Majid Dori Writes Statement from Prison for National Student Day in Iran

Majid Dori Writes Statement from Prison for National Student Day in Iran

Majid Dori

Majid Dori is a university student who has been denied education and expelled from Tehran’s Allameh Tabatabai University. He has been in prison since July 9, 2009 without a period of time off. On the occasion of Iran’s National Student Day (December 7th), Majid Dori has issued a statement from prison. Due to eye problems and limitations imposed on him every day, the statement was released late.

It is noteworthy that Majid Dori recently refused to be placed in shackles while visiting an eye doctor outside the prison. This refusal has cost him dearly since prison officials have placed new restrictions on him. The following is the full text of Majid Dori’s statement:

Men and women, ablaze
Their most painful song, still not sung.
Silence fills the air, the impatient silence
How it is bursting with anticipation
- – Ahmad Shamloo

How long do you intend to sacrifice Quran and flee from reality by oppressing others? How long do you intend in the name of law and religion to repress the dissidents and delay what is inevitable? Till when do you intend to ignore the Green movement, mar it by blood and entrap it in the darkness?

Once more, 16 of Azar (December 7) has arrived, the Student Day, the day belonging to our universities, the day spearheaded by scholars, the day that served your purpose well before but now places your security forces on alert. Your fear and anxiety is sufficient enough to prove that our universities are alive with Greens, not dead from darkness. Although our numbers may have decreased, our perseverance has increased. Iran’s universities are bidding their time to strike at your peaceful slumber.

What do you think our universities are? Do you think you’re the commanders and students your obedient soldiers? Wishful thinking! Iranian students don’t follow orders blindly and stand up to tyranny regardless of your military might. Our universities don’t bow to ignorant individuals disguised as statesmen who plot our destruction. We will make a stand boldly and take our chances in this battle.

Of course, we deserve a government whose path has been blocked by a man whose words are based on falsehoods, a man who doesn’t fear lying. Student activists welcome expulsion from school since becoming a star is still fashionable. Those in charge of our universities have no other thought but destruction and no other way but that of the iron fist.

My professor from the University of Allameh was in prison with me while a few feet from us, Mahdieh Golroo was in the women’s ward. Glowing with pride, they arrested all, students and professors, men and women. In other universities, they did no less. Countless students were arrested, and their accumulative prison sentences proved that our universities continue to stay by our people and don’t abandon the battlefield.

We were beaten, but our universities still endured; we were slaughtered, but our universities persevered. They attacked our dormitories, but we made a stand. We were killed but our universities continued the fight; we were imprisoned but our universities didn’t surrender. This is how Iran became a university and the entire population transformed into students fighting for freedom and democracy. University, hearts embraced thee; minds preoccupied with thee; lips shouted thy name.

So greetings to student activists, the heroes, the expelled. Greetings to all college students since being a student has become a crime. Greetings to all professors although… Greetings to the destitute who rejected oppression and shouted in the name of freedom. Greetings and salutations to a movement that was Green, is staying Green, and will remain Green.

Freedom is approaching from the bloody trail
Nonetheless imminent as I tremble
What is concealed in your hand?
What shackles your feet?
Freedom, do you come in chains?

Humbly,
Majid Dori
Behbahan Prison
Azar 1389 (December 2010)