Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility

US Electric Vehicle Tax Breaks Will Expire on Sept. 30

15 hours ago

‘Reservoir Dogs’ and ‘Kill Bill’ Actor Michael Madsen Dies at 67

16 hours ago

Eyeing Arctic Dominance, Trump Bill Earmarks $8.6 Billion for US Coast Guard Icebreakers

16 hours ago

Trump’s Sweeping Tax-Cut and Spending Bill Wins Congressional Approval

17 hours ago

Americans Celebrate Their Independence With Record-Breaking Travel Numbers

19 hours ago

US Supreme Court to Decide Legality of Transgender School Sports Bans

20 hours ago

Nvidia Set to Become the World’s Most Valuable Company in History

21 hours ago

Poll: 41% in US ‘Extremely Proud’ to Be American, Near Historic Low

21 hours ago
Iranians in Fresno Pay Tribute to Uprising's Heroes, Offer Support to 'Crumble the Regime'
By admin
Published 2 years ago on
September 15, 2023

Share

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

It’s been nearly a year since the death of a young Iranian woman sparked a growing wave of women-led protests challenging the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Mahsa Amini became the symbol of the protest movement that spread from Iran to around the world, including Fresno, where hundreds gathered Thursday night at Fresno State to honor the uprising’s heroes and victims.

Shima Afshari

Those who continue to protest, even in countries far from Iran, risk retaliation for themselves and their families in Iran. But they’re not giving up, Shima Afshari said.

“Oh, we want it to happen. But it’s essential for foreign people to know that none of the dictatorship is going to be overthrown within a year,” she said. “It takes much longer than that, especially the regime that for 44 years got power and they have nothing to do except they’re getting stronger and stronger for suppressing people, torturing, violating their rights, harassing them. And by the slightest protests, people get in jail and they’re executed.

“But definitely history (shows) that no matter how powerful the dictatorship is, the voice of people is much stronger … and we know that very soon we would crumble the regime.”

Afshari and Mojgan Sadeghi told GV Wire prior to Thursday’s event in the Satellite Student Union that they have lost close friends and relatives to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard who still hold power in Iran 44 years after dethroning the shah and imposing strict, Islamic-based laws that include requiring women to cover their heads with the hijab.

Death Sparks Worldwide Protests

Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish woman, had been taken into custody in Tehran by the morality police who said she was wearing her hijab incorrectly. Witnesses said she was severely beaten in a police van and suffered a head injury that led to her death three days later, on Sept. 16, 2022, just five days before her 23rd birthday. The Iranian government denies that she was beaten and said she suffered a heart attack.

Beatings by the morality police are frequently recorded and shared on social media, and they were among the videos displayed at Thursday’s event in the large auditorium in the Satellite Student Union. The event, which drew more than 200 people, included speeches by Mayor Jerry Dyer and Fresno State professor Leece Lee-Oliver, short plays, and traditional Persian and contemporary music.

Mojgan Sadeghi

Mojgan Sadeghi said she came Thursday in support of the Iranian people. Sadeghi said she left her homeland because she is Baha’i, and the Iranian government was forcing Baha’i people to convert to Islam or face consequences.

When the first protests erupted last year, Sadeghi said she hoped that change finally would be forced on the Iranian government, which is controlled by Islamic clerics. Women were burning their hijabs, Iranians were turning on the morality police, and the Iranian people were rising.

Although the protests have continued, they have become more subdued in recent months as the government has cracked down and jailed or killed protesters. Sadeghi said one of her younger cousins, the father of two children, is now in prison.

Showing Support

Participating in protests and remembrance events like Thursday’s is how Sadeghi shows her support for the movement.

“I’m so sorry for my people of my country and it’s so sad to see they killed so many young people,” she said tearfully. “But I can’t do anything, unfortunately. And the only thing I can do just for them and whatever I can do in here, I do for my people of my country.”

The crowd listens intently to a speaker during the Woman, Life, Freedom Iranian Tribute on Thursday, Sept.14, 2023, at the Fresno State Satellite Student Union. (GV Wire/Jahz Tello)

What can America do for the people of Iran? Stop releasing money that the U.S. has long frozen, and which will be used to support the Iranian regime as well as terrorism, Afshari said.

The U.S. recently announced plans to unfreeze $6 billion as part of a prisoner swap that will lead to the release of five Americans being held by Iran and five Iranians held by the U.S.

“One thing is, stop helping terrorists. Stop helping dictatorships. They’re killing kids on the street, torturing them, raping them. We have 26,000 kids in the jail right now, and they get raped, they get harassed, they get tortured. And every single day there are people that get killed under torture,” she said. “And the anniversary of our uprising, America sends $6 billion to Iran. And their reasons is for humanitarian reason. Are you serious? Do you think dictatorship cares for humanitarians?”

The funds that are being released won’t be used to buy medicine or food for the Iranian people, Afshari said. Instead, the Iranian government will buy more guns to kill people, and support terrorists overseas, she said.

“Please stop and be the voice of people, not the voice of the terrorists and dictatorship, because you’re going to get hurt,” Afshari warned. “Not only our people — you’re going to get hurt too.”

RELATED TOPICS:

DON'T MISS

What Are Fresno Real Estate Experts Predicting for 2025 and Beyond?

DON'T MISS

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

DON'T MISS

Valadao, Costa Spar on What Passage of Trump’s Bill Means for Medicaid Recipients

DON'T MISS

US Military Says 200 Marines Being Sent to Support ICE in Florida

DON'T MISS

Boeing Secures $2.8 Billion US Satellite Contract

DON'T MISS

Kaweah Health Names Its New Chief Nurse. She’s From Texas

DON'T MISS

Clovis Police Say At-Risk Missing Woman Found Dead in Mariposa County

DON'T MISS

Over 100 Former Senior Officials Warn Against Planned Staff Cuts at US State Department

DON'T MISS

US Electric Vehicle Tax Breaks Will Expire on Sept. 30

DON'T MISS

‘Reservoir Dogs’ and ‘Kill Bill’ Actor Michael Madsen Dies at 67

DON'T MISS

Fresno Police Recover Some of the $40,000 in Fireworks Stolen From Bullard High Team

DON'T MISS

Eyeing Arctic Dominance, Trump Bill Earmarks $8.6 Billion for US Coast Guard Icebreakers

UP NEXT

Kaweah Health Names Its New Chief Nurse. She’s From Texas

UP NEXT

Clovis Police Say At-Risk Missing Woman Found Dead in Mariposa County

UP NEXT

Fresno Police Recover Some of the $40,000 in Fireworks Stolen From Bullard High Team

UP NEXT

Riverdale High School Coach Arrested for Allegedly Arranging to Meet Minor

UP NEXT

Could Cuddly Colby Be the Darling Gem for You?

UP NEXT

Valley Crime Stoppers’ Most Wanted Person of the Day: Sandra Neredia Jaquez

UP NEXT

Americans Celebrate Their Independence With Record-Breaking Travel Numbers

UP NEXT

Keep Pets Safe on 4th of July: Fresno County Animal Shelter Offers Tips

UP NEXT

There Are Fresno Area Fireworks Shows Galore Through Sunday

UP NEXT

Poll: 41% in US ‘Extremely Proud’ to Be American, Near Historic Low

Valadao, Costa Spar on What Passage of Trump’s Bill Means for Medicaid Recipients

13 hours ago

US Military Says 200 Marines Being Sent to Support ICE in Florida

13 hours ago

Boeing Secures $2.8 Billion US Satellite Contract

14 hours ago

Kaweah Health Names Its New Chief Nurse. She’s From Texas

14 hours ago

Clovis Police Say At-Risk Missing Woman Found Dead in Mariposa County

14 hours ago

Over 100 Former Senior Officials Warn Against Planned Staff Cuts at US State Department

14 hours ago

US Electric Vehicle Tax Breaks Will Expire on Sept. 30

15 hours ago

‘Reservoir Dogs’ and ‘Kill Bill’ Actor Michael Madsen Dies at 67

16 hours ago

Fresno Police Recover Some of the $40,000 in Fireworks Stolen From Bullard High Team

16 hours ago

Eyeing Arctic Dominance, Trump Bill Earmarks $8.6 Billion for US Coast Guard Icebreakers

16 hours ago

Fresno Crash Involving Unlicensed Teen Driver Sends Woman to Hospital

A two-vehicle collision sent a woman driving one of the vehicles to the hospital with a head injury Thursday afternoon in Fresno. Fresno pol...

11 hours ago

A crash causes a traffic jam in northwest Fresno on Thursday, July 3, 2025. (GV Wire/Paul Marshall)
11 hours ago

Fresno Crash Involving Unlicensed Teen Driver Sends Woman to Hospital

The Madre Fire near New Cuyama has burned 52,593 acres with 5% containment, prompting evacuation orders in several San Luis Obispo County zones as of Thursday, July 3, 2025, afternoon. (CalFire)
12 hours ago

Madre Fire Burns More Than 52,000 Acres in San Luis Obispo County

12 hours ago

RIP John Harris: Fresno County Rancher, Racehorse Breeder Was a Visionary Leader Who Leaves a ‘Profound Legacy’

13 hours ago

Valadao, Costa Spar on What Passage of Trump’s Bill Means for Medicaid Recipients

An ICE agent talks with migrants about their scheduled appointments with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Father’s Day, to learn about their immigration status, in Chicago, Illinois., U.S., June 15, 2025. (Reuters File)
13 hours ago

US Military Says 200 Marines Being Sent to Support ICE in Florida

Boeing logo and miniature satellite model are seen in this illustration taken, March 10, 2025. (Reuters File)
14 hours ago

Boeing Secures $2.8 Billion US Satellite Contract

14 hours ago

Kaweah Health Names Its New Chief Nurse. She’s From Texas

Clovis Police are searching for Pathmani Goonawardena, 82, who went missing nearly three weeks ago and was last seen driving a white Volvo near Copper and Auberry, possibly en route to Coarsegold. (CHP)
14 hours ago

Clovis Police Say At-Risk Missing Woman Found Dead in Mariposa County

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend