Senate debates

Tuesday, 25 October 2022

Statements by Senators

Human Rights: Iran

1:46 pm

Photo of Nick McKimNick McKim (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | | Hansard source

We've seen recently in Iran the most inspiring and courageous resistance by so many Iranian people. They are protesting and speaking out for justice, for their rights and for freedom, and they're doing it in the face of the most horrific and brutal violence perpetrated on them by the Iranian government. So far over 250 people have been killed by Iranian security forces—this includes 35 children—and over 13,000 people have been arrested.

This violence and this killing has to stop and it has to stop now. The arrests have to end. The international community must hear the voices of the Iranian people and do much more to support them. We must condemn the violence and condemn the killings in the strongest possible terms. We must collectively make it clear to the Iranian regime that it will face serious consequences if it continues to kill and wound and imprison its own people. We've seen large rallies in support of the Iranian people around Australia, and I hope we see more around the world. The Australian government has to do more to lead international efforts to sanction the Iranian government.

I condemn the violence against the Iranian people in the strongest possible terms and express my utmost solidarity with them as they fight so courageously for their rights and freedoms. I will end with this: woman, life, freedom. That's a Kurdish slogan, so I'll say it in Kurdish: jin, jiyan, azadi.