Member of US-designated Terror Group is also Scholar at Yale University
Helyeh Doutaghi, a member of Samidoun, is also the Deputy Director of the Law and Political Economy Project and an Associate Research Scholar at Yale Law School
Helyeh Doutaghi, the Deputy Director of the Law and Political Economy Project and an Associate Research Scholar at Yale Law School, is also a member of the international Samidoun network. In October 2024, Samidoun was designated as a terrorist organization by the US Treasury Department for operating as a fundraising arm for the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP)—also a designated terror group.
Doutaghi holds roles in two additional anti-American organizations, the International People’s Tribunal on U.S. Imperialism and the Committee of Anti-Imperialists in Solidarity with Iran (CASI). Her track record includes participation in events alongside known terrorists and expressing support for terrorists on social media.
According to Yale University, “During her doctoral studies, Helyeh taught topics including social justice and international human rights at Carleton University” in Ottowa, Canada. Samidoun is a designated terror group in Canada as well.
Speaking Engagements with Terrorists & Extremists
In April 2022, Helyeh participated in a webinar titled "Palestine and Iran – Changing the Global Balance of Power" alongside Khaled Barakat, a PFLP operative officially designated as a terrorist by multiple governments, including the US. The event was hosted by Masar Badil, another front for the PFLP.
A clip of a speech she delivered was played at a screening for the Samidoun—produced documentary Fedayeen, the Struggle for George Abdullah in Iran. Abdullah, a member of the PFLP, is currently serving a life sentence for his role in the murders of a U.S. and Israeli diplomat.
In April 2023, Helyeh participated in Masar Badil’s "Liberation Conference" in Ottawa, Canada. One attendee was Charlotte Kates, a senior Samidoun member and the wife of Khaled Barakat. Kates gained attention for openly celebrating Hamas’s October 7 attacks with the slogan, "Long live October 7." She later traveled to Iran to accept a so-called “human rights award” alongside Ziad Nakhaleh, the leader of Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), another U.S.-designated terrorist group.
More recently, Helyeh was scheduled to speak in October 2024 at an online event titled "The Resistance Front and the New Global Order-Making," hosted by Samidoun and Masar Badil. The event also featured Barakat as a speaker.
She was also interviewed by the Iranian state-owned news outlet, Press TV—which has been sanctioned by the US government—accusing Israel of “genocide” and asserting that international law has been “part of the structures that uphold US imperialism.”
Pro-Terror Posts on Social Media
Helyeh’s extremist affiliations extend beyond in-person events—her social media activity further confirms her sympathies for terrorist groups and their leaders. She has since made her X account private and her reposts are no longer visible.
She shared a post on X praising the "martyrdom" of former Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.
She shared an image of Nasrallah’s funeral, calling him "one of the great heroes of our time."
She reposted an image of armed militants wearing keffiyehs.
She shared a photo of Hamas terrorists parading through Gaza.
Cause for Concern
Helyeh Doutaghi’s connections to Yale Law School and Carleton University raise serious questions, especially in light of her ties to a U.S. and Canadian-designated terrorist organization, her involvement in extremist events, and her vocal support for violent groups. These associations highlight the need for scrutiny regarding the ethical standards upheld by academic institutions and the potential risks posed by such affiliations in higher education.
UPDATE: March 03, 2025
A newly surfaced video on X of Iranian nationals shows Helyeh (identified as a “professor at Yale University”) speaking virtually with Saeed Jalili, the direct representative of Ayatollah Khamenei to the Secretariat of the Supreme National Security Council—Iran’s highest security and strategic decision-making body, overseeing defense, intelligence, and national security policies. Helyeh begins speaking at 00:28 seconds.
how is she a member tho