Shajarizadeh, 44, fled Iran almost two years ago, after being arrested three times and imprisoned twice for defying Iran's compulsory hijab law. She was involved in the #White Wednesdays movement—a campaign encouraging men and women to post images on social media of themselves either wearing white or no headscarf to protest being forced to wear the hijab. Iran's mandatory hijab law has only been in effect since the Iranian Islamic revolution in 1979 when Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini came to power. The law was first enforced by the country's 'morality' police and is still enforced by authorities even today. The hijab has consequently become a symbol of oppression for many Iranian women who have been protesting for more freedom and independence in the strictly conservative Islamic society. Shajarizadeh is one of those women. She was first arrested in February 2018 for protesting without a hijab. Shajarizadeh started a hunger strike after her first day at Gharchak prison and credits it for giving her strength. For an entire week, she says she ate nothing. She told CNN that though excruciating, it gave her mental strength because she felt that she was taking action and had the power to at least refuse food. Shajarizadeh told CNN she was released and arrested two more times after that, with no new charges brought against her in either case. Shajarizadeh can no longer return to Iran. She has been granted asylum in Canada with her son, and continues to work for human rights, while her husband also seeks asylum. Reflecting on her life and situation now, she asked that people separate the Iranian people from its government. "Iranian women don't consider the Iranian regime their representatives or their government so every day they try to do something in protest," she said. "For example, at the time when I was going to school, we weren't allowed to wear something white. White socks were forbidden but all the kids were wearing white socks. We knew that they would punish us but we did it." Iranian women, she says "are fighting for freedom in their daily life."

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