“Jacinda Ardern must explain her deafening silence on the atrocities occurring in Iran and answer the question, why won’t she stand up for women at a time when leadership is needed?” Asks ACT’s Deputy Leader Brooke van Velden.

“It’s time for the Government to properly condemn what is happening to women and girls in Iran. So far Jacinda Ardern has been weak in her condemnation.

“Women are looking to the Prime Minister to show leadership on this, if there is a reason for her to be so muted in her response then she needs to explain what it is.

“She was outspoken in her concerns for American women’s rights and bodily autonomy during the Roe v Wade abortion debate. Why is she not similarly outspoken for Iranian women’s rights to be able to show some of their hair?

“New Zealanders have been shocked, appalled and saddened by Mahsa Amini’s death. The strong reaction is clear from New Zealanders who have taken to the streets in protest.

“Iranian Women of NZ have expressed their disappointment in the Prime Minister’s lack of action, when asked about this earlier today she still refused to condemn the actions that led to the death of Mahsa Amini at the hands of Iranian ‘Morality Police’. Instead brushing it off by saying she’d “raised concerns with the ambassador.”

“ACT has directly contacted the Iranian Ambassador for an explanation and received a pathetic response. If his engagement with the Prime Minister is similarly dismissive of what occurred, then he should be on the first flight out of New Zealand.

“If other nations don’t stand up and push back on these sorts of atrocities then we have no chance of ever putting an end to them. The Iranian Government should be forced to consider whether these actions are acceptable and whether it can be accepted by the global community if they continue.”

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