Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani was condemned to death by stoning in Iran, where terrible abuses of human rights have been going on for more than 30 years. Even if her sentence is commuted or even if she is released, there are many others who are languishing in that country in their grave-like cells, maybe facing painful deaths. From 1982 to 1984, I was one of them. Stoning is barbaric, but so is torture, which is common practice in Iran’s jails.
Iran’s political prisons, including Evin, are still quite operational. People are tortured and executed in Iran on a daily basis. When atrocities happen, those who remain silent and don’t speak or act against evil become its accomplices. We cannot afford to wait for governments to bring about real change. I believe in the power of the individual. Each one of us can make the world a better place, even if only one small step at a time. We can create a ripple effect that will expand and eventually turn into a tsunami. I do not believe in violence, but I do believe in the power of voices coming together as one. Let’s get our voices heard.
Marina Nemat is the author of Prisoner of Tehran: A Memoir, and a member of the “Free Sakineh” campaign. Her second memoir, After Tehran: A Life Reclaimed, will be released in September.
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