Iranian born Sayah Hassan is a criminal lawyer  and human rights activist in Toronto.

The following article appeared in the author’s blog on March 27, 2010. It is reprinted here with her permission.

Recently it was brought to my attention that the Iranian Student Association at York University has been openly and publicly displaying the flag of the Islamic Regime at York University.

For non-Iranians who may not be familiar with the “flag issue” in Iran, it is important to give a bit of background. Prior to the Islamic Regime coming to power in 1979 the Iranian flag was a green, white, and red with the symbol of the Lion and Sun in the middle.

One of the first things the Islamic Regime did after coming to power was to change the flag, adding Arabic writing to it, removing the Lion and Sun and adding the “Allah” symbol in the middle. There was no vote or referendum about changing the flag, it was done in a dictatorial manner the same way the Regime does everything else.

Today most opposition (both groups and individuals) display the Lion and Sun flag instead of the Islamic Regime Flag as a clear and obvious sign of opposition to the Regime. The only exception is the leftist/communist groups who do not display a national flag at all.

In the past year even brave Iranian activists in Iran have displayed the Lion and Sun flag in various cities in Iran, despite great risk to their personal safety and even lives. For most Iranians the Islamic Regime flag is only that, representative of the Islamic Regime and not the Iranian people or Iran.

It is clearly understood among Iranian’s abroad that the usage of the Islamic Regime flag is a sign of support for the Islamic Regime and its atrocities, therefore it is shocking and disturbing to see the Iranian Student Association at York University openly displaying the Islamic Regime flag with complete disregard for the lives that have been lost at the hands of the Islamic Regime, not only in the past year, but for the past 31 years.

Many Iranians have come to Canada because of the danger they were faced with in Iran. Many have been imprisoned and tortured by the Islamic Regime, others have had their loved ones executed by the Regime. They have all come to Canada to live in a free and democratic country and to be free from any threats, dangers and reminders of the Regime.

Many Iranians have come to Canada because of the danger they were faced with in Iran. Many have been imprisoned and tortured by the Islamic Regime, others have had their loved ones executed by the Regime. They have all come to Canada to live in a free and democratic country and to be free from any threats, dangers and reminders of the Regime. Yet it seems even in Canada we are not free of the influence and the threat posed by the Islamic Regime. The Islamic Regime manages to continue its influence and propaganda through “bursary students” it imports to Canada. “Bursary Students” are students whose education is funded by the Islamic Regime. In order to be eligible for such bursaries the student and his/her family must be 100% loyal to the Islamic Regime and what the Regime stands for. These students serve a number of purposes for the Islamic Regime.

1. To spy on fellow students, especially those who are activists, or whose families are involved in anti-Regime activity abroad.

2. To further the Islamic Regime propaganda, by using the Islamic Regime flag, having pro-reform (pro-Islamic Regime) speakers and by having “cultural events” in an attempt to have people forget the atrocities committed by the Regime by focusing on art and culture instead.

3. Intimidation of pro-democracy Iranian students through open display of Islamic Regime Flag and propaganda.

One can only imagine how a student who has been imprisoned and tortured by the Regime, or a student whose mother or father has been subjected to such brutality must feel looking at the symbol of that oppression (The Islamic Regime Flag) on a regular basis. It can’t be much different from a Holocaust survivor having to come face to face with the Swastika and Nazi supporters on a regular basis.

It is no secret that the Regime is one of the worst human rights violators in the world. It is no secret that the Regime spends millions of dollars on its international “spies” in order to spy on, and to intimidate opposition. We also know about the Regime’s involvement in terrorist activities abroad. We know that at least some of the terrorists involved with 911 were students; we know that some of the 18 individuals involved in the “Canada 18 Terrorist Plot” had also come to Canada on “student visas.”

I am not suggesting that these particular students or the student association is involved or will be involved in such activity. What I am suggesting however is that perhaps their activities and their open support for the Islamic Regime, in Canada should not go unnoticed. Food for thought...

Down with the Islamic Regime
Long Live Freedom in Iran