Women will be going on a hunger strike relay from Monday 20th December to support the the #FreeNazanin campaign, inspired by and in solidarity with Margaret Owen’s recent hunger strike. 

We are inviting Women via our FiLiA networks to join us in an ongoing relay of fasting, inspired by Margaret Owen’s interview on the FiLiA podcast. Margaret held her own hunger strike and made it clear that we need to keep the pressure on the government and Nazanin’s name in the press.

Women can sign up to take part in this solidarity action HERE

The Details

• We are creating a chain of women taking it in turns to fast for a day to continue the hunger strike. We aim to continue this chain for as long as it takes Nazanin to be freed. 

• We will be creating a visual solidarity action to keep pressure on the Government and to show Nazanin just how much support she has from women both in the UK and globally, by sharing protest images on social media under the hashtag #FreeNazanin, #Women4Nazanin and #Hungry4Justice.

• We will be collecting messages of support from all participants to share with Nazanin and her family.

• We will also be asking each participant to email her MP to keep the pressure up and keep Nazanin in the public eye. 

We are asking all FiLiA supporters as well as guest speakers to take part. This solidarity action will start on Monday 20th December to coincide with the Carols for Nazanin event.

Comments

Raquel Rosario Sanchez - Spokeswoman, Trustee

"We are inspired by the courage shown by Nazanin herself, her family and supporters like Margaret Owen, an 89-year-old barrister who fasted for almost a week and kept the media interest in this case. At FiLiA, we are asking women to participate in a relay of fasting to keep the spotlight and pressure on Nazanin's struggle. 

We are also asking women to write to their MP to make their voices heard. However, it is deplorable that women from all walks of life have to resort to these tactics to ensure women's human rights are protected. Nazanin was imprisoned in April 2016, when she visited Iran to introduce her daughter to her parents. She and many others are being used as pawns in geopolitical games that separate families and multiply suffering. We call on the British government to support Richard in securing Nazanin's release and to reunite Nazanin with her daughter Gabriella."

Sophie Walker - British political activist,  founding leader of the Women's Equality Party, Journalist

“Nazanin has been waiting for us for too long. I’m utterly ashamed that our government has left her alone, intimidated and ill-treated for years. I hope that this action prompts our Prime Minister and Foreign Minister to think again, and I hope that there is some small comfort for Nazanin in knowing that her sisters stand with her. The power of women’s solidarity can be a comfort in the darkest times. I hope FiLiA’s campaign can bring some warmth and light to her and I am glad to join.”

This solidarity action will be launched by Lisa-Marie Taylor, FiLiA CEO, with Maryam Namazie (British-Iranian secularist, communist and human rights activist, commentator, and broadcaster) picking up the baton on the 21st. Other first-week participants are:

Sophie Walker, Political activist, founding leader of the Women's Equality Party, Journalist

Pragna Patel, Founder of Southall Black Sisters

Mandy Sanghera, International human rights activist

Vaishnavi Sundar, Filmmaker and activist

Sally Jackson, FiLiA Trustee and activist

Yasmin Rehman, CEO JUNO Women’s Aid

You can follow the action on our twitter feed and we will be adding new updates to this briefing as the relay gathers momentum. 

Margaret Owen OBE is a human rights barrister specialising in women’s rights. You can read more about her work here.
You can contact us at campaigns@filia.org.uk

FiLiA Charity

'FiLiA' means daughter; we are the daughters of the women who came before us and we fight so that our sisters and daughters may be free. 

FiLiA is a Women-led Volunteer organisation and part of the Women’s Liberation Movement. We have charitable status for our work promoting Women’s human rights. Our volunteer team has organised a Feminist conference since 2013, and we work on projects that benefit Women and Girls.

Our main aims are:

1. Build Sisterhood and Solidarity 

2. Amplify the Voices of Women

3. Defend Women's Human Rights