Petition for the United States To Support Iranians Fighting for Freedom

Your Honorable President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris,

Several human rights organizations including Amnesty International have documented the brutal crackdown, arrests, and atrocities that have followed the nationwide uprising sparked by the death in custody of a 22 year old woman in Iran on September 16.  Since then, according to Amnesty International “security forces have repeatedly used unlawful force. They have fired live ammunition and metal pellets at protesters at close range, misused tear gas and water cannons, and severely beaten people with batons.” So far, tens of deaths and hundreds of injuries and arrests have been confirmed by various sources. This is while, using Internet blackouts, the regime has made every effort to slow down the flow of information and evidence from inside the country. Brutal force is being used to attack university campuses and crackdown and shooting of peaceful student protestors at elite universities, while hundreds of people in different cities have been unlawfully detained, killed, intimidated, and tortured.

Today, however, we are witnessing a historic and unprecedented moment in the history of both democracy and women’s rights. An unprecedented number, tents of thousands of Iranians inside and outside Iran have taken to peaceful protests with a clear demand for the establishment of a secular democratic state and an end to the Islamic Republic’s despotic rule. In this fight, they need the support of the international community. Several politicians have expressed support for Iranians in their fight for women’s rights and freedom. 

This petition is a call for action at a time when Iranians directly need the support of democratic governments and states engaging at the UN Human Rights Council. We the undersigned are American citizens calling on our political leaders of all parties for solidarity and assistance that is concrete and effective . In order to prevent  the Islamic Republic's brutal use of force and arms against peaceful protests, to show solidarity with the legitimate demands of Iranians for freedom, and to prevent the regime’s continuing  suppression of civilians with impunity, the following demands are brought forward: 

1. We request that your administration condemns these actions and specifically refrains from securing any agreements with the Islamic Republic at this significant  moment in the history of women’s rights, justice, and accountability.

2. We request that the United States refrains from releasing any funds towards the Islamic Republic of Iran. Any funds released can be used by the government of Iran to further suppress human right protests.

3. We request that the United States government leads the way in immediately setting up an independent UN mechanism to ensure accountability for these ongoing crimes under international law in Iran.