Kamangir (Archer)

Elham Afrootan (الهام افروتن)

Kamangir | February 15, 2006 | Category Iran

A few weeks ago, a local magazine in a southern province of Iran published an article mocking Khomeini (see). The article resembled Khomeini to a very serious disease that has no cure and affects everybody. The editor of the magazine, which was run by a member of parliament close to Ahmadinejad’s tribe, was a girl called Elham Afrootan. It is believed that she did not compose the article, because later a famous blog managed by an anonymous guy accepted the responsibility (see). The poor girl was sent to jail. Now, the news is saying that she has committed suicide in the prison (see). Before that, she has confessed that she has intentionally included the article in the layout without letting the owner know. She also seems to confess that there has been a conspiracy invloved. She is believed to be tortured severely because the Islamic Republic regime frequently treats people acting against them likewise.

The story that people commit suicide in prisons in Iran is a very repeated one. When Saeed Emami, the member of the Iranian secret service who was charged with killing opposition figures a few years ago, strangely committed suicide in prison, there were lots of rumors that he is killed to stop talking the truth. The truth that would have shown that the heads of the Islamic regime were involved in, and had ordered, the assignations. Akbar Ganji is still behind the bars because he was one of the reporters who made the story public. He was kind of genius, though. In a letter from the prison, he told “I am not going to commit suicide and if I get killed, Khameneii, the leader, is directly responsible.”

In another news, the brother of Arash Sigarchi, a boy arrested because of his blog and sentenced to three years behind the bars, was killed in an accident (see). Arash was threatened before by the judge that his family members may have accidents if he does not cooperate.

I am desperately thinking, what time Iranians will open their minds? Regretfully, I think, not in a very close future.

Visiting Nukes

Kamangir | February 15, 2006 | Category Iran

Ahmadinejad visits the nuclear facilities in Natanz, Iran.