00:00This daughter's cry has gripped the world.
00:20Mehrave Khandan's plea for her father's freedom echoes far beyond Iran.
00:23Her father Reza Khandan, a prominent human rights activist, is imprisoned in even prison,
00:28unable to protect his family. Her words echo a nation's anguish.
00:32Reza Khandan is a name synonymous with resilience.
00:34A human rights defender, graphic designer, and husband to celebrated lawyer Nasirin Satawdeh,
00:39he has spent years fighting for personal freedoms in Iran.
00:41His activism gained international attention when he campaigned against the mandatory hijab laws,
00:46distributing pro-freedom pins emblazoned with the words,
00:48I oppose the mandatory hijab.
00:50Arrested in 2018, Reza faced six years in prison, reduced to three and a half years after international outcry.
00:56Yet, his re-arrest in 2024, places him at the center of Iran's ongoing human rights crisis.
01:02Reza's story is part of a larger movement.
01:04Recent surveys by Gaman show that 81% of Iranians reject the Islamic Republic.
01:08Over 60% favor regime change over reform, and anti-regime sentiment spans age groups, genders, and regions.
01:14The 2022 death of Mahsa Amini ignited unprecedented protests.
01:19Women wearing hijabs, men tossing cleric turbans, and calls for women, life, freedom,
01:24signal a society yearning for change.
01:26A January-February, 2024 survey by Gaman revealed that 77% of respondents across Iran
01:31intended to boycott parliamentary elections,
01:33with turnout reaching historic lows of just 24% in Tehran and 41% nationally.
01:38As for Mehrebe's plea, it is more than a personal appeal.
01:41It reflects the struggle of countless Iranians demanding a better future.
