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Exclusive – Kiana & Ali Rahmani on efforts to free their mother, Narges Mohammadi

We spoke to Kiana and Ali Rahmani about the global campaign called β€˜Free Narges Coalition’, launched at the Nobel Peace Center on September 5th – led by PEN America, Reporters Without Borders, and Front Line Defenders – to free their mother, Laureate Narges Mohammadi.

Narges Mohammadi has been imprisoned for ten years in Iran, including 135 days in solitary confinement, and now faces another 11 years for her advocacy of women’s equal rights and the abolition of the death penalty.

The very reasons for her sentencing are the same causes that earned her the Nobel Peace Prize in 2023.

Kiana and Ali Rahmani, her children, whom she hasn’t even seen in photos for years, accepted the award on her behalf at the ceremony and are now at the forefront of a coalition dedicated to securing her freedom.

As of today, she cannot even contact her lawyer to make requests. We had the honor of speaking with her children about her situation and the goals of the Free Narges Coalition.

Even though we cannot reach her directly, her letter on the second anniversary of Mahsa Amini’s death was shared with us through the Narges Foundation.

Before starting the interview, we’d like to share a quote from the letter.

β€˜In these two difficult and agonizing years, although the wounds have left marks on the bodies of those exhausted and tormented by oppression, discrimination, and tyranny, and despite the challenging road ahead, we all know that nothing is as it was before. The people feel the greatest change in their beliefs, lives, and society.’

To start, I’d like to reference Kiana’s interview at the Nobel Peace Center, where she described activism as a β€˜family business.’ While it’s not uncommon for families to unite around a shared cause, it’s rare to see children at the forefront of a global effort to free their mother. Could you tell us more about the work of the Narges Foundation and your roles within it?

Kiana Rahmani: The need for an international foundation to continue our mother’s work outside Iran has always been felt, but after receiving the Nobel Peace Prize, this need has become even more apparent. Given the great responsibility we feel and with our 18th birthdays approaching, we hope we can rise to this challenge.

We now feel a duty to focus more intensely and work even harder to amplify our mother’s voice and that of other political prisoners and oppressed women in Iran to the world. We intend to use the platform provided by the media and the Nobel Peace Prize as a powerful tool to convey the voices of activists inside the country more loudly and effectively.

My mother has spent more than 10 years of her life in prison, with 135 of those days in solitary confinement. Despite all the suffering she has endured and her physical condition, she is still expected to serve nearly 11 more years in prison. This is truly brutal.

 

For many young people, it’s challenging to follow in their parents’ footsteps. In your case, you’re also stepping into the role of being your mother’s voice, especially when you read the letters she has written. This must carry immense responsibility. How do you manage this role in your activism, and how do you support each other through it?

Kiana Rahmani: Since the ceremony, our lives have changed, and we feel a greater sense of responsibility. We are now more committed than ever to defending our mother and other political prisoners, and we see it as our duty to raise awareness about the dire situation in Iran.

Representing our mother and her lifelong fight for human rights was a great honor, but it also placed a heavy burden on our shoulders. It highlighted her absence even more, and we often wished that she could have been there to receive the award and deliver her speech.

We were saddened that she could not attend the ceremony, and the restrictions placed on her phone calls and visits added to our concerns. We hoped that receiving such an award would lessen the pressure on her, but in reality, the situation worsened. Each time she sent a letter, more sentences were issued by the authorities.

 

September 16 marks the second anniversary of Mahsa Amini’s death. From your perspective, what has changed in Iran since that day?

Ali Rahmani: Iran, under the rule of the Islamic Republic, is a land where political and women’s rights activists face ruthless repression. Political prisoners endure extremely harsh and unbearable conditions, and women suffer daily from various forms of oppression and humiliation.

In Iran, even the smallest act of protest can lead to arrest, torture, and even execution. Last year, grieving mothers buried their children simply because their hair was visible – a pain that is too great to bear.

Civil institutions are severely repressed, and holding educational courses is highly restricted. Iranian women engage in a daily, face-to-face struggle against the regime and the morality police in the streets, yet this fight continues with courage. The resistance against mandatory hijab and other forms of repression persists despite all the pressures and threats, and families seeking justice are under constant pressure and harassment.

Recently, your mother, Narges Mohammadi, called on seven influential women, urging the recognition of gender apartheid as a crime under international law. Could you elaborate on how this recognition could benefit women in Iran and around the world?

Ali Rahmani: For decades, Iranian women have faced various forms of sexual and gender-based discrimination under the rule of the Islamic Republic. The government has systematically and deliberately enforced control over women, using all state tools and powers, particularly through legislation, to continue denying women their human rights.

In such circumstances, it is not just women who suffer; the entire Iranian society grapples with the devastating and irreversible consequences of these deep and pervasive discriminations. In a society where half the population is deprived of their natural rights, discussions of democracy, human rights, freedom, and equality seem meaningless.

My mother hopes that we can expose this injustice to the world and bring an end to gender apartheid.

 

It’s been over two years since you’ve been able to communicate directly with your mother. International reports indicate that her phone access and visitation rights have been severely restricted. To the extent you’re able, could you provide any updates on Narges Mohammadi’s health and safety situation in prison?

Ali Rahmani: Since November 2023, she has not been granted visitation rights, and her phone card has been destroyed by prison authorities. She cannot even call her brother in Iran. We haven’t heard her voice in nearly three years and haven’t seen her in almost nine years since we were forced to leave Iran. She’s unable to contact even her lawyer. The treatment the Islamic Republic is subjecting our mother to is truly cruel.

 

Nobel Peace Center launched the β€˜Free Narges Coalition,’ led by PEN America, Reporters Without Borders, and Front Line Defenders. Could you tell us the process of establishing this coalition? What separate roles do you, and supporters play in helping the campaign achieve its goals?

Kiana Rahmani: A few weeks ago, during a peaceful protest, the guards attacked the women of Evin Prison, including our mother. They pushed her in the chest. Hearing the news of our mother being assaulted in prison was devastating.

We were already deeply concerned about her health, and the thought of her and other women in Evin being subjected to such brutal attacks for their peaceful protests and calls to end executions in Iran is horrifying. She previously underwent heart surgery, and her health remains a serious concern for us.

 

In less than two weeks, the coalition has garnered support from over 35 NGOs and more than 50 public figures. What does this growing international support mean to your family and the effort?

Kiana Rahmani: We are very thankful. At the coalition launch, we were surrounded by the love, solidarity, and support of the guests, people of Oslo, visitors, human rights activists, and our mother’s old friends. It was an incredibly emotional experience, and we felt a deep sense of responsibility to carry out this mission on her behalf.

We are immensely grateful to the Nobel Peace Center for hosting such an impactful conference & launch about the β€˜Woman, Life, Freedom’ movement and our mother’s life. Nobel provided us with a platform to connect with people from all over the world.

 

What message would you like to share with those around the world who are standing in solidarity with your cause?

Ali Rahmani: There is a beautiful poem by the Iranian poet Houshang Ebtehaj that I would like to share with you:

β€˜Oh joy of freedom! On the day you return, with this sorrowful heart of mine, what will I do with you?’

Even if freedom seems far away and difficult, even if it seems impossible to embrace our mother again, we know that she will never stop fighting, and so we too, step by step, from afar but in spirit with her, will continue the struggle. In memory of our mother, who is always in our hearts and whose absence is deeply felt, we will soon officially launch the β€˜Narges Foundation’ to support human rights and women’s rights in Iran.

As my mother always says: Victory is not easy, but it is certain!

I would like to extend my sincere thanks to the Nobel Peace Center for bringing us together with Kiana, Ali Rahmani, and Narges Mohammadi’s team. It was an honor to share yours and your mother’s story.

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