This is my second attendance as a witness at SDIR. My family in Iran has been under attacks and pressures since my first testimony in 2018. I reported this to CSIS a few months ago. I am attending again today, and I mention this because I want to say how this is important for me and how much I appreciate this opportunity.
Unfortunately, Canada has become a safe zone for Iranian authorities in recent years. This is so disappointing for me as a human rights activist. It's not only about human rights violations in Iran; it's about Canada's domestic security, and the Government of Canada should take it seriously. We will continue our efforts to make sure that Canadians are safe and respected.
Today I will do testimony on behalf of my friend Narges Mohammadi. She is a very well-known human rights advocate in Iran and is currently being held in Qarchak Prison in Iran. She wished to do it on her own, but, unfortunately, she was arrested for the 14th time on April 12 to serve a sentence of 30 months and 74 floggings.
Today I will read two parts of her writing. One of them was published in The Globe and Mail and one part is from her private letter to Canadian MPs.
She wrote that:
Any transformation in Iran must be driven by the Iranian people, although democratic governments, human rights groups and the international community may play a crucial role. Holding human-rights violators in Iran accountable, whether by using the legal tools available, such as Magnitsky sanctions, or through diplomatic pressure, legislation or drawing international attention to the issue and embarrassing the Islamic Republic's authorities, would undoubtedly pave the way for our fight for justice and freedom, warming our hearts and bolstering our steps.
Also, she wrote a private letter to Canadian MPs, and I will read part of that. She wrote:
It will happen until Canada officially bars Iranian officials from entering the country. Just a few months ago, the IRGC commander and former Tehran police chief was spotted in Canada and definitely, many other Iranian governments and military officials travel to Canada freely and may have permanent residency status in Canada and they just have been so smart or lucky that they have not been yet captured by citizens' cameras. This is not called security for Canadians. As long as the ban does not become legal, not only Iranian-Canadians but all Canadians will not feel safe. Certainly no Canadian wants his family to be a neighbour to a terrorist or a murderer. They can travel to Canada legally today and invest their bloody money there. We don't call on Canadian government to liberate Iran or to do anything specifically for the Iranian people outside of Canada's border. We urge Canada to protect the security and well-being of its own citizens. Canadian[s] deserve better than this.
Thank you.