The Australian Medical Students’ Association (AMSA) calls for the Iranian government to respect freedom of expression and protect the rights of all people, including women, within their nation.

A few weeks ago, a 22-year-old Iranian woman was brutally arrested and assaulted for not wearing the hijab properly. The force used during her arrest resulted in her death, sparking nationwide protests and killing approximately 200 people to date.

“Living with freedom to be yourself, express yourself and not be censored, oppressed or discriminated against should be a reality for all people, no matter their gender, religion or culture,” said an international AMSA representative.

Students across the country have joined the protests in universities and schools. These Iranian students are incredibly brave in protesting against systematic corruption and fighting to reclaim their rights including the right to speak freely, have democracy, publish without strict censorship, and have freedom of clothing and expression.

At Sharif University, where large demonstrations are taking place, students are calling for the release of all the students who have been detained, an official government apology, compensation for damages caused and closure of disciplinary files for students involved in the protest.

AMSA recognises that the action of the Iranian government is a clear violation of human rights and deems the force and brutality used in the conflict as a crime against humanity. We recognise that the protests are not a symbol of disrespect to Islam, but rather to protest against forcibly using the hijab as a tool of oppression, to free the state of corruption and allow citizens to reclaim their fundamental human rights.
We call on the Australian government to actively support Iranian civilians in achieving their rights, to monitor the situation closely, condemn the Iranian government's oppression and use of violence and work with them to remediate and rectify the systemic issues contributing to the oppression of Iranian women and people.

We also echo and support the calls of the Iranian students, as well as call on non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to provide essential humanitarian and peace-restoring mediation services.

AMSA is the peak representative body for Australia’s 17,000 medical students. AMSA International is a branch that is partnered with the International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations (IFMSA). AMSA International collaborates with medical students worldwide to progress human rights and peace.