Calgary’s Iranian community shows support for fight for basic rights
Posted Jan 8, 2018 6:49 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Calgarians are standing with the people of Iran.
Demonstrations were held at Calgary’s City Hall Saturday, and another event is scheduled for Monday.
Organizer and activist Raheleh Tarani left Iran nearly 30 years ago.
She says people there are struggling to meet basic needs, like food, and housing and many young people are out of work.
Recent protests are a painful reminder for her: about eight years ago, she lost a loved one when people also fighting for basic rights took to the streets of Iran.
“Millions of Iranians who believed that there was corruption in the election, they went to (the) streets and shouted: ‘we want our votes back!’ Then, the government cars ran over people who were protesting, and they killed a number of people, including my brother,” she said.
Over 20 people have been killed since protests began in Iran, and about 90 students have been detained.
Tarani hopes people will show their support for Iran as clashes continue.
