A group of women political leaders requested Iran be taken off of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (UN CSW). .“Because of the Islamic Republic’s appalling record on women’s rights, and in light of the regime’s ongoing brutal crackdown on protestors, we insist Iran’s membership to the CSW be revoked,” said the group in a Sunday letter. .“For every day the Islamic Republic of Iran remains a member of the Commission on the Status of Women, the body loses credibility.” .The Canadian signatories of the letter are former prime minister Kim Campbell, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, and Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly. Other important signatories are former US first ladies Hillary Clinton, Laura Bush, and Michelle Obama; former New Zealand prime minister Helen Clark, and Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai. .A number of protestors were killed by Iranian authorities since demonstrations were triggered by the death of a young woman, Mahsa Amini. Amini was arrested by Iran’s morality squad for failing to cover her hair, and she died in policy custody. .Iran began a four-year term on the UN CSW, much to the dismay of women’s rights advocates around the world. .The letter said the Iranian government’s systemic oppression of women should have disqualified them from election to the CSW. For decades, gender inequality and discrimination have been enshrined in the country. .The group said CSW member states have to uphold its mandate and defend the values they claim to support. It urged these members “to come together in an act of solidarity with Iranian women and girls and heed their call to immediately remove Iran from the CSW.” .Women-led protests across Iran were met with violence. The group concluded by saying it will “support their struggle for fundamental freedoms and call for an immediate end to state violence and the safe releases of thousands of detained citizens.” .“This is a critical moment for leaders in the international community to vocally and unequivocally demonstrate their support for women’s rights by standing in solidarity with Iranian women and girls,” it said. .Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre stood in the House of Commons on Oct. 5 to grill Prime Minister Justin Trudeau over whether the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) is a terrorist organization. .READ MORE: 'Yes or no' Poilievre grills Trudeau on whether the IRGC is a terrorist organization."Is the IRGC a terrorist group, yes or no?" said Poilievre. .Trudeau responded by saying Iran is a state sponsor of terrorism and Canada is continuing to hold the IRGC to account, "including by putting sanctions on a number of their top leaders to make sure they can't take safe haven or buy property in Canada."
