International IDEA is appalled by the violent repression of peaceful protests in Iran following the death of Mahsa Amini in police custody.
These protests are the legitimate expression of a people’s desire for change. Iranians are breaking through authoritarianism and censorship to make themselves heard. And the world is listening.
Iranian authorities must listen too. The violence against protesters must stop and perpetrators must be held accountable.
The fact that Iranians—especially Iranian women—are insisting on a better future is not surprising. International IDEA’s data show that Iran consistently underperforms the regional and global average across most aspects of democracy. In critical respects, including effective parliament and gender equality, Iran’s weak performance deteriorated further in International IDEA’s latest report. Iranian autocracy has gotten worse.
International IDEA stands with the people of Iran in their pursuit of fundamental human rights and freedoms.
