Standing in Support of All Affected by Human Rights Violations in Iran
The Graduate Center community extends its sympathies to Mahsa Amini’s family and loved ones. We also offer our heartfelt support to all among us who are being affected by this tragedy.
Dear Graduate Center Community,
Mahsa Amini was a 22-year-old Kurdish woman who was apprehended by Iranian “morality police” for not wearing her hijab properly. She died in detention on September 16, sparking mass protests across Iran and bringing renewed global attention to women’s rights issues there.
Demonstrations across Iran, including at its universities, are being repressed with force, and scores of protesters have been injured and killed. Iran has restricted social media and internet access to suppress dissent and slow the spread of news. Journalists and celebrities who have expressed support for the demonstrations are being detained. And last week, Iran launched cross-border missile and drone strikes – purportedly targeting communities that were thought to be fomenting dissent within Iran – killing at least 17 in Iraqi Kurdistan.
The Graduate Center community extends its sympathies to Mahsa Amini’s family and loved ones. We also offer our heartfelt support to all among us who are being affected by this tragedy, and by the continued violence and suppression of human rights.
We care deeply about the Iranian and Kurdish members of our community and those who have family, loved ones, and ties in the region. Recognizing that living in fear for one’s own and others’ safety takes a profound emotional toll, we must come together to offer concern and care to our Iranian students, faculty, and staff.
For all in our community who need additional support or guidance, the Graduate Center provides helpful services. The Student Counseling Services office is ready to assist students. The CUNY Work/Life program provides free, confidential counseling to faculty and staff.
The Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” As an institution, the Graduate Center stands for freedom, human rights, and human dignity. As individuals, each of us can participate in our community, national, and international organizations to advance human rights and justice for all. I encourage you to engage in this important work.
Sincerely,
Robin L. Garrell
President