orN Monday morning Israel’s airirtrikes hurt the Gate of the Evin prison, which destroyed the court adjoining the prison and some of the women’s political wardes, including five years. Prisoners hold many political prisoners and opponents in Iran’s Islamic Republic. No one knows what happened to them.
Since the bombing of Iran Started 12 days ago, I avoided the news and all requests for interviews. It’s getting rid of it. But as I sat on my desk, I saw the news about evin hanging on my screen. My hands are driving and I feel a river in my neck, just as if the bad news reached back when I was held. After a minute I contacted my former Evin partners who Now outside to check if they know anything. Them as shock and frightened like me.
We try to talk to any families of the prisoners we find, to confirm their salvation, but it is impossible. The ceiling collapses, there are reports of wounds and have families shouting outside the walls. The UK has not yet learned how many British people were held in evin, or where they were touched. Meanwhile, Iran started a more cracking of civilians, including cutting the internet and making more arrests. The days are weak in the absence and annoyance.
When I was imprisoned, we experienced earthquakes, twice. There are cuts of power fruits and we have to sit in the dark. Candles are not allowed and emergency power is rarely working. It’s afraid. Some women were sitting praying prayerfully, some were sitting in silence. Feeling as we died and prayed for our own death. It feels like anything else can happen to us at that time and no rescue. The prisoners are not a priority outside of the world when they come to disasters, but their lives are important to their loved ones.
Watching jail doors blown in the feeling of surreal. I walked out and from that gate many times, that Brought to court or hospital, and always dreamed of the day where they finally opened and all the prisoners would be free from the bullying place. So bring the gates may seem like a symbolic work for distance media. But it doesn’t feel it’s done safe inside. If there is anything, life is taken. Cracking from Iran authorities want to prevent control as if it just began.
Iranian people suffered decades of crimes through Islamic Republic, that violates their basic human rights, imprisoned by thousands of people and enforced many for standing for themselves. A lot of those in Evin.
Back to 2022, I had a similar feeling when Evin was burned soon after my freedom. It’s not happiness but fear. I was so desperate to get a news about my friends who hold there, afraid that something awful happens to them even as burned in jail. I asked a friend whose house ignoring the video evin – call me and deal with the phone window so I can see the jail in my own eyes. There is no relief in flame, just afraid of the future.
For many of my family and friends, so that fear now, watches the games of governments we have no trust and the demonstrations of power with a sudden silence of law protection. As Iran Dropped, it’s weak people who are most revealed.
Within the past 12 days, we all were taking on our phones hoping that what we saw was a wild nightmare we wake up. It’s a surprise. It began as unlawful bombing of Irania in Israel, even if no one seemed like it was unlawful. This is increasingly in a right war against Iran with US intervention and renewal regime’s rhetoric. The mission mission has not yet suffered, even for those who suffer the hands of the Iran regime. The silence of the international community, including the UK, at this point is concerned.
During my hostage case the UK refusal to recognize the law and legal rights disobeyed for our family. But now, the consequences are much more. We ran at risk of things worse.
When I returned to Britain, Keir Starmmer was one of the first people greeting me and got a picture. Two years later he invited me to his Westminster office with other British women activists at the International Women’s Day and promised that his government would stand for human rights to Iran. In opposition, no equivocation. But in government, there is more to equal to UK’s commitment to international law. Even yesterday there was a dangerous doubt from starmer ministers to criticize illegal allies participating in Israel’s war in Iran. The odds felt around Tehran through families covered between a bomb and a hard place. They feel alone.
If Evin taught me anything, that freedom did not come from bombs and cruelty, or from clever stunts for cameras. It is in connection with man and empathy. The people of Iran, people across the Middle East – in prison and out – may be more than ever.
