Priyanka Chopra supports Iranian protesters: ‘The voices that speak after ages of forced silence will burst like a volcano’

Priyanka Chopra Jonas praised the “courageous women” of Iran, who have been protesting over the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, in an Instagram post.

Mahsa was detained in September by Iran’s morality police, which said she didn’t properly cover her hair with the mandatory Islamic headscarf hijab. She collapsed at a police station and died three days later. Her death set off protests in dozens of cities across the country where women took off their headscarves and cut their hair. The government then responded with a fierce crackdown.

The message read, “Women in Iran and around the world are standing up and raising their voices, publicly cutting their hair and many other forms of protest for Mahsa Amini, whose young life was taken away so brutally by the Iranian Morality Police for wearing her hijab ‘improperly’. The voices that speak after ages of forced silence, will rightfully burst like a volcano! And they will not and MUST not be stemmed.”

“I am in awe of your courage and your purpose. It is not easy to risk your life, literally, to challenge the patriarchal establishment and fight for your rights. But, you are courageous women doing this every day regardless of the cost to yourselves. To ensure that this movement will have a lasting effect, we must hear their call, understand the issues and then join in with our collective voices,” the actor added.

Priyanka also asked people to influence others to join the protest.

“We must also get everyone who can influence others to join as well. Numbers matter. Add your voice to this critical movement. Stay informed and be vocal, so these voices can no longer be forced to stay silent. I stand with you. Jin, jiyan, azaadi… Women, life, freedom. #MahsaAmini #IranProtests #WomanLifeFreedom,” she said.

On the work front, Priyanka will be seen in the global series Citadel. She will also be a part of Farhan Akhtar’s Jee Le Zaraa with Katrina Kaif and Alia Bhatt. She also has a Hollywood film It’s All Coming Back To Me in the pipeline.