‘Physical Death Does Not Destroy an Ideology’ – Parisa Kamali
YAZD PRISON, Iran — Parisa Kamali, a political prisoner serving an eight-and-a-half-year sentence in Yazd, has released a defiant audio message from behind bars to mark the anniversary of the execution of the founders of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK).
The date—4 Khordad (May 25)—commemorates the 1972 execution of Mohammad Hanifnejad, Saied Mohsen, and Ali-Asghar Badizadegan under the Shah’s regime.
A Vow of Continued Resistance
Parisa Kamali, convicted of “membership in the PMOI” and “insulting [Khamenei],” used the recording to reaffirm her commitment to the group’s current leaders, Massoud and Maryam Rajavi.
“I swear that as long as dictators and oppressors exist, and until our ideals are realized, I will continue your path,” Kamali stated in the audio dispatch, saluting the executed founders.
Ideology Beyond Physical Elimination
In her message, Kamali drew a direct parallel between Iran’s past monarchy and its current clerical rule, arguing that dictators inherently rely on violence to maintain power.
- The Dictator’s Method: “May 25, 1972, shows that a dictator—whoever they are and in whatever clothes they wear—tries to survive through elimination and execution,” Kamali said.
- The Survival of Ideas: She added that regimes remain “oblivious to the fact that physical death does not destroy an ideology,” concluding that “the star-studded galaxy of the path to freedom is our witness.”
Parisa Kamali’s heavy sentence highlights the ongoing crackdown by Iranian authorities against political dissidents, who frequently face severe judicial penalties and harsh conditions in regional facilities like Yazd Prison.
