he expressed in a video message posted to Instagram on Sunday.
"It can strengthen the hope of Iranians to achieve this beautiful and monumental goal that they seek here, the country where I have no doubt that women will be the pioneers of the most significant transformations."
See this post on Instagram
A post shared by Asghar Farhadi (@asgharfarhadiofficial)
Beyoncé and other world stars who have taken a stand many times in favor of women's rights have also been challenged by the Iranians.
A mobilization that has borne fruit since celebrities with millions of subscribers have in turn taken to social networks to express their indignation.
See this post on Instagram
A post shared by Eva Mendes (@evamendes)
Actress Eva Mendes, whose post has been commented on more than 47,000 times, model Bella Hadid, singer Justin Bieber, actress Jessica Chastain and even Pink Floyd singer Roger Waters have followed suit.
Their posts were in turn shared by fans, sparking an outpouring of global support.
THANK YOU, SAN FRANCISCO #mahsaamini pic.twitter.com/ECUoyCevco
— Roger Waters (@rogerwaters) September 26, 2022
#MahsaAmini is an Iranian woman who was beaten to death last week in a “re-education center” for not wearing her hijab correctly.
Her death lead to thousands of Iranians taking to the streets, demanding an end to violence and discrimination against women.
pic.twitter.com/8OEsuLILeI
— Jessica Chastain (@jes_chastain) September 25, 2022
* The first name has been changed
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