Iran Interview: Parvin Fahimi "Who Killed These Youngsters in Their Own Country?"

Parvin Fahimi is the mother of Sohrab Arabi, a 19-year-old youth who was martyred on 20 June 2009 in last year's post-election protests. Earlier this week, she was briefly detained, along with other mourners, when they visited the graves of victims of post-election violence.

She offered these comments in an interview with our colleague Masih Alinejad (translation by Potkin Azarmehr):

I recommend that Mr. Ban Ki Moon, the Secretary General of United Nations, meet the families of our martyrs, in order to hear the truth from the families themselves. The United Nations should make plans to meet the families of those whose children and loved ones were martyred or injured in the protests so that during these meetings they can be told some of the truth of what took place.

The reality is that last year's martyrs were not just Sohrab and Neda [Agha Soltan, also killed on 20 June]. Section 257 of Behesht Zahra cemetery is filled with martyrs from the protests, many of whom are unknown, and their families are still waiting to see if anyone will identify those who murdered their children.

Throughout this last year, we tried to identify the killers of our children and asked for them to be put on trial through legal procedures, but one day we are told it was the [banned "terrorist" group] MKO who killed our loved ones, another day we are told it was British agents who fired at them, all well and good, even if it was them who killed our children, why are we still not told who they were? Why are they not publicly tried? Do they think they can get away with telling lies to the people? Do they think they can get away with telling lies to the whole world? Are they prepared to tell the world that apart from Neda and Sohrab, there are many more who lost their loved ones last year in the protests against the elections, whose names are not even mentioned anywhere in this country's media?

I have stated many times that I do not want retribution, and I just want the killer of my child to be identified and publicly tried, but I have had no answers. The whole world knows my son was in the streets unarmed, he had gone to protest, he had done nothing illegal. The law permits the people of Iran to protest, and all should be made accountable before the law, even those who are responsible to maintain people's security should be made accountable. It can not be the law of jungle ruling here.

I never say I want only what is right for my own son, because every time I go to the Behesht Zahra cemetery, I see other Sohrabs who were murdered, I see other Amir Yussefzadehs, Moharam Cheginis, Ali Reza Eftekharis, Ashkan Sohrabis, Saeed Abbassis, Kianoosh Asas, Abbas Disnaads, Ramin Ramezanis and many more who are buried in other sections and can not all be named here. I wish they would answer, "Who killed these youngsters in their own country?"

Sadly our judiciary is weak and acts abysmally and on top of that not only does not identify the murderers of our children, even the families themselves feel insecure. I see families here who can not even feel safe at the graves of their children. Who is answerable to them?

Plainclothes agents have caused problems for myself. During the anniversary ceremony of Martyr Ali Hassanpour, there were many plain clothes agents standing, two of them came and asked me and Ashkan Sohrabi's mother for ID cards, but I did not give them my ID card and said, "I am Sohrab's mother and she is Ashkan's." I knew if I gave them my card I will no longer be the owner of that ID card. Such things have happened a lot to us. Did they not come to our own house and take away Sohrab's pictures?

We want nothing other than our basic rights as citizens. The UN can study the situation of those families who have lost their rights as citizens for simply taking part in a street protest.