SCOTLAND’S first refugee councillor has urged the UK Government to stop doing “nothing” and make a formal statement on the death of Mahsa Amini who died in the custody of Iran’s morality police.
A motion was passed in Glasgow City Council on Thursday October 27 expressing the authority’s solidarity with Iranian protesters.
The Glasgow Girl wants the UK Government to advocate for a joint statement to set up an independent UN body to investigate the death of Amini.
Iran has been rocked by the biggest anti-government protests in more than a decade following the death of the 22-year-old Kurdish woman.
Amini was detained by Iran’s morality police for allegedly violating the country’s strict dress code for women.
The widespread protests have posed one of the most serious challenges to the Islamic Republic.
With the slogan #WomanLifeFreedom demonstrators are demanding reform of women’s rights and the state-mandated hijab laws.
Protests quickly evolved into calls to oust the Shiite clerics that have ruled Iran since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Salih said that as Scotland’s first refugee councillor she felt she had to do something to highlight the death of Amini.
The SNP councillor told the Sunday National: “What is happening in Iran is really scary. I want to reassure our Kurdish and Iranian communities that Glasgow is their ally and we are supporting them.
“We want the UK Government to make an official statement on Amini’s death and for the UN to have an independent investigation around what happened and hold Iran accountable.
“We want to give women in these communities a voice. These people have made Scotland their home, they are part of our community and have contributed so much to our society.”
Salih stressed that the UK Government could have done a lot to hold Iran accountable over the death of Amini and hundreds of protesters but instead have “done nothing”.
She said: “Those who commit crimes under international law, such as Iran, need to be held accountable. But they are getting away with it. The UK Government is not being vocal about it. They need to make an official statement on Iran. It’s unjustifiable.
“Iran has gone to the dark ages. It used to be a place where people would go on holidays.
“The young people and women in the country are leading, really a revolution, for change and we need to support their fight for freedom. They don’t want their children to be in the same situation. They are fighting for their fundamental rights. Glasgow City Council is an ally of the people of Iran.”
An event for Kurdish and Iranian communites is set to take place in the City Chambers at 6pm where Salih will give a speech.
