Call for Legal Action Against Aisan Eslami
15,705
Signatures
10,000
Goal
5 June 2025
We, supporters of the MeToo Iran movement and concerned members of civil society, condemn in the strongest terms the recent public statements made by Iranian influencer Aisan Eslami, following the arrest of two Iranian athletes accused of raping a Korean woman during the Asian Athletics Championships in South Korea.
In a widely circulated video, Eslami defended the accused in vulgar, dehumanizing language, referring to the survivor as a “pro” and trivializing the rape allegations with statements such as, “So what if their urges kicked in… should a few young men from our country get life sentences for that?” He further invoked nationalist and misogynistic tropes, mocking the concept of justice for survivors and portraying male sexual violence as an excusable part of “being a guy.”
These statements are not only morally reprehensible—they amount to rape apologia, misogynistic hate speech, and incitement to gender-based violence. By defending alleged rapists and publicly ridiculing the survivor, Eslami has weaponized his platform to reinforce a culture of silence, impunity, and victim-blaming that continues to endanger women and marginalized genders.
We call for the following actions:
- Legal investigation and public condemnation of Aisan Eslami’s statements under applicable laws pertaining to hate speech and incitement;
- Immediate suspension of his Instagram and related social media accounts by Meta and other platform providers for violating community standards and promoting violence;
- A broader public reckoning with the normalization of sexual violence in Persian-language online spaces, especially when reinforced by influencers with large audiences.
Eslami’s words are not mere “opinions.” They are part of a larger, dangerous discourse that silences survivors and legitimizes violence. We demand accountability.
August 27, 2024
Recently, an Iranian male social media influencer based in the United States, Aisan Eslami, used his Instagram platform to incite violence and hatred against a female Iranian influencer living in Dubai, Simin Pourmehr. Eslami’s comments laid bare the deep-rooted misogyny, patriarchal control, and toxic masculinity that persist in parts of Iranian society. His call for the men in Pourmehr’s family to “control” her or even resort to violence reveals the dangerous intersection between online harassment, gender-based violence, and the cultural norms that strip women and trans* individuals of their humanity.
Such incitements intensify when women, trans, and queer people behave in ways that challenge patriarchal, cisheteronormative, and paternalistic expectations within families and society. These attitudes not only undermine the sexual autonomy of women and LGBTQ+ individuals but reinforce the idea that their bodies are the property of male relatives—bodies to be disciplined, controlled, or punished under the guise of honor or tradition.
The objectification of women, trans, and queer people facilitates the policing of their bodies and gender expressions. This, in turn, normalizes violence, murder, and social exclusion. The widespread belief that their bodies exist for others’ control and consumption directly erodes their right to pleasure, sexual orientation, emotional expression, and self-determination.
Aisan Eslami is not just an individual actor. He represents a broader, dangerous culture of hegemonic masculinity that often begins with verbal abuse and ends in femicide, transfemicide, and so-called “honor” killings. By leaning on cultural norms that excuse such violence, he not only jeopardizes the safety of Simin Pourmehr but endangers the lives of other women and LGBTQ+ individuals in even more vulnerable situations, encouraging men who view themselves as guardians of family “honor” to commit acts of violence.
This issue also highlights the heightened vulnerability of sex workers, who are often dehumanized and made targets in these misogynistic narratives. In patriarchal societies, sex workers are stripped of personhood and deemed deserving of violence, even death. The result is a social structure that renders them disposable and treats violence against them as inconsequential.
Social media platforms must take responsibility for the hate they help amplify. These platforms provide global reach to ideologies that incite real-world violence.
In response to this situation, the members of MeToo Iran call on their sisters and allies in the United States to initiate legal proceedings against Aisan Eslami. We also call on Meta to suspend his account -- which currently has over ten million followers -- for promoting hate and inciting violence, which puts the lives of women, trans, and queer people at risk.
This must serve as a serious wake-up call. Cultural norms that enable gender-based violence—whether online or off—must be scrutinized and challenged.
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Recent events
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Province Number of signatures Alborz 1,003 Ardabil 124 Bushehr 180 Chahar Mahaal and Bakhtiari 84 East Azerbaijan 375 Fars 917 Gilan 586 Golestan 184 Hamadan 171 Hormozgan 208 Ilam 49 Isfahan 767 Kerman 185 Kermanshah 178 Khuzestan 460 Kohgiluyehv And Boyer Ahmad 56 Kurdistan 186 Lorestan 124 Markazi 153 Mazandaran 498 North Khorasan 62 Qazvin 103 Qom 106 Razavi Khorasan 726 Semnan 81 Sistan and Baluchestan 83 South Khorasan 35 Tehran 4,194 West Azerbaijan 178 Yazd 115 Zanjan 71 This petition has received 15,705 signatures so far. Approximately 93% of signatures come from Iran. Approximately 7% of signatures come from outside of Iran. Learn how Daadkhast generates signature maps. -
Latest signatures
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آیسان اسلامی تنها یک فرد نیست، بلکه نماینده مردانگی سمی و فرهنگ خطرناکی است که اغلب با خشونت علیه زنان، افراد ترنس* و کوییر آغاز میشود و به زن کُشی، قتل زنان ترنس و ترنس فِم، و قتلهای ناموسی پایان مییابد.
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مردانی که خود را مسئول حفظ "ناموس" میدانند، و هنجارهای فرهنگی که خشونت جنسیتی را تقویت میکنند، باید مؤاخذه و محکوم گردند.
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آیسان اسلامی تنها یک فرد نیست، بلکه نماینده مردانگی سمی و فرهنگ خطرناکی است که اغلب با خشونت علیه زنان، افراد ترنس* و کوییر آغاز میشود و به زن کُشی، قتل زنان ترنس و ترنس فِم، و قتلهای ناموسی پایان مییابد.
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مردانی که خود را مسئول حفظ "ناموس" میدانند، و هنجارهای فرهنگی که خشونت جنسیتی را تقویت میکنند، باید مؤاخذه و محکوم گردند.
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سخنان اخیر آیسان اسلامی
خرداد ۱۴۰۴، پس از آنکه دو ورزشکار تیم دو و میدانی در حاشیه مسابقات قهرمانی آسیا در کره جنوبی به جرم تجاوز به یک زن کرهای دستگیر شدند، آیسان اسلامی در دفاع از آنان گفت، «من نمیدانم چرا همه فاز غیرت دفاع از اوشین کرهای گرفتهاند. حالا سه تا ایرانی بودند، آنتن [آلت] اینها بلند شد ... دختره جیغ و دادبازی درآورد، کاسب بود، در خارج هم که میدانید اول زن، بعد سگ، بعد مرد! جواد کاظمیان هم [در دفاع از متجاوزان] پیام داد که رفیق فابریک علی کریمیه! پیشکسوته! الگوی ورزشیه! مگه شما علی کریمی رو دوست ندارید؟ خب حالا پسر بودن دیگه! دولشون بلند شده!…یعنی سه چهار تا جوان که هموطن ما هستن حبس ابد بگیرن؟ درسته؟»
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MeToo Iran started this petition
آیسان اسلامی تنها یک فرد نیست، بلکه نماینده مردانگی سمی و فرهنگ خطرناکی است که اغلب با خشونت علیه زنان، افراد ترنس* و کوییر آغاز میشود و به زن کُشی، قتل زنان ترنس و ترنس فِم، و قتلهای ناموسی پایان مییابد.