‘There’s power in numbers’: Almost 50 Canadian MPs (so far) have sponsored detained Iranians
Hundreds gathered on Parliament Hill on Oct. 4, 2022, to show solidarity with the Women Life Freedom movement. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade.
News | By Laura Ryckewaert | January 25, 2023
At least four-dozen Liberal, Conservative, and NDP MPs so far have announced political sponsorships of Iranians detained by the Islamic Republic regime in the hope of raising awareness, adding clout, and showing the regime that “the world is watching.”
“It is an opportunity for me to use my voice, to use my social media platforms to raise awareness about their situation, to help be their voice and to draw more attention to their plight,” and help “monitor their situation,” said Liberal MP Jenna Sudds (Kanata–Carleton, Ont.).
Sudds is sponsoring Rozhin Yousefzadeh, who was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment for participating in a protest. Political sponsorship is a symbolic show of solidarity.
Ultimately, Sudds said it’s about putting “pressure on the Iranian regime to ensure that they know that we are watching—the world is watching—and that they can’t continue on in this path. We will hold them accountable.”
