A Year Later, Daye Soltaneh Still Waiting for Her Son

HRANA News Agency – On the first anniversary of Farzad Kamangar’s execution together with four other political prisons, contacting the families of the fallen to express condolences and inquire about the latest events, HRANA reporters have confirmed that the authorities still refuse to deliver the slain bodies or disclose the whereabouts of their graves to the families.

Farzad Kamangar was a teacher and human rights activist who was executed on May 19, 2010. Daye Soltaneh, Farzad’s mother, talked to HRANA about the events of last year and said, “During the past year, there was no news of delivering his body to me, and no one lent us a hand. We have gone to the authorities several times to request the bodies. We went to see the mullah and told him, ‘You promised in Tehran to give me an answer.’ I also told him, ‘At least, show me his grave. I am an old mother and expect to see his resting place. I promise you that I will be the only one to visit him and no one will know. It is true that your promise isn’t a real one, but mine is.’ Despite all of my pleading, no one accepted, and they all told me, ‘Even if the world comes to an end, we can’t show you his grave.’ Does this mean that even an old mother such as me doesn’t have the right to visit her son’s burial ground?”

Farzad Kamangar’s mother continued, “I raised Farzad and offered him to my people, but I can’t visit his grave or see his lifeless body. However, I am pleased with the fact that his name will last forever. All over the world, the day of his execution is being called Teacher’s Day. I also congratulate this day to all teachers and hope for the release of all imprisoned teachers. This is a day of freedom for the whole nation and this land. A martyr remains alive forever, and as long as there is a world, a martyr lives. Farzad is a martyr who toiled for his school, students and country. Farzad was always happy to teach children, and now, each one of them is a Farzad Kamangar to me. In my opinion, what is important is a name that survives in this world.”

Soltaneh Rezai at the end said that on Monday [May 9, 2011], the family will hold an event to observe the first anniversary of Farzad Kamangar’s martyrdom.