Akbar Ganji is dying. The Iranian dissident who has been in jail for six years for speaking out against the tyranny that rules his country (and about whom I wrote a post on June 9) has released a Letter to the Free People of the World written on the 19th day of his hunger strike in solitary confinement. He writes:

‘Today my broken face is the true face of the system in the Islamic Republic of Iran. I am now the symbol of justice. The justice that, if viewed correctly, puts on display the full extent of the oppression of the rulers of the Islamic Republic. My outworn body and face reveals, paradoxically, the claimed justice and the true oppression. Anyone who sees me now asks in surprise "Are you Akbar Ganji? What have they done to you?"

’Yes, I am neither sick nor on hunger strike [sarcasm]. They have made me lose weight from 77kg to 58kg through improvised tortures. They hide this outworn body from the public to hide the reality of the Islamic Republic… I have opposed the unelected and indefinite rule of Mr. Khamenei. I have said that [his] life-time unaccountable absolute power is at odds with democracy. I said expressing this opinion will be faced with Mr. Khamenei's quick and harsh reaction. What took place proved me right. He does not tolerate any personal criticism.

‘Karroubi, Moeen and Hashemi Rafsanjani all tasted Mr. Khamenei's "religious democracy" in this election. The widespread and organized interference of the Guards Corps and Basij caused the outcry of even Larijani's campaign staff and the person of Mohsen Rezaei. A sultanist system is at odds with democracy. In such a system the sultan rules supreme and everyone else is at his service. Mortazavi [Teheran’s prosecutor] has told my wife: "What will happen if Ganji dies? Dozens die everyday in prisons; Ganji will be just one of them." These are Mr. Khamenei's words that are uttered through Mortazavi's lips. Ganji dies, but the demand for freedom, democracy, political justice, hope, aspirations and ideals won't. Love for others and self-sacrifice for people will always continue to live.’

Once again, where are the voices of the world protesting at the persecution of this fighter for freedom? Is not his fight our fight? Where in particular is the voice of America, the country that tells us its mission is to encourage the oppressed peoples of the world to rise up against their oppressors in the cause of democracy and human rights — the cause for which Akbar Ganji is so heroically laying down his life?

Posted by melanie at July 5, 2005