The Tales from the Zirzameen

Khavaran 21st anniversary

Subject: Letter from political prisoner in the 80’s massacre!

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In the hope that someday the murderous head of the Islamic Republic regime will be prosecuted and in the memory of all the lost lives

The heat of July and august arrives and pain captures my whole being. I am reminded of the hurtful memory of the summer of 1988.
Before all the killings and executions in the ward, I was sent off to solitary. A place where not many come back alive. Therefore, the happenings of that year seemed different to me, as I went to solitary, after having my last meetings, I heard that MUJAHEDIN have attacked at the borders and are advancing into Iran. There were the cellmates who no longer considered themselves as a member of Mujahedin and were more realistic to this news, however, the ones who still considered themselves a part of them have created a false hope and thought the victory will be theirs! In the beginning of this news, I was sent to solitary. The solitary officers knew me well as I used to go there often. When they saw me, they said that you are also one them, go ahead. Since I didn’t consider any of their comments to be intelligent, didn’t pay much attention hence they directed me towards the cell while continuing to tell me that I will be here till they send me to Gohardasht Prison. Solitary was not much different this time around than the other times as I had prepared myself for another 3-4 of confinement.

In the early days, I used to hear lots of commotions in the cells. I used to thing there were new detainees added. I could tell from the opening and closing of the cell doors during the food distribution, how many of the cells were filled. It seemed all the cells were filled, although the building of the psych ward was much more spacious than the ward 209 and was 3 stories tall where the girls and boys sections were separated and the opening and closing of the cell doors on the other floors was heard. Whenever there was a chaotic situation going on, the prison revolutionary guards were static and happy. After all the day’s commotions, the night activities would begin which was odd as during the day the interrogations would take place and at nights the prisoners had a bit of calm relatively. At nights, the cell doors would open but wouldn’t close.

The footsteps of the prisoners moving slowly and quietly while the prison rev. guards were running back to take the next group laughing hysterically, was being heard. When they didn’t take the prisoners with the intention of returning them back, the cell door would stay open meaning they would take them with their stuff and I would compare the recent activities with the past ones, hence everything was weird and out of place! After many were taken in such way, I was sure these were not new detainees as the interrogations couldn’t have been finished all at once in such short periods when they would be all taken to the ward at once and from different floors at the same time, therefore, I thought a new transferring plan is being put in place during night hours. I don’t know why I couldn’t think of the transfers that were being done in the early 80’s, comparatively, when we all knew the night transfers were significant of the execution orders. However, after spending 7 years in prison, it seems too far off and somehow I didn’t want to believe it. In any case, after they would take the prisoners, the prison rev. guard would all follow. There was complete silence in the ward for while and after 1-2 hours the sound of trucks were being heard. They transfered the prisoners by trucks.

The noise of numerous trucks at once was one of those things that didn’t quite correlate with my past experiences then the sound of dropping objects heavier than the baggage of the prisoners into the trucks. I used to think that it were the baggages being thrown in there for transfers to Gohardasht, however it was a bit shocking that so many bags and so heavy to the point that their heavy sounds were echoed, hence one could tell what really went on! After all this, the sound of one of the prisoners was echoed from the ward above singing :"Kiss me, kiss me for the last time, may god keep you as I am going to my destiny”

This song meant execution in prison. I didn’t want to believe it and kept telling myself that he is wrong, they are taking them to Gohardasht Prison and there were reasons confirming my thoughts such as every morning when they would come to serve our food, they would tell me on daily basis: “are you still here?” I would answer, as you can see, yes, they would respond:” the will take you to Gohardasht soon.” This has been repeated so many times that it took a ridiculous turn and I just would no longer answer as I believed these guys were sick in their minds.
Also, when they would take me to take showers, I used to read on the doors of the bathroom: ” They have taken us to Gohardasht Prison” or “we’re gone to Gohardasht” or names of people who were written by them.

In any case, these events would repeatedly happen every night and our friend kept singing ” Kiss me for the last time…” and I kept thinking the same as it wasn’t true while I wanted to make him understand it too until one of these nights I never heard him sing anymore and I was happy as I thought that he finally caught on just like me that everyone is going to Gohardasht Prison. My dear readers, writing these memories are very painful for me!

In conclusion, this happened till end of august and may be a bit longer when these nightly nightmares would repeat itself and I kept thinking that they have transported everyone. Bit by bit I noticed there were less movements. The Prison Rev. Guards are not in good mood and don’t laugh hysterically any longer as they were only happy when engaged in criminal and evil activities. In any case, they took me back to the ward finally after all was finished and I was faced with empty cells and the truth of what went on. In the ward all of my cellmates were meeting and talking about the barrage of events but I was ignorant to it all and now with pain and sorry I could remember and imagine the sound of the trucks with heavy objects falling on their beds and these were the bodies of my cell mates and the sound of the “Kiss me….going to my destiny” echoed in my head as he was being thrown into the truck bed!

In the memory of all the lost lives who were killed and executed in the most excruciating manner and in the hope that one day these thugs will be prosecuted for what they have done. It can only be said: ” Down with Islamic Republic of IRAN".
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