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The elimination of gender discrimination and respect for individual freedom are universal values that must be protected regardless of political system or religion. The international community must respond with action to this poignant plea from prison.
Narges Mohammadi, an Iranian human rights activist who won the Nobel Peace Prize last year, condemned the current situation in Iran, where women are being oppressed, in writings to The Yomiuri Shimbun.
Mohammadi in particular denounced the mandatory wearing of the hijab, a headscarf that covers women’s hair, describing it as a means of controlling and oppressing women rather than for religious reasons. It is obvious that her appeal represents the voice of many Iranian people.
A woman in her 20s died in Iran two years ago under suspicious circumstances after she was detained for allegedly not wearing her hijab properly. This led to several months of large-scale protests under the slogan “Woman, Life, Freedom” in many places.
Reformist Masoud Pezeshkian, who emphasizes the freedom of the people and dialogue with the international community, defied many people’s predictions by winning the Iranian presidential election in July. This must be a sign of the people’s dissatisfaction with the current regime, which has suppressed human rights in the name of Islamic norms.
Nevertheless, the regime headed by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is not willing to ease its suppression of Mohammadi. It probably believes that acknowledging her claims could shake the regime’s legitimacy.
However, if the regime continues to respond this way, the demand for democratization will not be contained, and the situation in the country will instead be destabilized. Iran has been under sanctions imposed by the West over its nuclear development program. It is inevitable that international pressure will get stronger over human rights issues as well.
In her writings, Mohammadi also described the situation in the neighboring country of Afghanistan in addition to Iran, where women are being victimized, as “gender apartheid.” She strongly demanded that the United Nations define it as a crime.
Japan serves as a nonpermanent member of the U.N. Security Council until the end of the year. It should take the lead in discussions at the United Nations. Oppression of women also hinders efforts to achieve gender equality as stipulated in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the United Nations.
There are concerns about Mohammadi’s physical and mental health. She has endured a poor environment in prison for many years while suffering from heart and lung conditions.
Despite the risk of further suppression for sending a message from prison, Mohammadi entrusted her writings to a newspaper in Japan, which has friendly relations with Iran, rather than to a Western publication. Japan must take this fact seriously.
