November 10th was International Day of Human Rights and the 75th anniversary of the International Declaration of Human Rights. In observance of this day the Tri-Cities chapter of Amnesty International held an event at the Coquitlam Public Library in partnership with Justice for Iran.

While Amnesty International focuses on human right across the globe and there was an opportunity for those in attendance to sign petitions and letters of appeal pertaining to injustices on a variety of international issues, the main focus of the event was the long history of human rights atrocities perpetrated by the Iranian government and it's effect upon those who were lucky enough to escape from the regime to come and live here in Canada, and in particular, the Tri-Cities.

When listening to the accounts of those who spoke at the event it was hard not to pick up on the common thread of inhumanity suffered by many which seemed so at odds with a regime that claims to be a theocracy of any kind. Especially disturbing was the fact that those that spoke at the event made it clear that they were speaking on behalf of thousands of others whose voices we can not hear, or who will never be heard from again.

On November 10, 2022 The Honourable Marco Mendicino, Minister of Public Safety, announced that Canada had designated the Islamic Republic of Iran as a regime that has engaged in terrorism and systematic and gross human rights violations. This means that tens of thousands of senior members of the Iranian regime, including many members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, are now inadmissible to Canada.

Unfortunately this appears to be a case of the Canadian government closing the doors after the horses have already left the barn as it has been reported that there were already hundreds of immigrants with ties to the Iranian regime that have made there way into Canada.

While all of those who spoke at the event were appreciative of their finding a home here in Canada, many spoke of the frustration of having to live in a country that has also provided a home for those who abused them, profited by dealing with a regime that abused them, or worse, continues to work for the regime.

For more information on you can help check out your local chapter of Amnesty International. In the Tri-Cities it's ;