This year, the Iranian Guidance Patrol, a self-styled “morality police” took the life of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who passed away on 16/09/22 following a brain haemorrhage and stroke from trauma-induced injuries. A single strand of hair that had escaped her hijab was the “crime” for which she was beaten to death. Since then, the women of Iran have risen up, and the men alongside the working classes of Iran have come together to protest for their freedom and to fight for self-determination in their everyday lives.

They have been met with harsh resistance from the Iranian authorities. More than 23 have been killed by the regime, many shot at point-blank range. Hundreds are dying in the daily protests following violent suppression by security forces armed with tanks, missiles, drones, heavy military vehicles, tear gas and guns with live ammunition. The Iranian government and media are working to continue the current dictatorial theocratic state, with propaganda and false news stories alleging “accidental deaths” despite their obvious guilt of being mass murderers through moral and armed security forces, most recently being 15-year-old Asra Panahi. Anonymous sources from within the state’s security apparatus itself speak of cases where hardened criminals were released and promised money and parole in exchange for committing murderous attacks on protestors, while the same sources claim that as much as 1/3 of those arrested so far are facing the serious threat of extra-judicial executions. This would not be far-fetched as such practices have been commonplace not only in Iran but in dozens of similar examples of totalitarian regimes globally. Around 30,000 protesters have been detained and if the revolution loses momentum at least 1/3 of them will be murdered.

The Iranian government has cut off all internet access for citizens in order to prevent the outside world from seeing their hideous and insecure actions. Every video and every morsel of news that escapes the country through the people is at great cost and risk. You can help them fight back by spreading their message to the rest of the world.

Instagram and Facebook have severely limited the reach of posts relating to the protests because mainstream western media doesn’t want you to see a female-led revolution spearheaded by young students dismantling decades of theocracy and patriarchy that were installed and funded by the west in exchange for cheap oil.

Undeterred, Iranian women, men and the working classes continue to protest, strike and dissent in the hope of changing this situation for the better and ending the daily senseless murders by the regime. Over 80 cities across Iran have been relentlessly fighting, including Tehran, Tabriz, Isfahan, Ahvaz, and Rasht. Additionally, oil, gas, and petrochemical sector workers have been striking to deliver a major blow to the heart of the state’s infrastructure, along with further general strikes.

On Saturday 15th October, Evin Prison where some of the brightest political, scientific and artistic minds in the country have been imprisoned for political reasons, was filmed shrouded in fire while gunshots went off and missiles fell on the prison. All roads leading to the prison were blocked off while ambulances sped towards the buildings and angry families gathered outside shouting “death to the dictator” as they heard their imprisoned families – many of whom were children and young women – burn to death amidst the sound of gunshots.

We at Antifascist Black Metal Network fully support the action taken by the masses seeking to free Iran from its oppressive state, but we mourn every loss reported. We ask anyone interested to support them via involvement in groups such as The Federation of Anarchism Era and Iran Women’s Committee and Kurdish Women’s Rights Organisation.