Sponsoring Armita Abbasi and Zeynab Jalalian, two women unjustly imprisoned by the iranian regime.

Since the tragic killing of 22-year-old Mahsa (Jina) Amini four months ago, Iranians have marched in the streets in a stunning display of bravery and solidarity. These courageous Iranians are protesting at great personal risk; thousands have been arrested, and scores are at risk of execution.

In speaking to many Iranian-Canadians in Edmonton and across Canada, it is clear to me that politicians - and indeed, all citizens - need to share the stories and names of Iranian political prisoners who are being persecuted and murdered simply for advocating for their human rights.

I am politically sponsoring Armita Abbasi and Zeynab Jalalian, two women unjustly imprisoned by the Iranian regime. These two women have been recommended to me by Edmontonians committed to raising awareness of the situation in Iran.

Armita Abbasi is a 20-year-old woman protestor who filmed TikTok videos with her cats. She was arrested a month after the onset of the demonstrations by the Iranian regime who alleged she was “the leader of the riots.” It has been reported that Armita has faced the worst of the regime’s brutality including sexual assault.

Zeynab Jalalian is a Kurdish women’s rights activist currently serving a life sentence in Iran. Imprisoned since an unfair trial in 2008, she has been subject to torture, held in solitary confinement, and denied access to health care.

These two women deserve their freedom – as do the thousands of Iranians arrested by the terrorist Iranian regime. Today, and until these women are released, I will use my public platform to call for their freedom.

The Government of Canada must do more to ensure that the human rights of women in Iran are protected. The Iranian regime continues to exercise arbitrary and unjustified violence in response to the peaceful protests through arbitrary detention and execution of activists, journalists, artists, human rights defenders, and Iranian citizens.

I will continue to work with Iranian-Canadians in Edmonton Strathcona and across the country to seek justice for these political prisoners. I stand in solidarity with the brave Iranians who continue to demand democracy and freedom.

Woman, Life, Freedom.

Heather McPherson
Member of Parliament for Edmonton Strathcona