Female Prisoners in the Prison Yard

We must continue to fight against opporession in its many forms.

The crow was an important symbol to me in prison. An old crow used to perch on the wall of the prison. I envied that crow, for its freedom but I also loved that corw because it reminded me that there was a world outside

In prison, we had to split ourselves in two to survive- we had to separate our bodies from our minds, so that we could continue to grow.

Women in Prison Yard

In prison, they treated us like animals. We had to remind each other about our humanity.

The dove’s feather represents hope for peace in the midst of violence.

The crow was an important symbol to me in prison. An old crow used to perch on the wall of the prison. I envied that crow, for its freedom but I also loved that corw because it reminded me that there was a world outside

This picture represents the struggle of the people of Iran. The red represents the blood that was shed in the struggle for justice. The sun represents the possibility of hope. Out of the sacrifice of the people and the warmth of hope comes new growth. Our work has not been in vain.

When we were in solitary confinement, we often talked to each other by tapping on the walls.

This is a woman caught between a rock and a hard place and she is still dancing.

Even though the Islamic Republic of Iran tried to cut down the people who resisted, there was always new life growing.

The crow was an important symbol to me in prison. An old crow used to perch on the wall of the prison. I envied that crow, for its freedom but I also loved that corw because it reminded me that there was a world outside.

When we work together, we will be able to overcome oppression.

There were times in prison when I felt like a scream was the only way to express myself.

This is a picture of a woman in prison. She is vulnerable and alone. The government has tried to silence her.

Resistance still exists in Iran, we need to continue to find ways to support it.

While in prison, the Islamic regime tried to pressure us into taking their belief system. Sometimes it felt like my body and mind were being penetrated by their thoughts and beliefs. It was so much pressure that I felt like my body was being severed.

When I was in prison, there were many times that I saw scenes like this- a mullah and a prison guard lining up women for execution. Sometimes the officials would carry through the executions but other times they would use a “fake” execution as a tool to try and break prisoners.

I was haunted by the faces of some young Kurdish boys arrested and sitting outside the prison.

In the history of the world, there have been many oppressive states. However, there are always people who resist. The butterflies represent the fragility of the lives of those who resist. However, the tree represents the strength and the growth of the numbers of those who are willing to resist. Those who have perished fighting for freedom, human rights and democracy will never be forgotten.

When I was in prison, I used to wish that I could peek out over the prison walls and see the word outside.

The Turkish government has declared that everyone in Turkey can only speak Turkish. If you speak want to speak your own language, you are punished.

This picture is of my daughter. I see her trapped by mental illness. She currently lives at CAMH and is struggling with schizophrenia. She is imprisoned just like I was imprisoned in Iran. My heart breaks for her because I don’t know how to set her free.

One day I visited my aunt in prison and she gave me a doll that she had made me.