Why is this important?
Human rights have been under attack since the beginning of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Many defenders have risen from within Iran to move their country towards a more democratic and free society, only to be violently suppressed. Ms Nasrin Sotoudeh, a world-renowned human rights lawyer, symbolizes this struggle in Iran. During her professional career she has defended the rights of minorities, women, and youth at great peril to herself, culminating in two separate prison sentences, one accompanied by flagellation which she is currently serving. International institutions have honored her for her struggles; however, the Iranian government continues to imprison her as well as numerous other political prisoners and prisoners of conscience under inhumane conditions. As she has been dubbed the Iranian Mandela for her stance against the codified gender apartheid of the Islamic Republic of Iran, we have mirrored our solidarity for her and against the apartheid system in Iran based on one of the successful solidarity movements against the South African system, namely the city of Glasgow’s declaration which eventually had more than 2500 cities in 56 countries as cosignatories asking for the immediate release of Mandela and other prisoners of conscience as well as a declaration against apartheid. As such, on June 29, 2021, the City of Berkeley unanimously passed a resolution for Nasrin Sotoudeh and other political prisoners and prisoners of conscience and asked for the immediate end to the apartheid system, .The Alameda County Democratic party and the UCSA (University of California Student Association) have also signed a similar petition.
How it will be delivered
This is a call to action. We hope signatories will contact their individual local cities.