Since December 28, 2017, a wave of protests and strikes against the Islamic Republic has been spreading in Iran. Men and women from the Iranian working class, especially young ones, were participating in these protests. Workers and the unemployed, students, teachers, health sector workers, retirees, dispossessed, political prisoners and their families were driving these protests and strikes. There are many oppressed national minorities such as Arabs, Kurds, Azerbaijanis, and persecuted religious groups such as Bahais.

 

Women's protests in Iran are not new, they have a long history. On March 8, 1979, more than one hundred thousand Iranian women were on the streets in Tehran to protest the headscarf law introduced by Ayatollah Khomeini. Rouhi Shafii was one of those who participated in the protests that lasted for six days. Rouhi Shafii, the Spokesperson of the International Coalition Against Violence (ICAVI), had to leave her country and settle in England in 1979 due to the existing pressure and violence in her country.

 

We talked to Rouhi about her latest rally without a headscarf and the point where the women's struggle in Iran has reached. 

 

 

 In a former interview you told that you participated in the March 9 demonstration in Iran which was the last demonstration women did not have to wear a hijab. Can you tell us a little bit about the atmosphere that day?

 

Well, on those days we secular women were full of hopes and aspirations for a bright future in the new Iran. Unfortunately, Ayatollah Khomeini had other plans for our country and for us women. He started with advising women in his first sermons to wear modest dress and not to go out as if they are “naked”. We women were alarmed but still believed he would not go further. A week or so later he said that in an Islamic country and women must adhere to the Islamic values. A number of women activists gathered here and there as they were alarmed. So, on the 8 of March 1978 we gathered at the Tehran university. Our numbers grew to thousands and those who were at the fore front of the gathering decided to start marching out of the university. There was no planning for this. As we got out of the university grounds, our number grew further. I happened to be in the front row with another friend and some other women. We started marching as the snow was falling. No one had any idea where to go. In the middle of the street a discussion broke between women as to where to go: towards Ayatollah Taleghani head quarters ( this Ayatollah was a moderate man and against forcing women wearing hejab) or to the prime minister’s office. Those who favoured the prime minister’s offices won the argument and the march was directed towards Kakh Avenue where the offices of the prime minister Bazargan were located. Snow was getting more persistence. By then our number grew to about 20,000 women and young girls. They were marching and shouting slogans: “We didn’t make the revolution to go backwards”. “Freedom is not western, nor eastern”. Freedom is for all.” And so on. It took us 4 hours under the snow to get there. The offices were located in a square with various roads leading to it. We stopped. The square and the surrounding streets were full of women. On the rooftops we noticed marked armed men had their rifles towards us. We did not pay much attention. From inside someone said we send our delegation into the compound. Those of us on the front decided to send 6 women, one of which was a friend of mine. The women went in and we waited while some were shouting slogans. We waited as the snow was falling. We waited a long time and slowly the square and the streets were empty as women were exhausted, wet and hungry. I was worried about my friend as no news came out. Finally, we decided to leave.

In the evening I called my friend and she told me that when they got in, the deputy prime minister led them to a room where a number of women clad in back chadors were waiting for them. No official was present. The delegation had to hopelessly argue with those women and after many hours leave the building without any outcome. The story continues to this date.  

 

How did the women react when the hijab was made compulsory? Can you tell us about the struggle of the women in Iran after that day?

 

The compulsory Hejab did not come all at once. For many years, Khomeini and his government had the strategy of one step forward to see the reaction of the people and if it were strong objection they would go one step backward until galloping forward in full force. Khomeini talked about women not to go on the streets “naked” as Iran was now an Islamic state.” The first decree came for the women who worked for the government to observe the hejab. This was rejected by women but as time passed and pressure grew, they either quit or got early retirement or were dismissed. It was in 1982 that the bill for compulsory hejab passed through the parliament and women were forced adhere to it.    

 

 How, why and when did you leave Iran?

 

I left Iran in 1985 on various grounds. I was laid off from my job as director in an airline company. Staying at home, I started writing and translating various books. A number were published and some were confiscated in raids to the publishing house my work was there to go to print and destroyed. Then the war with Iraq was raging and no prospect was in sight to its end. My only son was nearing his 14th birthday and that meant he would be sent to the fronts as were thousands of other kids who were used to go on mines set by Saadan Hossein army. And above all the choking atmosphere of repression where tens of my friends and associates were in prisons and later executed.

 

 After leaving Iran, how did you participated in the women's struggle in England? What have you been doing with the İCAVİ?

 

Since residing in Britain, I have been trying to tell the world of the situation in Iran through writings, talks, interviews and collaborating with organisations which work with Iranian women or by Iranian women. In 2009 as the Green movement started in In Iran, large numbers of us outside of Iran began working together in a more organised way to make coalitions and become the voice of women in Iran. As the violence grew more and more, we understood that there is a need to address the phenomenon of wide-spread violence against men and women alike and we set up this organisation International Coalition Against Violence in Iran (ICAVI). Since then, we have convened international conferences with other interested parties both in the UK and Europe. A number of our joined conferences had been held in the Parliament, the last of which was before the Covid restrictions. Unfortunately, our websites were hacked by the unknown and all our documents destroyed on several occasions and so we only have a facebook page and our contacts.

 

 What do you think about the women's struggle in Iran right now?

 

While at present, women’s activities inside the country are not carried out under one umbrella, women activists work relentlessly either as individuals or with women activists outside the country. At present a campaign to address honor killings has succeeded to attract large number of women from inside. The emergence of social media has brought forward generations of women and men who know their rights, who know what they want and use the social media skilfully. Women do not have an organised platform but millions of them speak of their rights and stand up against the repression in various ways. For these reasons we now have a large number of women in prison on various charges which in a free society would be at the base of every human right. 

 

While the violence against women, femicide and sexual assault increased in Turkey during the 18 year old AKP rule, there is a systematic attack against the gains of women. But women continue with their struggle against all attacks. What do you think about the women's struggle in Turkey?

 

Following some of the activities of Turkish women to address such issues I believe they are brave acts and if connected with other women in the neighbouring countries it would be an unstoppable move to uproot all forms of violence and discrimination against women in our countries. One area which I hope we can cooperate with the Turkish women is against honor based murders in both countries. 

 

 020 passed with women taking to street from Chile to India to Lebanon. The women did not give up the fight despite the pandemic. Why do you think there's a women's struggle in the whole world. Women are uprising, why? What do women want?

 

I believe that in recent years due to the widespread use of social media, the dialogue had changed and transformed into a universal dialogue among all women. Women are not alone and isolated in one country. Women can reach each other in an instant and this is a golden opportunity to grasp and use, I believe what women want is the same all over; freedom, choice, equal treatment in all spheres of life and human dignity. 

 

* Hundreds of women are subjected to torture and sexual violence in prisons in Iran. According to the Human's Rights Association's data, the same thing is happening in Turkey. Why do you think there is a systematic maltreatment against women in prisons in oppressive countries like these? Do they hate women, or are they intimidated by them?

 

Unfortunately, the treatment of women in the Islamic countries is much harsher because women are not considered equal with equal rights in the society. We in Iran have many women in prison who have not committed any crime except acting against the Islamic Republic according to the Islamic Republic authorities. As far as I know, the same goes with your country. As your government moves towards further Islamisation, the situation of women becomes more difficult. I sincerely hope it does not get near where we are now.

 

Lately women in Turkey have been killing their attackers to survive in self defense. This is happening more than it used to be compared to the past. Women in Turkey are often sentenced to heavy penalties such as life imprisonment while men are wearing a suit and say they are sorry and get away with it with a slap on the wrist. Why do you think women are getting heavier sentences?

 

Well, at least in your country they get life sentence which might give them a chance to be released early. In Iran, we have had numerous cases where women have been raped or in danger of assault and in the struggle to flee the attacker, they have killed him. Almost all these women have been executed. The most recent case which shocked us all was a woman who was brought for execution and as she witnessed the execution of 17 men at the same time, she had a stroke and died. Her dead body was hanged so to prove that “justice has been served.” 

 

Well, my friend, here we are at the end of your questions and still many questions remain unanswered. For example, why did we Iranians make such a huge historical mistake and brought about an Islamic regime into power which recked our prospering country and made us the laughing stock of the world? And why do you the people of Turkey whose country was a secular state with much scope to join the EU and get out of the orbit of backwardness suddenly got a regime which has stayed for so long and changed your way of life towards what we call a historical catastrophe? 

 

Gözde Çağrı Özköse-Habibe Eren