Dartmouth College in NH

Organizers:

Victoria Holt - Victoria.K.Holt@dartmouth.edu

Suzanne Maloney - fpmedia@brookings.edu

Dickey Events  - dickey.events@dartmouth.edu

Who is Seyed Hossein Mousavian?
Seyed Hossein Mousavian served as Iran’s Ambassador to Germany from 1990 to 1997, during which he has been linked to several incidents of state-backed assassinations of Iranian dissidents in Europe. A German court implicated Iranian officials in the 1992 Mykonos restaurant assassinations, which resulted in the deaths of four Iranian dissidents in Berlin. Mousavian is currently under investigation by the U.S. government for his alleged involvement in these and other incidents during his tenure.

Why Should Dartmouth College Cancel the Event?
Allowing Seyed Hossein Mousavian to speak at Dartmouth College would legitimize his role as a representative of a terrorist regime responsible for human rights abuses, including the targeted killings of political dissidents. Mousavian also represents a regime that has consistently promoted anti-Israel rhetoric, most recently involved in the attacks on October 7, 2024. The Iranian regime's support for groups like Hamas and Hezbollah, and the funding of antisemitic violence on American college campuses, underscores its dangerous role in promoting hatred and violence. Hosting Mousavian would undermine Dartmouth College’s values of free speech by providing a platform to someone who supports terrorism, violence, repression, and hatred.

Our Call to Action:
We ask Dartmouth College to cancel the event featuring Seyed Hossein Mousavian scheduled for September 30, 2024. In place of providing a platform for someone linked to the repressive Iranian regime, we encourage Dartmouth College to engage with local activists and individuals from the New England area who have personally endured the regime’s brutality. Such voices would foster a more credible and empathetic discourse on the realities of political repression, human rights violations, and social justice. This would also elevate the academic conversation, allowing for a deeper exploration of the regime's impact through the lived experiences of those directly affected.