america is not a hunting ground for dictators
In 2022, Iran tried to assassinate American citizen Masih Alinejad in Brooklyn, New York for speaking out against the Ayatollah’s oppression of women. Now, we’re fighting back.
“I came to america to be safe”
A quiet neighborhood in Brooklyn is not where you would expect an assassin to appear.
But that is exactly what happened in July 2022, when a hitman hired by Iran’s regime arrived on the doorstep of women’s rights advocate Masih Alinejad with a loaded AK-47 in hand.
Masih is an American citizen living in New York. Her street could have been your street. Your neighborhood. What if your child had been playing outside when the assassin approached Masih’s home? What if they had been caught in the crossfire?
While most of us are not political dissidents, the reality is that we walk the same streets.
This is much bigger than dictators trying to kill their opponents. Authoritarian regimes spend billions of dollars to secretly influence us and overtly interfere in our society by stealing secrets from American companies and co-opting the freedom of our academic institutions to spread intolerant and outwardly authoritarian ideas.
Borders don’t mean anything to regimes that violate them openly. Dictators never stop–they are stopped.
be masih’s voice – tell congress to act
If you think what happened to Masih should never happen to another person in this country, it’s time to speak up. Sign this petition to demand action against dictator hit squads in our backyards.
The US government has the power to protect people on American soil from foreign tyrants. By signing, you’re urging lawmakers to pass long-overdue legislation to address transnational repression—when dictators reach across their borders to silence dissidents, pressure governments, and intimidate organizations, undermining our rights and security.
This is your chance to tell Congress to take action by supporting the bipartisan bills the Combating Transnational Repression Act and the Transnational Repression Reporting Act. These bills will:
- Create a Transnational Repression Office in the US Department of Homeland Security to track, investigate, and counter transnational repression in the US.
- Require official reporting on every case of transnational repression in the US and the government’s response.
America is not a hunting ground for dictators. Sign the petition now to demand action and protect yourself, your family, and your community.
masih’s story
Masih Alinejad is an Iranian-American journalist, author, and women’s rights activist who has bravely dedicated her life to advancing women’s rights. She has worked with Voice of America Persian, Radio Farda, and IranWire while living in exile in New York City. She is one of RDI’s first Frontline Fellows and President of the World Liberty Congress.
Alinejad gained international attention through her campaign My Stealthy Freedom, which encouraged Iranian women to share photos of themselves without hijabs in defiance of government mandates. Because of her criticism of its regime, Iran’s government has tried more than once to kidnap and assassinate her on American soil.
The most brazen attempt occurred three years ago, in 2022, when a hitman walked up to her home in Brooklyn and knocked on the door, a loaded AK-47 waiting for her in the car. They intended to kidnap and kill her. By sheer coincidence, she did not answer the door, as she was on a Zoom call with RDI Chairman Garry Kasparov. It was only after the police arrested the assassin fleeing the scene that the FBI unraveled the wider murder-for-hire scheme directed by the Iranian regime.
The Renew Democracy Initiative is proud to stand with her not only in this fight, but to stand up against all dictators threatening American citizens and dissidents living in free countries.
Masih got lucky on that day three years ago. But luck will not ensure basic security for American citizens targeted by ruthless dictators. Policy and legislation will. Sign the petition to tell Congress to take action, and to stay updated on our efforts and Masih’s case.
media coverage
Journalist Targeted in Alleged Murder Plot: ‘I’ve Been Given a Second Life’ | ABC News
US Charges Three in Iranian Murder-for-Hire Plot | Reuters
Iranian American Rights Activist Defiant Over Alleged Iranian Plots to Kill her and Trump | AP
“home is somewhere you feel safe”
Hear about Masih’s experience having to move from safehouse to safehouse even here in America because of the Islamic Republic’s attempts to kidnap, assassinate, and silence her.
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