The Young Lions of the Green Movement: Chronicles of Resistance
Since the disputed presidential election of June 2009, the world has learned much about the Green Movement and the courageous Iranians who have struggled against the hardliners. While names like Neda Agha Soltan have become global symbols, the movement has paid a heavy price. There are at least 110 martyrs, and Iran has become a perilous place for journalists, with many jailed or forced into exile.
While the international community has rallied around prominent figures like attorney Nasrin Sotoudeh, there are hundreds of other political prisoners languishing in obscurity. Currently, there are at least 800 political prisoners in Iran. This report focuses on the plight of several young student activists who have contributed greatly to the struggle for democracy and the rule of law.
Bahareh Hedayat: The Voice of Students
Bahareh Hedayat, an economics student at the University of Tehran, is a distinguished activist for women’s rights and a member of the Campaign for One Million Signatures. As a central committee member of the Office for Consolidation of Unity (OCU), she has faced multiple arrests since 2006 for peaceful demonstrations.
Most recently arrested on December 30, 2009, following the Day of Ashura protests, Hedayat received a staggering sentence of nine and a half years in prison—the most severe punishment ever given to a student activist. Despite offers of leniency in exchange for a televised renunciation of her beliefs, she has refused. She has been on a hunger strike since December 18 to protest a ban on family visitations, despite suffering from urgent medical issues including kidney stones.
Shabnam Madad-Zadeh: Accused of War Against God
Shabnam Madad-Zadeh, a 21-year-old computer science student at Tehran Teachers College, was detained in February 2009. Originally arrested alongside her brother, she was held in the narcotics section of Evin Prison, sparking outrage among human rights advocates.
She has been accused of moharebeh (warring against God) based solely on a phone call with a relative allegedly linked to the MKO opposition group. Despite severe pressure and torture to force a confession, Madad-Zadeh has maintained her innocence. She was sentenced to five years in prison and is currently held in Rajaei Shahr prison among dangerous criminals, suffering from a heart condition without proper care.
Majid Tavakkoli: The Honor of the Student Movement
Majid Tavakkoli, a student at Amir Kabir University, is a well-known voice of dissent. First arrested in 2006 after a protest against Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, he spent 15 months in jail before being exonerated.
On December 7, 2009, Iran’s University Student Day, Tavakkoli delivered a fiery speech at the University of Tehran criticizing the Supreme Leader. He was beaten by security forces upon leaving campus. Following a show trial, he was sentenced to eight and a half years in prison. In protest of being moved to solitary confinement, Tavakkoli went on a hunger strike that severely impacted his health. For his unwavering courage, he was awarded the 2009 Homo Homini Award.
Mahdieh Golroo and Abdollah Momeni
Mahdieh Golroo, an activist with the Committee for Defense of the Right for Education (CDRE), was arrested in December 2009. Authorities arrested her husband simultaneously to pressure her into cooperating, yet she refused to renounce her beliefs.
Abdollah Momeni, a spokesman for the Organization of the Educated of Iran, was arrested eight days after the election. He spent months in solitary confinement and was coerced into confessing to fabricated crimes under torture. In a historic letter to Ayatollah Khamenei, Momeni detailed the physical and psychological abuse prisoners face. Despite appeals, he remains incarcerated in Ward 350 of Evin Prison.
These young activists represent the spirit of the Green Movement. Their sacrifices and their stories deserve the full attention of the international community.