John, we hope you and your family are ok. As the protests in Iran continue and are met with continued government repression, I want to share a quick update on the actions NIAC has underway.
This is a moment of change and below we cover what we are doing to meet this moment.
Fighting for internet freedom in Iran
After securing stronger protections for internet access to Iran from the Biden Administration, our team is fighting to ensure that Iranians have access to their social media accounts. We know that apps like WhatsApp and Facebook connect our communities in the U.S. to their families in Iran. That's why NIAC is calling on [[link removed]] Microsoft, Amazon, Apple, Google, and Digital Ocean, to urge them to take advantage of the General License D-2 and loosen restrictions.
We're still fighting for social media access for Iranians to communicate with their loved ones. Take action here to tell Meta to stop silencing Iranian voices >> [[link removed]]
Taking action
In our Solidarity Center [[link removed]] , we’re tracking everything happening on the ground in Iran, and the actions we’re taking here at home to support the courageous women protesting for freedom. We recognize this is a defining moment for our community, and we are moved by the bravery, resiliency, and perseverance on display for the international community.
Please take a moment to demand action from your Members of Congress in support of the brave women in Iran.
WRITE TO MY MEMBERS OF CONGRESS [[link removed]]
CALL MY MEMBERS OF CONGRESS [[link removed]]
Members from NIAC’s team met with Meta and shared the community’s concerns regarding their censorship of select protest videos. Meta has opened an investigation and is seeking input from the public. Have you had posts removed or want to urge action from Meta? Submit your comment here [[link removed]] .
In the media
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This past weekend, John Oliver's team asked NIAC to shed light on the evolving situation in Iran. The media hasn't been covering the events unfolding in Iran, so we are very proud to have worked with the team at Last Week Tonight to make last Sunday's segment possible and accurate. You can watch Episode 25 from Sunday, October 9 on HBO Max. Check out a clip from the segment here [[link removed]] .
From our Community Council
Our Community Council is a collection of Iranian American lawyers, academics, activists, and advocates who support our mission and whose work reflects our values.
University of Michigan History Professor Juan Cole delved into the Widening of Social Base of Protests, as Oil Workers go on Strike in Support of Youth Demonstrators [[link removed]] .
Author and Scholar, Reza Aslan published this piece in Time Magazine [[link removed]] , detailing the Iranian people’s 100-year struggle for freedom.
Professor of Political Science, Dr. Shiring Saeidi gave a lecture with the Arab Center on the history of Iranian Women’s Activism Post-1979 [[link removed]] .
Writer, Organizer, and Activist, Hoda Katebi, has been connecting American Journalists with Iranian Activists, she also published an opinion piece [[link removed]] in the LA Times.
The latest, up-to-date, Human Rights Tracker on Iran
NIAC has continued to track the evolution of the protests in Iran since the tragic killing of 22-year-old Mahsa (Jhina) Amini. Every week, we publish a Human Rights Tracker (and have been doing that regularly since 2019) that documents incidents in Iran. Sign up to get the tracker [[link removed]] . You can also follow NIAC's Human Rights Tracker on Twitter [[link removed]] .
In solidarity,
Jamal Abdi
President, NIAC