[Newsmaker] South Korean lawyers voice solidarity with women in Iran

Human rights lawyers gathered outside the Iranian embassy in Seoul on Tuesday in a show of support for women in Iran.

“We stand with the women of Iran who are courageously fighting against appalling repression, and urge the Iranian government to stop the violent crackdown of protesters and respect the freedom of women and girls,” the lawyers said in a joint statement.

“Today we join people around the world who have taken to the streets to support the women in Iran, who are risking death as they resist the regime.”

The lawyers said Islamic theocratic rule was “forcing a strict dress code in a country where women were once free to choose how they dress.”

Holding up a sign that read “Women, Life, Freedom” -- words that came to symbolize the protests in Iran -- lawyers called mandatory compliance with wearing the hijab “discriminatory.” “Women and girls have the right to be free,” they said.

Tuesday’s gathering was organized by member lawyers of North Korean Human Rights, an organization dedicated to advancing human rights in North Korea and assisting victims of North Korean abuses.

“We condemn the Iranian authorities for violating the human rights of Iranian people, just as we condemn the North Korean regime for violating the human rights of North Korean people,” they said.

About a month ago, a Kurdish woman named Mahsa Amini died under suspicious circumstances after being arrested for breaking strict dress codes enforced by the morality police. She was 22 years old.

Her death sparked unrest across Iran, with security forces cracking down on protests with arrests and violence.

By Kim Arin (arin@heraldcorp.com)