‘Life in prison as a child’

OPINION:

My father was executed during the 1988 massacre. My mother was a political activist. I was arrested with her twice and experienced life in prison as a child. I was only 6 during the second detention.

I was 10 when my mother told me that my father had been executed.

I later heard inspiring stories about the high spirits of the victims of that massacre, where each prisoner was asked just one question in a one-minute trial. The question was: Do you support the MEK? Anyone who said yes was executed. 30,000 said yes!

I want to be the voice of those who never had an opportunity to be heard, and for whose names and identities we’re still searching.

They all loved the beauty of life so much that they couldn’t tolerate enjoying it only for themselves, while others suffered. They made the decision to sacrifice their lives so no one should have to sell their body parts in exchange for food in our country.

Their blood runs in the veins of every single Iranian who stands up here in Ashraf 3 and rises up against the regime in the streets of Iran.

To Khamenei, Raisi, Rouhani, and the rest of those involved in the 1988 massacre, who are still in power today, I say: Fear these names! The 30,000 have multiplied, and you hear their echoes every day in the streets of Iran. One day soon every single one of you will be held accountable.