July 22 2024, began like a normal, ordinary day for 31-year-old Arezoo Bardi, but a few minutes after 10 pm, it ended in a nightmare. Arezoo was driving home with her sister in the northern city of Noor, when she was suddenly intercepted by police. They ordered her to pull her car over, but Arezoo panicked, failed to comply, and continued driving. Immediately, the officers opened fire on her vehicle, one bullet striking the tire, and the other bullet piercing her lung, severely damaging her spine. Arezoo was rushed to a nearby hospital in a coma suffering from serious lung and spinal cord injuries. July 22 2024, began like a normal, ordinary day for 31-year-old Arezoo Bardi, but a few minutes after 10 pm, it ended in a nightmare. Arezoo was driving home with her sister in the northern city of Noor, when she was suddenly intercepted by police. They ordered her to pull her car over, but Arezoo panicked, failed to comply, and continued driving. Immediately, the officers opened fire on her vehicle, one bullet striking the tire, and the other bullet piercing her lung, severely damaging her spine. Arezoo was rushed to a nearby hospital in a coma suffering from serious lung and spinal cord injuries.
Ten days later, doctors were able to finally remove the bullet from her back but gave her little hope of ever walking again. She is completely paralyzed from the waist down with no sensation or feeling. Arezoo was transferred to The Vali-e-Asr Hospital in Tehran and placed under strict security supervision, allowing family members only a few minutes of visitation time. Her Instagram account was deactivated to prevent any images from being published to the media.
Apparently, Arezzo's car had been identified by CCTV cameras and was on the impoundment list for hijab violations. Last year, a major government clampdown took place targeting women defying the compulsory dress code. CCTV cameras were implemented to identify female drivers failing to cover their hair, resulting in the confiscation of their vehicles. Human rights activists in Iran speculated that Arezoo was probably filmed driving with her head uncovered and an alert was placed on the license plate number.
It's almost been two years now since the brutal death of Mahsa Amini, a young 22-year-old Kurdish girl, taken into custody at the Tehran Metro for showing too much hair. A few hours later, she was hospitalized in a coma after being brutally beaten while in custody. Her death, a few days later, ignited the largest uprising in Iran, which became famously known as the "Woman, life, freedom" movement. Many Iranians falsely believed that there would be drastic changes in the policies of the morality police after the uprising, but unfortunately once again, on October 1, 2023, a young Iranian girl was rushed to the hospital after suffering a severe head injury during a confrontation with police at the Tehran Metro. A month later, seventeen-year-old, Armita Geravand died after being in a coma.
Women are no longer safe in Iran. They are being targeted for the crime of not covering their hair and the rest of the feminist world remains silent. There is no outrage, no speaking up by the feminists of the world. Their silence is both hypocritical and offensive. The late Lutheran Pastor, Dietrich Bonhoeffer who was executed by the Germans, because of being involved in a plot to assassinate Hitler, is credited with a brilliant quote on the sin of being silent. His quote is an appropriate response to the feminist world.
Silence in the face of evil is itself evil. God will not hold us guiltless. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act."
September 13 will be the two-year anniversary of the brutal death of Mahsa Amini. How many more Iranian women have to die until this government is held accountable for their gender apartheid sins? For more than 45 years, since the Iranian Revolution, women have been oppressed and treated like second-class citizens. They are prohibited from riding bicycles, attending sports events at stadiums, singing publicly, and going out without the veil.
Iran is one big prison! They have no freedom. The government controls their bodies and their minds from birth to death. Yet inspite of the pressure and restrictions, these brave Iranian women put the rest of the world to shame. They are not afraid of this dictatorship government. They refuse to be kept in misogynistic chains and bravely confront this evil regime right out on the streets.
I am praying that one day soon Arezoo will overcome her paralysis and be able to walk again. Her children are traumatized! They need their mother to be healthy again. If by the grace of God, Arezoo can one day walk, I believe she will not become a recluse and hide from the government in the safety of her home. If I know anything at all about the courage of Iranian women, Arezoo will go right back on the streets again to defend her "God-given" rights as a woman. Amidst the pathetic silence of the rest of the feminist world, Arezoo will not back down. She will rise again and demand her freedom!
