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As Iranians lose their lives in a wave of unprecedented pro-democracy protests, members of the country’s diaspora are criticizing what they call a “deafening silence” from Western governments and progressive groups who normally tout themselves as champions of equality and human rights.

“I think the issue is one that the left should support; I think it’s in fact tailor-made for leftist support,” said Iranian-born human rights campaigner Kaveh Sharooz, a onetime candidate for the Liberal nomination in Richmond Hill, Ont.

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Nevertheless, Sharooz said that with few exceptions, “major influential left-wing politicians and thinkers still have been largely silent on this.”

On his Twitter account he singled out Canadian social activist Naomi Klein, U.K. Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.