Inside the Woman Life Freedom Movement in Iran

Urban Political Podcast

Reflections from urban scholar-activists in Tehran

Listen to this gripping account from the current „Woman Life Freedom“ movement in Iran and its impact on cities and their inhabitants. The movement was sparked by the killing of Mahsa Jina Amini in the custody of the Islamic regime’s „morality police“ in September 2022. After several weeks of uprising, the media coverage in Western countries has become more silent, in part, due to the extremely repressive acts of the government in which several people have been killed and many imprisoned. The regime has also made a deliberate attempt to control communication channels and even shut down the internet, making it more difficult for news about events to leave the country. The movement, however, is still very alive as you will hear in this episode. And it requires ongoing international attention, support, and mounting pressure against the regime.

A few days ago, we received audio records from Tehran activists and urban scholars, who bravely shared their absorbing experiences and analyses of the ongoing uprising. They delve into the symbolic character of the hijab, provide historical and geographical context to the movement, and discuss the challenges they're facing in their fight for freedom and equality. These speakers have chosen to remain anonymous, using aliases for their safety, as they've been repeatedly subjected to repression. We are in awe of their strength and determination in the face of adversity.

A big thank you to "Neda" who arranged and produced this podcast and everyone else involved in making this episode possible and whose names we cannot credit officially here.

At the end of the episode, you hear the "Liberty Song" from students of Tehran Art University. See also: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SoQNzoKwAUs

Links for further information:

https://linktr.ee/wlfkollektiv

https://www.amnesty.org/en/location/middle-east-and-north-africa/iran/