Iranian Canadians share support for families back home at demonstration in Regina

Members of Regina’s Iranian community gathered outside the Saskatchewan Legislative Building over the weekend, protesting the actions of Iran’s Islamic Republic on behalf of family and friends who are facing violence, arrests and widespread communication blackouts.

Several protesters said details about the large-scale demonstrations inside Iran have become harder to confirm following a government crackdown and prolonged Internet shutdowns, but stressed the fear and uncertainty for people living there remains constant.

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“We are here to be the voice of the people of Iran,” said Dariush Davoodi.

“They are unarmed. They are fighting for their basic human rights, and the least we expect is for countries like Canada to speak for them.”

Davoodi said he had not been able to contact family members in Iran for weeks during recent Internet blackouts.

“We didn’t know if they were alive or not,” he said. “That silence is terrifying.”

Around 100 people gathered outside the Saskatchewan Legislative Building in Regina to protest Iran’s Islamic Republic and show support for family and friends back home. (Jacob Bamhour/980 CJME)

Mahtab Ghasemi, who held an Iranian flag during the demonstration, said the protest was about keeping attention on a situation she believes is being hidden from the world.

“They use military weapons against unarmed people,” Ghasemi said. “Then they shut down the Internet so the news can’t spread, and we don’t know anything about our families or friends.”

Ghasemi said protesters were calling on countries like Canada and the United States to do more than simply condemn the violence.

“We are asking them to be the voice of the Iranian people and support them,” she said.

Other demonstrators described witnessing violence firsthand during earlier protests in Iran.

“I was protesting, I looked over and a guy fell down,” said Mohammed Bina, who said he was living in Shiraz before moving to Canada. “He had been shot in the head. There was blood everywhere.”

Protesters hold signs and flags outside the Saskatchewan Legislative Building during a demonstration in Regina calling for freedom in Iran and international action. (Jacob Bamhour/980 CJME)

Bina said those experiences ultimately pushed him to leave Iran, but he added that many of his friends and family members remain.

“Everyone knows someone who was taken or killed,” he said. “We are not talking about numbers. These are people with hopes, families and futures.”

Several protesters said arrests can happen suddenly, even without a clear cause.

“I was arrested with my brother because they thought I had a boyfriend,” said Sarah Jaffari, who said she left Iran as a teenager.

“Once they take you, you have zero control over what happens next.”

Jaffari said she has spent weeks trying to reach friends and family in Iran, often receiving only brief messages when Internet access temporarily restored.

“People are deleting messages, deleting photos, just to survive,” she said. “Police can stop you, take your phone, and arrest you if they see anything.”

Arash Motalevi said violence has touched nearly every Iranian family he knows.

“If you talk to people from Iran, you will find two or three friends who were killed,” Motalevi said. “You can’t find a family without a casualty.”

Motalevi said even those injured during protests are not safe.

“People think if you are wounded, you can go to the hospital,” he said. “But even there, they follow you. They arrest you, or worse.”

Another protester, Mel Pourya, said the demonstrations in Canada are about standing up for people who cannot safely speak for themselves.

Mel Pourya, dressed in black, stands among protesters outside the Saskatchewan Legislative Building during a demonstration in Regina held in solidarity with people in Iran. (Jacob Bamhour/980 CJME)

“They shut down the Internet so the world cannot see what is happening,” Pourya said.

Despite the winter conditions, the protesters said they plan to continue gathering regularly.

“Even when it’s -30 C, we are here,” Davoodi said. “What we chant here is exactly what people are chanting in the streets back home.”

Dariush Davoodi stands outside the Saskatchewan Legislative Building during a protest in Regina, where demonstrators called on Canada to be a voice for people in Iran. (Jacob Bamhour/980 CJME)

Protesters said they hope continued demonstrations in Canada will help pressure governments and media outlets to keep attention on Iran, and stressed that the protests were about human rights rather than politics.

“This is about humanity,” Jaffari said. “These were young people who just wanted a say in their future.”