The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power star, Nazanin Boniadi, has spoken out and called for action following the death of Mahsa Amini, in Iran.
In a guest column for Deadline, the actor – who plays a healer in the Prime Video spin-off from the notable J.R.R. Tolkien work – has called for action after the 22-year-old died after being detained by Iran’s morality police for allegedly not wearing her hijab correctly.
Mahsa Amini Death
In Iran, in September this year, Mahsa was detained by the morality police for allegedly not wearing her hijab, in accordance with government standards. While she was detained by police Mahsa died.
At the time police said she had suffered a heart attack in the station and died two days later in a coma, however, eyewitnesses and women who were detained with Amini said she was severely beaten, reports say.
Later, it was revealed, the Kurdish-born woman’s official cause of death was a “skull fracture caused by severe trauma”.
Her death has sparked outrage across the globe and protest rallies were held in cities all over the world to stand in solidarity with Iranians protesting.
Rings Of Power Nazanin Boniadi Speaks Out
Among those speaking out are several celebrities, including the Iranian-born Rings of Power actress who has spoken out against the violence Mahsa faced and called for action.
Along with recounting the events leading to Mahsa’s death and talking about the global reaction to it, Nazanin called the protests and those speaking out “nothing short of the first female-led revolution”.
She said: ‘What we have witnessed in the two weeks since Mahsa’s untimely death, is nothing short of the first female-led revolution of our time.
‘Iranian women caused a paradigm shift as they took to the streets to burn their compulsory hijabs and cut off their hair in protest, while men joined them en force. As have several high profile Iranian athletes, actors and filmmakers.’
Nazanin then quoted Iranian actress Katayoun Riahi who said: ‘People are no longer afraid of prison because Iran has become a prison itself.’
She also called out the Iranian government saying: ‘Any government that is anti-woman is anti-human.’
Nazanin also reflects on how forward-thinking her home country once was, explaining women had the right to vote in Iran, eight years before it was legal in Switzerland.
Lastly, Nazanin included a list of how people can help which includes:
- Calling on people across the world to sign a petition targeting UN member states, asking them to set up an independent UN mechanism to investigate and ensure accountability for the most serious crimes under international law committed in Iran.
- Following and sharing information from credible activists and organizations to amplify the voices that need to be heard.
- Show up to protests and network with Iranian activists for strategic actions, like making informative videos.
- Donate to credible, Iran-focused human rights organizations — such as Human Rights Activist News Agency (HRANA), Abdorrahman Boroumand Center and Amnesty International Iran.