Iran – women: Ex-prisoner consoled by memories of inmates

“When I think of my own pains, I realize that I have suffered nothing compared to those who have suffered greatly after the 1979 revolution!”

Atena Daemi, wrote this after her recent release from jail. She briefly recounted the story of her arrest and a summary description of other political prisoners. She wrote in part:

Before my arrest, we set to rent a stall in Enghelab club to sell the drawings of child workers to raise funds for them… A few days before my arrest, they called me from the club’s Security Office and said the project had been cancelled!!!  Later on, I realized that the cancellation was for security reasons!! I was arrested on the same day and thanks to the IRGC, I was banned from entering the club forever.…

I have already suffered a lot; I have lost many things but I've gained something: experience…

When I think of my own pains, I realize that I have suffered nothing compared to those who have suffered greatly after the 1979 revolution!

People like Mahvash Shahriari and Fariba Kamal Abadi who were detained 2.5 years in the solitary cells of Ward 209 and spent 8 years in prison without any leaves. Their children married and they became grandmothers while they are in jail…

The other example is Maryam Akbari, four of whose brothers and sisters were executed and now, she has a 15-year sentence of her own. She has spent seven years in prison without any day off, and she has had to watch her young girls grow up from behind the window of the visit cabins…

Elham Farahani, who is in prison along with her husband and her son and her sweet grandchildren have to remember their childhood memories in the dark corridors of Rajaii-shahr Prison.…

Reyhaneh Haj-Ibrahim with a 15-year prison term, married a man in jail who is sentenced to death along with his father, and his mother and wife are sentenced to 10 years in prison….

Fatemeh Mosanna's brother and sister-in-law were both executed. She was incarcerated along with her mother for 2.5 years when she was only 13. Now, she is sentenced to 15 years with her husband. Both of them are in prison, their property has been completely confiscated. The only things left for them are their young son and daughter.…

Azita Rafizadeh is in jail with her 5-year-old child and her husband…

And the list goes on… It would take several volumes of books if I want to say all the names of everyone! I am neither a Muslim nor a Baha’i. I not a member of the PMOI or any other group or party. I care about nothing but human beings and humanity...

Now, I am temporarily free. I have a preliminary prison sentence of 14 years which is subject to examination; I don't know if it'd be confirmed or rejected! I don't know if I'd remain free or I'd come back to you. But I know whenever I experience any pain or suffering, I remember you and I calm down with your memories…