On August 30th, a conference entitled “Iran Uprising Against the Mullahs’ Regime” was held at the Municipality of the 17th District of Paris. This conference was organized to mark the anniversary of the 1988 massacre of political prisoners and once again highlighted to the global public one of the most catastrophic crimes in Iran’s contemporary history.
The speakers at this gathering emphasized the necessity of seeking justice, the continuation of the Iranian people’s resistance against the religious dictatorship, and the urgent need for international support for this resistance.
Ms. Niloufar Azimi, a member of the Iranian Resistance, delivered her speech, sharing her personal and family story as an example of repression and steadfastness against the mullahs’ regime:
Ladies and gentlemen, Madam Rajavi, dear friends, my name is Niloufar Azimi, and I am a member of the Iranian Resistance.
I grew up in a family that always supported the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran and followed the path of resistance.
The Story of My Mother: From Prison to Illness and Resilience
Today, I want to speak about my mother. Fatemeh Ziaii Azad, she is a graduate in Business Administration. She is a survivor of the notorious “special residential units” that were established to destroy female prisoners.
On August 7th, security forces raided our home for the seventh time to arrest her. She had first been arrested in June 1981. In total, my mother spent three years in prison and survived the special units for the repression of women in prison. Due to torture, she developed multiple sclerosis, which has now reached an advanced stage. This year, forensic doctors confirmed that she is no longer physically capable of remaining in prison, and she was released, but she was arrested again.
Family History of Repression: Father, Uncle, and Cousin
My father, a computer specialist, was imprisoned both under the Shah and during Khomeini’s era. My uncle, Saeed, was executed by the Shah’s regime. My cousin, Nastaran Azimi, was killed in 2011 at the age of 23 during an attack by regime agents on Camp Ashraf in Iraq.
Whether under the Shah’s dictatorship or the religious dictatorship, the PMOI and its supporters have always been suppressed because dictators know that this organization opposes all forms of tyranny. This resistance has sacrificed 120,000 martyrs for freedom under the rule of the religious dictatorship.
A Message Beyond a Personal Tragedy
What has happened to my family is not merely a personal tragedy; it shows that the regime fears the power of words and the messages of resistance.
Today, I want to ask you to listen and to act: First, urge all governments, especially the French government, to ensure that these crimes must be stopped. Words alone are not enough; immediate action is required.
Second, spread the message of resistance to the world. The words of the PMOI carry the hope of the Iranian people for freedom and democracy in Iran and deserve the support of all of us.
Thank you very much.