by Heshmat ALavi
The Middle
East has been topping headlines recently as ISIS is being defeated in both Iraq
and Syria, and Iran is playing a significantly destructive role in both
campaigns and across the region.
All
the while, the Iranian opposition National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) is gearing up for its massive annual convention
in Paris. The July 1strally will be
the stage of hundreds of prominent figures from four corners of the globe and
most likely over 100,000 members of the Iranian Diaspora expressing support for
the NCRI President Maryam Rajavi’s and her ten-point-plan platform for a future Iran without
the mullahs.
I
had a chance recently to sit down and talk with Shabnam Madadzadeh, a young
Iranian woman and former political prisoner who just recently was able to exit
Iran. She has written articles and delivered remarks in different events
shedding light on Iran’s dungeons atrocious conditions
Shabnam Madadzadeh
I was a
college student in Iran and like my brother I spent five years in the regime’s
jails as a political prisoner. Long interrogations, solitary confinement,
forced to witness my brother being beaten, deprived of any contact with my
family, death threats and mock executions were the tortures I was placed
through.
These
methods are used by the Iranian regime to obtain so-called “confessions” and
forge a case against you in court, while depriving you of legal representation.
I was sentenced to prison and exiled in the notorious Gohardasht Prison in the
city of Karaj, west of Tehran.
During
my time behind bars I was deprived of any furlough. I witnessed many crimes by the regime authorities, many executions
and tortures inflicted not only on political prisoners, but also ordinary
inmates arrested on other charges.
In
prison I was in a ward with hundreds of other women and up close I witnessed
the human rights violations they suffered. Time and again in prison I was
deprived of family visits and phone calls for informing the world about the
harsh conditions those women went through and the circumstances inside the
prison walls. I was also deprived of medical care.
Recently a letter has leaked from inside Iran written by
Gohardasht Prison political prisoners describing those taking part in
Saturday’s convention as “the voice of all the Iranian people in the larger
prison called Iran, who all yearn for a ‘Free Iran,’ a democratic Iran.”
Iran
is also the leading state sponsor of terrorism and exports its Islamic
fundamentalism to the Middle East. With Hassan Rouhani becoming the regime’s president the
international community wrongly provided an image of a moderate at the helm in
Iran. This is nothing but a fantasy and mirage for those not familiar with the
reality of Iran’s regime.
I
was a young college student and spent one year of my time in prison during
Rouhani’s tenure. After being released I witnessed how the highly boasted
nuclear deal signed by the P5+1 with Iran failed to render any positive change
in people’s lives. In fact, their living conditions have become far more
difficult. The Iran nuclear deal has only loosened sanctions in favor of the
ruling elite in Tehran, and yet human rights violations and state-backed
violence have ramped up.
The
number of executions under the “moderate” Rouhani skyrocketed, reaching the
point of one every eight hours. All the while Iran’s powder keg society was the
scene of an increasing number of popular protests in the past four years, and
especially in the few months leading to the May 19thpresidential election and afterwards. Teachers, workers and people
from all walks of life are protesting as making ends meet becomes impossible.
The
regime has continuously resorted to responding viciously to these acts of
dissent. Life has become so unspeakably unbearable that a number of workers,
teachers, college students and even teenagers have resorted to suicide due to
financial problems, unemployment and other social distresses.
The
truth of the Iranian people’s current living conditions proves the windfall
billions poured into Iran after the nuclear deal has not eased the population’s
pains, all usurped by Tehran to export its terrorism across the region.
The
Iranian people are demanding the mullahs’ regime bring an end to warmongering
and exporting terrorism to neighboring countries that they see as their
friends. This money belongs to the Iranian people and must be allocated to
advance their needs and welfare.
Any
negotiation by the West with Iran will only add more gallows in Iran’s squares,
escalate the Iranian people’s misery and fuel further meddling by the
Revolutionary Guards in the Middle East and even beyond.
For the first time this year I will be taking part in the NCRI’s
annual convention in Paris scheduled for July 1st.
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