Hassan Jaafari published an open letter on December 13, 2016, on the birthday of political prisoner Maryam Akbari Monfared. In part of this letter we read:
My dear Maryam,
When they arrested you, I was so depressed and sad and I did not know how to handle this heavy responsibility on my own, with Sara who was 4 years old and Zahra and Pegah who were 11.
Today is the eighth year when we are celebrating your birthday without you. Our little Sara blew the candles on your cake with a wish to be with you again. The kids have arranged the dolls you made in prison and sent for us, all around the table. You have knitted all the members of the family and sent them out of prison, one by one. You have knitted yourself, too, and you are among the dolls, as well. This is how our family can be together, for now. You are with us in our thoughts and in your little birthday. I can imagine the day you come back to us and I can see all my daughters laugh and cry out with happiness.
