By: Amin Ahmadian
Bahareh and I were giddy with excitement that summer day in 2008. Our wedding ceremony was just a day away. But Iranian authorities raided Bahareh’s house and took her to prison. We have since spent just a year together.
My wife, Bahareh Hedayat, is a women’s rights defender and student activist in Iran. For this, she has been unjustly imprisoned for almost 6 years. I am concerned about Bahareh’s physical and mental health and am asking for help in getting Bahareh released.
In 2009, Bahareh sent a video message to the European Students’ Union. She spoke of injustice and the need for reform in Iran. She was again arrested and has been in prison ever since. One of the charges stemmed from her video message. The European Students’ Union nominated Bahareh for its Student Peace Prize in 2010.
Iranian law says that Bahareh should have been released this summer. We were counting the days until her release. But the Iranian authorities kept her in prison, even adding a 2-year (previously suspended) sentence to her prison term.
Bahareh has kidney complications and reproductive health issues that have worsened due to harsh prison conditions. Additionally, the disappointment of potentially being imprisoned for another two years is having a heavy psychological toll on her.
Iran has released dozens of political prisoners in recent weeks and I’m hopeful if we act quickly and with force Iranian authorities will release my wife. In fact, this week dozens of leading academic figures asked the Iranian authorities to release Bahareh.
Please join me in demanding Bahareh’s immediate and unconditional release.
All I want is to finally have my wife live with me under the same roof and to see her bright face every morning. Join me in asking the Iranian authorities to release Bahareh.