Letter from prison by
labour activist Behnam Ebrahimzadeh about his sick son
I
was putting up with the prison pain, but suddenly tonnes of grief came
down upon me
I don’t know when it was, maybe
eight to nine days ago, when I heard that my only child, my 13-year old
Nima, already overcome
by the
pain of separation from his father and all kinds of deprivation, has
been admitted to Mahak Hospital, a hospital for children with cancer; a
bitter experience and a shocking moment, which have pierced deep into my
soul.
I don’t
know about the condition of my darling child. My wife doesn’t clearly
tell me, but she hopes that I would soon be given leave to come and see
them. I have therefore asked for leave, which if granted would certainly
have a great impact on me and my sick child. This is the only moment in
the life of a father, which he doesn’t want to lose under any
circumstances. So, thanks to my friends, I have come up with a property
surety, and like in the past when I have asked for things, I have been
given a favourable answer. But maybe this time too it will turn out to
be just words.
Under
these circumstances, with thousands of thoughts in my mind about my son
Nima, remembering the empty promises of those in charge has turned my
suffering into an excruciating pain. I have to be at the side of my sick
child. This is my right. I am a political prisoner, whose anguish over
his son’s illness has made everything look dark. There are several
courses of action open to me, one of which is to go on a dry hunger
strike. Maybe I’ll get an answer that way.
I want
to choose patience and endurance, while resisting and putting pressure;
however, anything can happen. First, deprivation from food, leave,
proper visits, telephone, medical care, etc., and now deprivation from
the right to be at the side of my sick child is what is going to break
me down.
I insist
on my demand for leave to visit my child; at the same time, I appeal to
everyone to support the rights of my child and to help his recovery. Who
would have thought that someone who for years has fought for children’s
and workers’ rights, would one day be in prison for his beliefs and
defence of children, and then hear that groups of compassionate people,
friends and comrades are visiting his sick child, but he himself isn’t
able to stroke the feverish head of his child?
I will
defy and resist, as I have done up to now, but who is answerable for all
this injustice and suffering? Who is responsible for the condition that
my child Nima is in?
I have
hope in the strong and kind hands of the doctors and nurses, hope in the
support of friends, comrades, colleagues and the good and caring people
of the country. I am most grateful to all those who over these past days
have been asking about my child and who have visited my family and son.
I thank
all the doctors and nurses of Mahak Hospital and all those who have been
helping to aid the recovery of my son. In the hope of a speedy recovery
for my son Nima Ebrahimzadeh and all sick children.
Behnam
(As’ad) Ebrahimzadeh
Political Prisoner
Ward 35,
Evin Prison
January
2013
Translation from Farsi by Free Them Now! Campaign to Free Jailed
Workers in Iran
http://free-them-now.blogspot.co.uk/
