Shaparak Shajarizadeh
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Shaparak Shajarizadeh | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1975 (age 50–51) Iran |
| Occupations | Social activist, human rights advocate |
| Known for | Girls of Revolution Street |
| Children | 1 |
Shaparak Shajarizadeh (Persian: شاپرک شجری زاده) (born 1975) is an Iranian women's rights activist and a former political prisoner.[1] She is also a member of women's committee of Iran Transition Council. Shajarizadeh is well known for her efforts in empowering Women's rights in Iran and activism against Iran's contemporary compulsory hijab law.[2] She possess anti-headscarf sentiments and also pioneered online campaigns such as "Girls of Revolution Street" and "White Wednesdays" as a part of the protests against compulsory hijab in an effort to encourage both men and women in Iran to post images in the social media platforms of themselves without wearing headscarves.[3] She was arrested and imprisoned twice for defying Iran's laws about compulsory hijab laws.
Shajarizadeh was born and raised up in Iran. She spent most of her life in Iran until 2018.[4] In July 2018, after facing sanctions and pressure, she fled to Turkey where she reunited with her son while her husband was in Iran during the time. She then migrated to Canada in 2018 where she is currently in exile and settled in Toronto with her husband and son. In July 2018, in her Instagram account she revealed that she left Iran due to ongoing violence against activists.
