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| Simin Sabri |
Ahead of Iran’s presidential and City Council elections, organizations advocating for the rights of women from non-Persian ethnic groups have issued a joint statement calling for a boycott of the elections.
In an interview with Voice of America, Simin Sabri, a representative of the Turkish Women's Center, discussed the content and objectives of the statement issued by women’s organizations from various non-Persian ethnic groups, including Turkish, Kurdish, Arab, and Baloch communities.
The women’s rights advocate argued that women from non-Persian ethnic communities in Iran face greater oppression not only due to gender inequality but also because of ethnic discrimination. She suggested that the issue could be analyzed within the framework of Intersectionality Feminism.
Simin Sabri stated that the women’s organizations that signed the statement calling for a boycott of the elections envision a secular, democratic, and federal government system for Iran after the Islamic Republic.
Expressing that there are valid reasons to boycott the elections, the feminist activist said, "For 42 years, we have seen the profile of this regime right before our eyes. Since the establishment of the Islamic Republic, it has implemented policies that directly restrict the freedom and public participation of women—who make up half of the country's population—both in its constitution and through Sharia law."
Addressing the discriminatory policies imposed on women in Iran, she noted that although women are allowed to vote in presidential elections, they are not permitted to run for the presidency under Iranian law.
Simin Sabri, a representative of the Turkish Women's Center, believes that by boycotting the elections, it would be possible to prevent the regime from presenting itself as a legitimate government to the international community and conducting propaganda in that direction.
She also highlighted the importance of opposition groups and women's organizations working together and collaborating through strategies such as calling on people to abstain from voting.
Explaining the objectives and content of the statement, Simin Sabri asserted that there is no possibility of progress or reform in women’s rights in Iran. She concluded, "We have come to the realization that the only way out for women is to completely free themselves from this regime."
Link to the original interview in Turkish on the Azerbaijani section of Voice of America:
Simin Səbri: "İranda qadınların yeganə çıxış yolu rejimin dəyişməsidir"