It has been over a year since the Iranian elections were held and a beautiful young woman was killed on that nation’s streets while protesting the election results. Since those public demonstrations, the same brutal Iranian regime remains in power. In recent weeks, another young Iranian woman has received international attention for her treatment by the government of Iran. Sakineh Mohammedie Ashtiani was sentenced to death by stoning for committing adultery, a sentence that was later halted. However, her execution could still take place, a tragic possibility that should remind people of the brutality of the current Iranian regime.
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After learning of Ashtiani’s sentence, I re-watched the recent HBO documentary “For Neda” (which you can watch in the above clip) and was reminded that although it is not in the news that much anymore, we should not forget the plight of the people in Iran and their continued thirst for a better life for themselves.
Shohreh Aghdashloo (“The Stoning of Soraya M.”) narrated the film about the life of Neda Agha-Soltan, the young woman who was killed during an Iranian protest. “For Neda” begins with footage of Neda’s death. The devastating footage shows the young woman on the streets of Iran breathing her last after being shot. That footage earned the attention of millions who watched Neda’s last moments. Neda’s murder showed how cruel the Iranian regime could be and her death became a symbol of the fight for freedom in Iran.
One of the great things about the documentary is that the film shows how extraordinary Neda’s life actually was. In her death, Neda became a symbol to the international community but in life, she was a rebellious young woman who wanted and fought for a better future for her country.
The film introduces the audience to Neda’s heartbroken family, who continue to grieve her tragic death. The family tells personal details about Neda and they show the audience some of her belongings. Neda was passionate about books, clothes, music and the freedom to enjoy all of those comforts. Unfortunately, she was not able to fully enjoy many of those things as her life was ultimately cut short. The movie shows a beautiful dress that Neda bought shortly before her death, a dress she would never wear.
The film also notes how little respect the government has for women, including Neda. A woman’s life, the narrator of the film notes, is worth half of a man’s life. A woman’s testimony is half as credible as a man’s. The narrator also states how the rules for stonings are different for men and women. Women are buried deeper into the ground and have less of a chance to escape when they are being stoned to death.
The brutality of the regime of Iran continues today with the death sentence of Ms. Ashtiani. Even though the stoning is on hold, a CNN.com story about the sentence being halted noted that her execution could still take place. The article noted that the Iranian regime seemed to “back away from an execution-by-stoning sentence, although it left open the possibility that Ashtiani could be executed by another method.”
The Iranian regime continues to be brutal even after receiving so much criticism last year in the wake of the controversial elections. We can only hope that Sakineh does not become a symbol of their brutality like Neda has become.
If you have not watched HBO’s documentary “For Neda,” it is definitely worth checking out. We can only hope that the Iranian regime stops the execution of Sakineh and ensures that “For Neda” merits no sequel.
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