Voices in the Dark: Bearing Witness to the Iranian Uprising

Gaza has been under siege. People have been killed—children, women, the young, and the elderly. Innocent or guilty, they were killed without a judge or jury. The world did not remain silent. Students, activists, politicians, and journalists filled the streets in solidarity. While many governments failed to act meaningfully, public voices were still heard.

In Iran, people also came to the streets to demand freedom. The government responded with violence. Estimates of those killed vary widely. The regime claims about 5,000 deaths. In contrast, independent sources suggest the number could be as high as 35,000. Yet the world largely looked away. International media reduced it to a passing story. Many activists stayed silent. A few students protested. Only Iranians abroad consistently participated. They were told they had no place in their own country.

Iranians worldwide came together in support of the young people risking their lives in Iran. But the media rarely covered these protests properly. Many attempted to hijack the movement, just as they did with the Women, Life, Freedom uprising. Did they succeed? I don’t care. What matters is that I showed up. That many of us showed up. To tell the story. To bear witness. To be a voice for those who have been silenced. I believe everyone standing in the streets shares one hope: to see a free and dignified Iran.

I cannot do much on my own. I’m documenting these days in Toronto. I hope history will show we didn’t stay silent and that we did everything we could. We are not asking for anything radical. We are only asking for the right to live.