Today, as we mark the anniversary of the November 2019 uprising — one of the largest uprisings in modern Iranian history — we’ll explore the role, widespread presence, and leadership of women in this movement. This uprising showcased extraordinary moments of courage and leadership by Iranian women.

We dedicate this episode to the women of the November 2019 uprising, and we’ll focus on the role of women in the Resistance Units and their contributions to the fight for Iran’s freedom.

Let’s start with this question: How would you describe the November 2019 uprising?

The November 2019 uprising was sparked on the 15th of November by a sudden hike in fuel prices. Protests rapidly spread to 191 cities. Iranians from all walks of life poured into the streets, chanting slogans like “Death to Khamenei” and “Death to Rouhani.”

In the early days of the uprising, protesters in cities such as Shiraz in the south, Behbahan in the southwest, Tehran Province, and other major cities temporarily liberated areas, challenging security forces and significantly disrupting the regime’s control.

Regime officials admitted that they were simultaneously battling the uprising in 900 locations nationwide, with 146 crisis points in Tehran alone. The scale and intensity of the uprising shook the regime to its core, so much so that they could only suppress it through brutal massacres. This uprising revealed the explosive potential and power of the Iranian people to overthrow the regime.

Welcome to this episode of the NCRI Women’s Committee podcast where we uncover one of the darkest facets of human rights abuse within the prison system of the Iranian regime which has victimized many women.

The regime's treatment of political prisoners has always been harsh. Some reports reveal an even more sinister strategy: forcing illness and breaking prisoners through brutal tactics that often lead to irreversible health damage—or worse. Today, we’ll dive into these practices and bring to light the voices of those who have endured the unimaginable.

To anyone who has followed Iran’s recent history, the stories of political prisoners are already gut-wrenching. But what we're talking about today is a method of control that goes beyond physical and psychological torture. Prisoners who resist the regime or refuse to cooperate face medical torture: they’re given injections or forced to take pills, often leading to chronic autoimmune diseases or mental breakdowns. These are not isolated cases—this is a systematic campaign to destroy the bodies and spirits of dissidents.

The term some have used is “biological assassination.” Think about that for a moment. These prisoners are not just being silenced; they’re being slowly dismantled from the inside. Some are given drugs that disrupt their immune systems, leading to diseases like multiple sclerosis (MS) and lupus. And for those who resist even further? The regime escalates with psychoactive drugs that induce total psychological collapse, making even the strongest individuals weak and vulnerable.

In this episode, we’re going to discuss the controversial new hijab bill, which many are calling a violation of Iranian women’s fundamental human rights.

This bill, which has stirred both domestic and international outrage, was actually approved by the Guardian Council about a month ago. One of the parliament members had already announced it back on September 17, but the government still hasn’t moved forward with its implementation. Then, just recently on October 19, the Guardian Council’s spokesperson again confirmed at a news conference that the bill is officially approved.

The bill enforces stricter penalties on women who refuse to comply with the mandatory hijab. It turns the regime’s repressive hijab regulations into law, with a range of punishments including fines, prison sentences, and restrictions on education and employment for women who don’t comply with the mandatory dress code. This also extends to banning services to unveiled women and even implementing gender segregation in parks, hospitals, and universities.
The UN has condemned the bill, calling it gender apartheid.