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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
National
Paul McAuley

Former Iranian prisoner cries every time he sees clips of his home country

An Iranian-British citizen has revealed the heartbreak he feels when he sees what the people of his home country are currently experiencing.

The Iranian man, who wishes to remain anonymous due to safety concerns, explained how he feels survivor's guilt after seeing members of his family and his friends being executed and exiled under the current regime which runs Iran.

The 61-year-old, who lives in Liverpool's City Centre, told the ECHO : “Every time I watch video clips from Iran of the protests, I cry. When I see how brutal the security forces beat or shoot the young children I feel ashamed to be alive. But we must be strong as this is not the time for moaning, this is time for fighting.”

READ MORE: Iranian man struggles to reach family back home as ‘internet shut down’ amid protests

Protests began in the country around 12 weeks ago following the murder of Mahsa Amini - a Kurdish woman who died after being severely beaten by the Iranian “morality police” for allegedly having an improper hijab and therefore violating Iran’s strict laws. The death of the 22-year-old sparked mass anti-regime protests across the country and it wasn’t long before the same anger was expressed in countries across the world.

Since then, reports suggest more than 450 protesters in Iran, including 40 children, have been killed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), who are portraying the protests as “riots” instigated by foreign enemies. In addition, thousands more have been reportedly kidnapped, disappeared, arrested, tortured and raped in custody.

The man explained how these protests have been a long time coming for the country. He added: “For four decades, I, like many other Iranians, have been waiting for this momentum that we are observing in Iran now. Iran has resisted the regime of Mullahs (religious scholars and teachers of sharia law) since the 1979 revolution when they celebrated the end of the dictatorship of monarchic Iran.

“During this time, particularly the first decade, thousands of the best and highly educated people have been executed, hundreds of thousands have been imprisoned and tortured, and millions have been forced to go to exile. In my opinion, all Iranians, who were lucky to escape the Mullah regime and live abroad, owe Iran and the Iranian people a lot.”

Among those executed include the man’s “three cousins and many friends”.

He added: “When I was in prison - especially when my roommates were being taken away and executed and when I witnessed how my friends were being tortured - I swore to myself, that if I could survive I must be the voice of those brave men and women until my last breath.”

The Iranian claims he was imprisoned in Evin prison in the country’s capital for four years in the 80s' because of his “political activities at university against the Mullahs regime”. Following this, he moved to Germany, before settling in the UK in 2003. Since then, he has lived in the city with his wife and daughter. However, his relatives, including his sister, still live in Tehran, Iran.

He said: “I was in contact with her (his sister) about one month ago and because of the highly controlled communication ways by the government, we used WhatsApp. But, because of the internet being shut down and its speed being slowed down, it is difficult to stay in touch.”

Now, he is asking the people of Liverpool to help him in being the voice of the Iranian people.

He added: “Enough is enough. Four decades of experience show that having a moderate part in the Mullahs regime was and is an illusion. We have to do our best to be the voice of the Iranian people and play our role in this very important moment of history. We can have a huge impact as an international community and put pressure on western democracies and politicians to support the ongoing revolution in Iran.

“The people of Liverpool have always stood with those who were victimised, and needed help and support. I am sure the people of Liverpool, like many millions of the global population, will stand up shoulder to shoulder with Iranians, who resist the tyrannical regime in Iran.”

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