This is an English-language translation of Hamid Hamidi's letter to his best friend, Keyvan Samimi, a brave Iranian political prisoner who has been on hunger strike in Evin Prison. A link to the Farsi-language original can be found at the bottom. Also provided at the bottom is a link to the online petition to free Keyvan Samimi and end his persecution.
(Background information about Keyvan Samimi:
Keyvan Samimi (62 years old) is an Iranian journalist who was arrested on June the 14th 2009, soon after the presidential election, at the very beginning of the crackdown carried out by Iranian authorities.
He was chief editor of the now banned monthly Nameh ("Letter") and of the website Kharabat. He’s also a Human Rights activist and a member of the National Peace Council, the Committee against Arbitrary Detentions, the Committee in Defense of Citizens’ Rights, and the Right to Education Council. He was a political prisoner during the Shah's regime.
Keyvan Samimi was at first sentenced to 6 years of jail and to a lifetime ban from any journalistic, social and political activity. The main charges in Keyvan Samimi’s indictment were propagandizing against the regime and conspiring against national security. The indictment also included charges such as participating in post-election protests and issuing statements questioning the validity of the election results.
The Court of Appeal upheld 6 years of imprisonment but reduced the ban from life to 15 years (http://www.rhairan.us/en/?p=5251).
In the summer 2010, Keyvan Samimi was one among the 17 political prisoners in ward 350 of Evin jail who were on hunger strike from 26 July to 10 August 2010, to protest against inhuman prison conditions, after their transfer to solitary confinement. Even if Samimi was the eldest among them, he was also on "dry" hunger strike for almost a week (4-10 August) along with journalist Bahman Ahmadi Amouii and students’ leader Majid Tavakoli. Furthermore, he did't break the strike when his younger fellow inmates did. He has continued his protest until he and all his ‘imprisoned children’ have been transferred from solitary confinement to the general ward of Evin prison.
He ended his hunger strike after 24 days.)
This is the letter Hamid Hamimi wrote to Keyvan Samimi;
~~ I shall say hello to tomorrow's sun"; For Uncle Keyvan ~~
Hello my dear uncle Keyvan, and hello to my comrades.
I am well ... but don't believe it. I found a chance to send a picture to mother. When I spoke with her, she said she was ill but for your health, she's always praying and lighting candles. She asked me if I had any news from Uncle Keyvan or our other friends in prison. She said: "I hope they get released in this month of Ramadan, so they can share the Eftaars [evening meal to break the fast] with their loved ones, and reap the benevolent miracles of this month." She added that she's planning to invite Uncle Keyvan, if he gets released, for a big Rashti and Kalleh Paacheh dinner that he loves so much.
I told her that uncle Keyvan's been on a dry hunger strike for some time now, trying to urge the authorities to transfer 'his children' from solitary to the general ward. And now that it's Ramadan, he begins his fast at dawn and ends it at dusk, with only water and tea... She was deeply saddened by hearing this. "I will light a candle and pray for all of them..." she said.
Keyvan jaan,
It was only five days into Ramadan when I heard about mother's stroke. She has died and come back several times in the past, but this time she's been in a semi coma state and kept in the ICU for three days now. I am worried for both her and you, because it was her who was praying and lighting candles for your health, my dear friend. Dad is also on his last breaths and very ill. The once jubilant and hope filled man is now bed ridden; quietly crying now and then. He has lost all his patience and strength. Unable to get out of bed, but whenever awake, his eyes are gazing out the window. With his stroke-induced slurred speech, he said to me: "I wish they come to take my life, through the window, without noticing anyone else. The angel of death likes to take everyone into the darkness..." I asked him how his heart is. He said his heart is in his throat, but the tenacity for life, keeps it still beating in place. He said: "The lovers' hearts never stop beating, even after death..." "There are many lovers out there whose hearts keep them going..." Every time I asked how he was, he would recite this verse. This may not make sense to those unfamiliar with his speech, but I understand him.
--"Sad is the question asked the ill ~~ Delight in knowing he's breathing still."
When they summoned you again to the prison, right after your daughter's wedding ceremony, I became so distraught, not even able to conceal my sadness during my talk with mother. She said: "Don't worry - when the Narcissus flowers in the garden, begin to bloom; Kayvan and all the prisoners shall be freed." In my last phone call I asked her: "mother, have the Narcissus not bloomed yet? How come our friends are not free yet?" She said when she looks at the gold fish in the little pool in the yard; she sees 'your' freedom...
Uncle Keyvan,.
Let me tell you a few words about my life. I Don't know why it's raining so much in this land! It rains and rains and the thirsty earth keeps drinking it all, but quickly dries up again; as though the earth and the sky are not friends anymore. Mother was saying that the streets of Tehran are filled with metal giants. The streets aren't safe anymore. People would trade their Fridays for few bitter laughers. Nothing makes them happy anymore; as if everyone has turned into wood and stone. And she went on saying:
"It's really strange. The grooms are afraid of wedding nights. Wedding ceremonies are being held in dead end streets. "Rabbana" is removed from the Ramadan prayers; they say the anti-revolutionaries are trying to use Rabbana!!! Somebody needs to tell these guys, Damned you, who is using religion as a tool for power and manipulate it any which way in order to maintain your empty power. They're running termites under the foundation of people's beliefs. What is lawful and Islamic today is deemed a total sin tomorrow."
My dear Keyvan and my dear friends,
I don't know where you will be when you read this letter. But wherever you are, do not give in to the angel of death; take vigilant care of yourselves and bring yourselves back to us in one piece. I would love to write more, but I just remembered that I must go water the plants. Mother said: "If I water the Geraniums, they will pray for your safe return." She was right, ever since I began watering them regularly, their little green branches are held up to the sky, and they look happier with each passing day...
Kayvan jan, and my dear friends,
~ Stay with us, so the spring shall sing again...
~ For believing in tomorrow, I shall ride all night long...
~ Stay with us, so in the hopes of being with you again...
~ I shall say hello to tomorrow's sun...
~ Stay with us, so Hope can live longer...
I kiss you in my dreams...
I love you - and justice
*** Hamid Hamidi
[Orig. Article]
http://www.greencorrespondents.com/2010/08/blog-post_2061.html
Online Petition to free Keyvan Samimi:
http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/free-journalist-keyvan-samimi.html