Sunday, May 9, 2010

They EXECUTED Her: Shirin Alam Hooli

She was 28 years old; born in a village near a small town Maku. She was arrested two years ago; tortured; and sentenced to 2 years of prison for trying to leave the country illegally; and death for connections to PJAK. A few weeks ago; she wrote a letter. I wish I wasn't so late in translating it ... but I do now ... not because i am not depressed anymore; but just to tell you of the nature of the beast that's working hard to disintegrate my country, by targeting the ethnic minorities; stirring their justifiable hatred with unjustifiable executions, and fermenting violence, only to beget more violence ... The "ENEMY" of Iran is now wearing the cloak of the judiciary ...

Here's her letter:
My prison time has entered the third year; that is three years of suffering behind Evin bars, two years of which i spent in confusion, without a lawyer and without even a charge communicated. In those days of confusion, i spent bitter days in the hands of the IRGC and then interrogations of the 209 ward began. After the 209 interrogations, I was sent to the common women ward, where my frequent requests for a decision on my case were ignored until I was handed in an unjust death sentence.

Why have I been imprisoned; and why should I be executed? Is it because I am a Kurd? Then I tell you: I was born Kurd; and because of being Kurd I have suffered deprivation.

My language is Kurdish, a language with which I have grown up and formed bounds to my family, friends and acquaintances. But I am not permitted to speak my language, to read it, to be educated in it, not even to write it.

They tell me deny my Kurdish heritage, but if I do that I have denied my existence.

Honorable Judge, Mister interrogator!!

When you interrogated me, I could not even understand your language. I have learned Persian from friends in the two years I have been in jail. You interrogated and prosecuted me in your own language, when I didn't know what is happening and could not defend myself.

The tortures you did have become my nightmares; and my days are spent with the pains of torture. The blows to my head have damaged my skull. Some days, an unbearable headache attacks; they are so sever that I lose consciousness; become disoriented for hours and at the end when the pain becomes unbearable my nose bleeds until i slowly recover.

The other gift of [the interrogators] is weakness of my vision, which is worsening by day; and my request for glasses is still unanswered. When I walked into the prison, my hair was all black and now after three years they are turning gray.

I know you have not done this just to me and my family; but to all Kurdish children like Zeynab Jalalian, Rounak Saffarzadeh and .... The Kurd mothers' eyes are wet in desire of seeing their children again; they are constantly worried about what is to come; each telephone ring is the omen of their child's execution.

Today, (2-May-2010) after a long while I was taken for interrogation to 209; the baseless accusations repeated, and I was asked to cooperate to get my death sentence reduced. I don't know what cooperation means when I have no more information than I have already given them. They asked me to repeat what I had said before; which I didn't. The interrogator told me that they wanted to release me last year but because my family didn't cooperate my case has come this far. The interrogator himself confessed that I am just a ransom; kept until they get what they want or executed, but freedom, never.

Serkeftin [Victory]
Shirin Alam Hooli
3-5-2010


P.S. Here's an earlier letter of her description of prison treatment.

P. P. S: A Kurdish song by Mohsen Namjoo; entitled Shirin. Shirin in Persian means sweet; Shirin is the "Juliet" of Persian stories; she is the beloved of all: the lover of Cyrus for whom Farhad carved the mountain ... Bistoon ... the mounyain of love in Iran's Kurdistan ... the hanging of this woman is eating me up ...

11 comments:

nunya said...

Thanks for translating, but no thanks for the tears, I'm barely awake this AM. :(

Naj said...

Nunya;

I remember the summer of the year this woman was born (1981); the nights were interrupted with automatic gun fires ... and some mother whose child was in prison, and who stayed with us, would scream with every shot: they are killing my baby ...

Her screams still scratch my heart.

The mother of another one, Farzad Kamangar still doesn't know. His family are praying that this news too is another one of Ahmadinejad's fars-news lies ...I pray that too ... but I fear they don't lie when then celebrate death and injustice.

I cannot wait for Iran's criminal judiciary system to be tried in the international court of justice ... the disgrace these people have spread over IRan is despicable ...

We cry together ...

I am never sorry for those who die; I am sorry for what is killed ... I cry for the injustice of it all.

Anonymous said...

This is so very sad, Naj, and scary for it brings home the terrible thought of what humans can do to other humans.

I have a question: is it normal for prisoners (and from Evin of all places) to be allowed to write letters describing their plight? It's not that I doubt the source and content of Shirin's letters. It's just that I would like to understand the frame of mind of her jailers.

Kindest regards!

Anonymous said...

This is so very sad, Naj, and scary for it brings home the terrible thought of what humans can do to other humans.

I have a question: is it normal for prisoners (and from Evin of all places) to be allowed to write letters describing their plight? It's not that I doubt the source and content of Shirin's letters. It's just that I would like to understand the frame of mind of her jailers.

Kindest regards!

Naj said...

Gene,

Yes; a lot of letters make it outside of the prison. Keep in mind, the prison guards are ordinary people, with ordinary feelings; not every prison guard is a fascist; they just need to bring bread to their tables.

There are some prisoners who are completely cut off from outside. But this girl was fighting to live. They cut off the phone lines out of Evin; and hanged her with four others; one of whom a school teacher whose innocence is more proven than any possible guilt; without even their lawyers being informed.

Such is the nature of the captors: they kill their prey at night; in dark; like cowards that they are ... hyenas ,,, pack of hyenas ...

parvati_roma said...

These executions are horrific, monstrous! :'(( - no due process no serious evidence the trials such-as-they-were a vicious mockery that pisses on the very concept of justice.
I'm posting a link this post on my FB page and I also intend to do a blog-post including excerpts from the letters sent from prison by Shirin Alam Hooli and Farzad Kamangar - hope it's OK if I quote from your post with link?

Naj said...

Parvati; use away dear. You are welcome.

Anonymous said...

It is beyond any human beings sense and reason what Shirin, Farzad, and other innocent martyrs go through every day at prisons in Iran before mullahs barbaric and satanic hangings. No one knows what it feels like to be the bearer of these tortures and rapes, beatings and non stop physical and psychological wounds. Shirin and all other captured and murdered Iranians are heroes of this century. Young lives who were faultless and never gave in to the way the evil regime wants them to be. They chose to die and fight the evil rather than live and put up with remainders of ZAHAAK. These innocent children of our land will never be forgotten and their blood keeps the freedom movement of Iranians aflame. Rest in peace you innocent beautiful souls as Kurdistan is more united than ever for their centurie's battle against inhumanity and the fight for freedom. Rest in peace Shirin, Neda, Sohrab, Farzad, Ashkan, Farhad, Mehdi, and thousands of our beautiful roses. Down with khamenei zahaak vampire. Long live free Iran........

Anonymous said...

Iranian Journey
This are stories what Mullah regime done to the society one day was called Paris of the EAST

Anonymous said...

Three years has passed since the day 5 prisoners of conscience have been executed. Voices may be silenced but not the ideas. This must be clear by now.We are here to stay not because of our master executioners but in spite of them. Someday we will drive them out and impose our rights by force if we have to. Our people, our language, and our heritage are here to stay, never mind what the fascists of the world declair otherwise. We are the children of these mountains and have lived for thousands of years in this geographic region; longer than Persians and before a country named Persia came into existance. That much history attests to.

Naj said...

Anonymous,

How are things in Iraq? Have the foreign enforcers made the life for the Kurds better? I am curious.