Düzen Tekkal and the human rights organisation HÁWAR.help, invite you to take a stand against the oppression in Iran on Tuesday, 13 December in Berlin: Every day we receive terrible news from the country. Protesters are arbitrarily arrested, sentenced to death, people are abducted (including even children). All this is happening to silence the people’s call for freedom “Jin – Jiyan – Azadî” (Kurdish), “Zan – Zendegi – Azadi” (Persian). With an action at the Brandenburg Gate, the human rights organisation HÁWAR.help, Governing Mayor of Berlin Franziska Giffey as well as the state of Berlin will pledge hope to the courageous people in Iran (and in the diaspora) and remember the victims of the regime’s repressive measures. We will carry this cry for freedom into the heart of the Federal Republic and demand an end to the state-legitimised terror against civil society in Iran: On 13 December, starting at 17:30, we will light up the Brandenburg Gate with the lettering of the Freedom Call.

Speeches by: Franziska Giffey  (Governing Mayor of Berlin), Ghazall Abdolahi (Photographer, exiled Iranian), Natalie Amiri (Journalist and former head of the ARD studio in Tehran), Düzen Tekkal (Journalist, chairwoman of HÁWAR.help e.V.), Space for other voices Musical contribution by: Pegah Ferydoni (Actress and Activist)

At the Conference Ethics and Digitalization IV Ruth E. Hagengruber presented „1789 – 2022. From France to Iran. Women pave the way to freedom. Introducing Shohreh Bayat. Voices from Iran.” Shohreh Bayat is an Iranian chess referee and women’s rights activist. During her work as a referee at the 2020 Women’s World Chess Championship Match, a controversy arose in which Bayat was accused by the Iranian government of not wearing the hijab correctly in accordance with Iranian customs. The subsequent protest by Bayat, which saw her taking part in the WWCC 2020 without a hijab, sparked a political controversy in Iran, which in turn forced Bayat to flee. She fled to London. Watch her talk at the confrence here.