By Neda For A Free Iran
To support the religious diversity the event will be held at:
United University Church Center of the University of Southern California
817 W. 34th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90089
Sunday, July 1, 2012
3:00pm until 6:00pm in PDT
Post 2009 elections demonstrations in Iran have been in protest to the rigged re-election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as president of Iran for a second term. These protests have reportedly been met with brutal force by the authorities. Neda Soltan became the symbolic face of the martyrs; she was shot in the chest as she took part in one of the many peaceful demonstrations on the streets of Tehran. Since the elections, the basic human right to the freedom of expression for the press, as well as the individual, has been disregarded by the authorities in Iran and the voice of dissent is not tolerated as well.
The Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) continues to violate the most basic principles of the international law. One need only look at the chilling accounts of torture released by Amnesty International – Indeed; Amnesty has catalogued the widespread and systematic use of beatings, sexual violence, electrocution and mistreatment of prisoners, all of which amount to crimes against humanity. The people of Iran are demanding human rights and democracy through non-violent opposition to the Iranian regime. Women activists are at the forefront of this struggle, leading the Green Movement, which has become the symbol of unity and hope for Iranians concerned with justice and human rights.
Neda for a Free Iran (NFAFI) is to amplify Human Rights violations in Iran in a way that it can globally strengthen peace, justice and equality. NFAFI is committed to highlight the human rights situation in Iran and to encourage the development of a greater awareness in contributing towards enforcing the effective international human rights instruments.
With the view of the above, NFAFI will be holding a series of conferences in near future to examine Gender Apartheid and religious based discriminations in the IRI.
The first of which will be held on July 1st 2012 in Los Angeles , on the occasion of the anniversary of rigged elections, also the June 20th has been named a day to support the political prisoners held in the IRI jails who have committed no crime but expressing their views.
Guest Speakers
- Elahe Amani, Lecturer at California State University on Women's Studies, and active in UN Commission on the Status of Women
- Nicole Kian Sadighi, Producer and Director of "I Am Neda", featured at Cannes Film Festival
- Gissou Nia, Executive Director, Iran Human Rights Documentation Center
- Shirin Ershadi, Board Member of International Criminal Court Alliance
- Shiva Mahbobi, Campaign to Free Political Prisoners, International Committee against Stoning (ICAS), TV Host and Producer
- Homayoun Mobasseri, Board Member of Neda For A Free Iran
Invited (Pending)
- Banafsheh Akhlaghi former Professor of Constitutional Law at JFK School of Law
- Nazanin Afshin Jam, Founder & Executive Director, Stop Child Executions Foundation and serves on multiple boards for human rights
Formal Announcement
Facebook Invite
