It has been heartbreaking to watch the events unfold in Iran following the tragic and brutal killing of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini. Mahsa was simply wearing her hijab loosely when she was arrested, tortured and killed in the custody of the “Morality Police.” This shocking incident has sparked outrage and fury throughout Iran and the world.
With waves of protests in nearly 80 cities across Iran, it has been truly inspiring to watch the Iranian women and people stand up to the brutal Iranian regime with so much courage and resilience. I have also seen the incredible mobilization of Iranian Americans in our Orange County community and throughout California. They continue to shed light on the ongoing struggle in Iran and amplify the voices of their loved ones back home, who are putting fighting against the oppressive regime.
I am proud of the US government’s swift action as it moved to ease the sanctions to allow a variety of Internet services to the Iranian people to evade the government’s crackdown on the Internet. I also echo the calls for the establishment of an independent international investigative and accountability mechanism to address the prevailing crisis of impunity in Iran.
We stand in solidarity with the Iranian women and the Iranian people as they continue to stand up to the regime. For the last 40 years, the Iranian people have endured oppression and have lacked fundamental human rights. The fight that they are waging now is not only about Mahsa’s tragic death. It is a fight for their fundamental freedom and their foundational human rights.