"Freedom without Jesus is just another wall."

      On June 12, 1987, President Ronald Reagan gave a powerful and memorable challenge to the Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev as he proudly stood in front of the Berlin Wall to a cheering crowd, “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!”

      Two years later, on November 9, 1989, Reagan’s challenge became a reality! The concrete barrier of the cold war that had separated communist East Berlin from the West collapsed as thousands of people in mass droves crossed to the other side in jubilant celebration! Communism had finally collapsed and freedom had arrived. There would no longer be a death strip between the East and the West. No more machine guns, no more guard dogs. Although it would take another two full years before the complete physical demolition of the wall was complete, the celebration had begun! The death of Communism was now a reality!

      Freedom….This powerful seven-letter word has been the passionate driving force in the hearts of humanity for thousands of years and has caused the death of millions of people fleeing oppression. This seven-letter word is one of the most precious words in the English language, one of the most powerful words on the lips of those giving their lives to be free from dictatorship governments.

      Christian artist, Wayne Watson, reflecting on the historical fall of the Berlin Wall, composed a thought-provoking song on the subject of freedom, that causes us to think deeply about what true liberty really is. The chorus of the song gets right to the point about what Wayne believes true freedom really is……

        "Freedom. People cry for freedom. 
          But freedom without Jesus is just another wall.
         Oh-oh. Freedom. Give the people freedom.
          But give the people Jesus or they got nothing at all."

                                                                                                                                   

        Wayne is challenging us to think about what true freedom really is. Millions of people celebrated the destruction of a physical wall that tore down the barriers of an oppressive political philosophy that had kept them in bondage for many years. Humanity was no longer bound by the chains of a dictatorship that enslaved them to a government that ruled their lives from the cradle to the grave. Now people were finally free to believe and think for themselves. Surely this is what true freedom is all about!

        Two thousand years before the historic collapse of the Berlin Wall, another powerful and life-changing speech was given to a mass of people. Jesus stood before his disciples and a crowd of religious leaders and made an astounding proclamation. He declared:

                      “And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free!”

       Jesus also taught about freedom and the impact it would have on our lives. However, we need to look closely at the kind of freedom that he was speaking about.

       Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

                      “But we are descendants of Abraham,” they said. “We have never been slaves of anyone. What do you mean, “You will be set free?”

                      Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave of sin. A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son is part of the family forever. So, if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.”

      Notice carefully, the reaction of the religious leaders. In Jewish heritage, being a part of the great patriarchal family of Abraham conferred a very special status on an individual. The religious leaders were astonished at what Jesus had just told them. Being in the family of Abraham gave them great dignity and value. How can Jesus dare to question that heritage? They believed they were truly free. There was no corruption and bondage to break free from!

       However, Jesus points directly at the heart of their problem, which is also our problem. Slavery to sin. The Pharisees and the Scribes looked pure and clean on the outside. They loved to boast about their own righteousness and spirituality. In their eyes they were perfectly obedient to God’s Law and they constantly looked down on the masses of other people.

       The outward image of true freedom can be very deceptive. That image of freedom was celebrated on a fall day in November when the Berlin Wall collapsed, but as Wayne Watson aptly points out in his song, “Freedom without Jesus is just another wall.”  The physical wall has been demolished but there is another wall, the wall within our souls, that is still holding humanity in bondage. That bondage is the death grip of sin!

         The human heart is in the death grip of sin until it is set free and the chains are broken by the power of Christ. Physical freedom is not enough. Humanity can celebrate freedom from oppressive governments when they fall, but “Freedom without Jesus is just another wall.”  

          Jesus offers us a freedom that no government of the world can ever give us. It is a freedom that breaks the power of corruption and sin in our hearts. It is a freedom that opens our eyes to what it means to have a living and vibrant relationship with the God of the universe! It is a freedom that allows us to dream big and experience a life of true joy beyond anything we can imagine or think! As a Christian author and a human rights activist for Iranians, I have a passion to be a voice for their freedom. It is my pleasure to fight for their human rights and write books to bring awareness to the world about their plight for freedom and justice. However, I have a very important responsibility to make sure that I also persuade them of a freedom that transcends the oppression of physical governments. The Gospel is the true freedom that every Iranian needs. It is the power of the gospel that breaks the chains of sin and liberates us from the inward corruption that is keeping us in bondage.

          I will never stop speaking out for my Iranian friends. I will always email government leaders and be a voice for political prisoners on death row, demanding their freedom. All of this is good and absolutely necessary! But I must balance out my passion with the truth of God’s Word. Jesus said, “And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

         This is the true freedom that humanity needs. We can never be truly free until the “walls of sin” are torn down in our hearts.

"A Revival of National Socialism?"

     I love going to the movies, especially on the opening night of a film when it first hits the theaters.  One such night was Friday, August 3, 2018, when the controversial political thriller, “Death of a nation,” premiered across the country. Conservative filmmaker and author, Dinesh D’Souza, had produced an “in- your-face” documentary responding to the bogus criticisms of President Trump being a racist, fascist, and white supremacist. The first few opening minutes chronicled the Liberal media’s meltdown on Election night, where they whined, complained, and twisted themselves into pretzels trying to explain the Trump Avalanche that had buried Hillary Clinton. What followed was the left throwing a temper tantrum with violent protests and dubious attempts to discredit Trump and thwart the will of the people.

     D’Souza then proceeded to answer the accusations against Trump being a racist by demonstrating from history that the real party of racism were the Democrats. When it came to Fascism, D’Souza revealed how Roosevelt admired Mussolini embracing his economic principles of an industrial act to help America recover from the Great Depression. However, the main thrust of the film was to show how Hitler implemented his core strategies by studying the Democratic Party.  One such principle was creating a racist state in Germany. Hitler implemented the Nuremberg Laws of 1935 against the Jews, taking his cue from the Democrats of the American South and their segregation laws against blacks. The law against racial intermarriage between Jews and Germans was taken directly from the Democratic playbook. Hitler also borrowed from the anti-human philosophy of Planned Parenthood founder Margaret Sanger’s sterilization laws, which he used in euthanizing social undesirables such as gypsies and the mentally retarded. Margaret Sanger is of course an icon of Liberals, admired and praised by Hillary Clinton.

     As the movie drew to a dramatic conclusion, D’Souza asked the all-important question, “How do we fight the tyranny of the Left?” The answer to his own question left me mesmerized! D’Souza introduced the brave and heroic efforts of Sophie Scholl and the White Rose. Sophie was a 21-year-old university student who joined forces with her brother to peacefully protest against the racist dictatorship policies of Hitler through the publication of anti-Nazi leaflets distributed all over Germany. In the end, they were both arrested and executed.

     This part of the film left me breathless. I always know when I’m supposed to write about a particular topic, because it begins to burn in my soul and ignite my passions, and it’s all I can think about for days. However, what I was watching frightened me and caused me to wonder was D’Souza trying to tell conservatives how dangerous this fight against progressive democrats and their socialist agenda is going to become?

     Sophie and her brother Hans, including the other members of the White Rose, were engaged in a very dangerous struggle against the demonic ideology of Hitler’s National Socialism. Hitler wanted to create a pure Aryan Race and restore the greatness of Germany that had been stolen by their loss in World War I and the limitations imposed by the Treaty of Versailles.  He blamed all of the economic and socials woes on the Jews and Communists and was determined to rid Germany of their influences. The White Rose spoke out against racism and discrimination, and the evils of Hitler that silenced freedom of speech and unfortunately in the end, the anti-God philosophy of National Socialism put to death the courageous voices of Hans and Sophie.

    Is this the price we conservatives will have to pay today in our culture where it seems like the philosophy of National Socialism is once again rearing its ugly head up from the ashes?

   Extremist progressives inside of the Democratic Party are pushing a socialist agenda aimed at swaying our country away from its roots of capitalism. Bernie Sanders, who has announced his candidacy for president in the 2020 election, along with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Representative for New York’s 14^th district, have been busy promoting redistribution of wealth, attacking corporations, and devising plans to economically and environmentally transform our country. However, history has demonstrated the utter failure of socialism. All one has to do is look at the Soviet Union and Venezuela to see the devastating results of adopting this corrupt philosophy. Socialism is one step away from Communism and there are no “free lunches” but instead a system where the State becomes your god and an elite few rules from the top down. This is exactly what happened in Germany in 1933, when Hitler plunged the National Socialist German Worker’s Party (The Nazis) into the political spotlight and ascended the throne to become its Chancellor and Fuhrer. It all began with promises of economic transformation and ended up with total control over the mass media, over free speech, and demonization of any other political viewpoint.

    Progressives frighten me! They are adopting principles, viewpoints, and ideas once held sacred by the Nazi party. Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar and Michigan Rep. Rashida Tlaib, have both displayed contempt for the Jewish people with their anti-Semitic remarks since being elected to Congress as Muslim Americans. When their anti-Semitic attitudes were challenged by other conservatives, The Democratic Party refused to hold them personally accountable. It is a well known fact that the Democratic party has never been a true supporter of Israel, but instead always rushes to defend the Palestinian cause. Liberals have always embraced Islam in their so-called politics of diversity. The Nazis understood the connection between Islam and Anti-Semitism very well! Mohammed Amin al-Husseini, the grand mufti of Jerusalem, broadcasted anti-Semitic messages from Berlin with Hitler’s approval from 1941 until the end of World War II. Al-Husseini was also a close ally of Hassan al-Banna, the Muslim Brotherhood’s founder. The parallels could not be clearer! The extremists of the Democratic Party are a close ally to the Nazi’s in their anti-Semitic behavior toward the Jew.

    Promoting the destruction of human life beyond abortion, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown, endorsed for re-election by Planned Parenthood, signed legislation allowing mentally ill patients to be denied food and water unless that patient issued an advanced directive before becoming debilitated. Previously only caregivers with the power of attorney could make such a decision.

    In January, Oregon Democrats introduced another bill expanding the state’s law governing medically assisted suicide to include any patient with an incurable disease or intolerable pain. These laws parallel the same logic of The Nazi’s euthanasia program to eliminate those they determined were unworthy of life, like the mentally ill, the elderly, and the disabled. The Aktion T4 program, initiated by Hitler in 1939, was responsible for the death of more than 70,000 human beings from starvation, lethal injection, and gassing.

    Another powerful parallel to Nazism played out by the progressives is their obsession with identity politics and the treatment of oppressed groups. Democratic Socialists view women, African Americans, Latinos, Muslims, and gays as needing special protection from Whites, Christians, and capitalists. Ironically the Nazi’s viewed “the Aryans,” the superior race, as also needing special protection from, Jews, socialists, and capitalists.

    The chief propagandist of Hitler was Joseph Goebbels. He was in charge of fashioning the media to broadcast a specific narrative to the German people that promoted the Fuhrer’s agenda and portrayed him as a master military leader even when the war was being lost in Stalingrad. In the same way, liberal elites control the thinking of much of the media today and the moment a conservative rocks the boat with a different opinion, he or she is demonized and silenced with smear tactics, reminding them of the rules for political correctness!

     I believe our culture is ripe for a terrifying revival of National Socialism much like the political climate in pre-war Nazi Germany. The example of Sophie and Hans Scholl, used by D’Souza, in “Death of a nation,” is a wake up call for me. If Hans and Sophie were both still alive today, I know they would be tirelessly and courageously fighting against the intolerance, racism, and the identity politics of the left.

     They didn’t worry about their own personal safety, but instead they put the dignity, values, and freedom of the German people above themselves and fought day and night to awaken them to the horrible realities happening before their very eyes. A social and political transformation is happening before our very eyes, too! Like Hans and Sophie, we cannot be silent. We need to awaken to the reality that our blood-bought freedoms are at risk! They are being resisted and challenged by extremists who don’t love our country but instead love the power and prestige they receive from deceiving millennials with empty promises that will poison their souls.

     The very last words of Hans and Sophie before their execution was, "Long Live Freedom!"

                  

Mary Mohammadi: "I refuse to keep silent in Iran."

 

 
       "I am ready to return to prison if necessary, in order to fight for the rights of Christians."
                (Mary Mohammadi-Interview Article 18, December 2019)

    I can vividly remember the last message that I received from my Iranian friend Mary on her Telegram account just two days before her arrest. I had just finished dressing and was late to work, but stopped for just a moment to read her message. It was a petition she wanted me to post on my Facebook protesting against the film on Netflix that portrayed Jesus as a homosexual. I smiled and nodded my head, “That is my friend, Mary,” I mumbled to myself, “She is so outspoken and dedicated!”

   Right below the petition was a question, “Randy, how do you feel and react about the death of Soleimani as a Christian?”

    I was pleasantly surprised by Mary’s thoughtful question. It had been just a few days since President Trump had given the order for a drone missile strike on the jeep carrying Iran’s top military General which had instantly killed him. I carefully pondered Mary’s question and then began texting her back:

      “I am happy for you and for all Iranians, that this terrorist can no longer kill people. However, I’m also saddened because even God does not take pleasure in the death of the wicked. He desires that unbelievers repent, because if not, He knows they will spend eternity in Hell apart from Christ.”

                                     That was the last message I had sent Mary……

   One week later, On January 16, while browsing the internet, I came across a story from Article 18 that sent shock waves through my whole body. The article explained that Mary Mohammadi had been arrested in Azadi Square in Tehran on January 12, during the time when thousands of Iranians were protesting the downing of the Ukrainian jet airliner. It was unknown at the time where she had been taken.

    I dropped my cellphone in my lap and bowed my head in prayer. A few minutes later, after composing myself, I quickly began sharing Mary’s story on my Facebook pages requesting urgent prayer.

                                                    ************

    

    I had become good friends with Mary over a year ago through my Iranian friend Mehnoush. She shared her incredible story and I knew right away that it would be featured in our new book, “Dear God, please bring freedom to Iran.”

    In 2017, at the age of 17, Mary converted from Islam to Christianity. In Iran, that is a very dangerous thing to do! Converts face arrest, imprisonment, and sometimes even the death penalty. That is exactly what happened to Mary. She was arrested, interrogated, and put in Evin Prison for six months. During that time, her interrogators, psychologically abused her and tried to force her to recant her faith and return to Islam. Mary stood firm in her convictions and refused!

   After her release in May of 2018, Mary refused to keep quiet about her faith. She began a ministry on her Instagram account entitled, “Campaign KHMA.” The campaign was dedicated to religious freedom in Iran and featured videos and articles from Christians and human rights activists all over the world. For the next several months, Mary would send me articles for the campaign that had been translated from Persian into English and asked me to proof check the spelling. I happily agreed, knowing that her campaign was sending a powerful message to the world supporting Christians in Iran. I remember that during Easter I recorded a worship song at my church for her campaign. Mary wanted to feature Christian worship videos to her audience showing the joy of true worship in churches that were free from arrest and imprisonment. Mary’s campaign on Instagram truly challenged my Christian faith and my commitment to Christ. Her courage deeply touched my heart and reminded me to not take for granted my freedom to worship as a Christian.

    In December 2019, for the second time in a year, Mary was expelled from University in Tehran.  A few days later she gave an interview to Article 18. Article 18 is a non-profit organization in London, dedicated to the protection and promotion of religious freedom in Iran and advocating on the behalf of persecuted Christians. Mary was asked whether she believed her Tweets supporting Christians may have led to her expulsion from university.

    “Of course, Mary declared, all the activities, statements, and any action taken by members of minority groups, and activists, especially those living in Iran, is constantly monitored by the Islamic Republic. Any such activism could lead to being denied a right, and my recent tweets may have made the authorities even more determined.”

     On the day of her arrest, Mary had been very busy on Twitter, tweeting support for Christians in prison in Iran, and criticizing the government for misleading the people about their involvement in shooting down the Ukrainian Jet airliner. Shortly after tweeting, Mary disappeared! The security forces converged on the crowd of protesters In Azadi Square and promptly arrested my dear friend.

      According the HRANA ( Human rights activist news agency) in a story published on February 12, 2020, at the time of her arrest, Mary was severely beaten by male and female agents and then transferred to Vozara Detention center, where she continued to be abused and physically assaulted. The beatings were so severe that the bruises on her body were visible for more than three weeks. Before her interrogation at Vozara, Mary was forced to sit outside in the bitter cold in front of the toilets. Officers demanded that she answer thirty questions but Mary refused until a lawyer was present.

       At the time of this writing, HRANA, (Human rights activists’ new agency) published a report on the internet that Mary Mohammadi has been detained in Qarchak Prison, in the south of Tehran. Qarchak Prison has a reputation of being, “hell on earth.” It is one of the most dangerous and filthy women’s prisons in Iran, housing more than 2,000 women with very limited access to showers, toilets, and decent food.  It is a dangerous environment for rape, murder, and torture. Her bail has been set at 30 million Tomans (equivalent to 2,250 in U.S. money) and her family has managed to raise the money. 

      I was devastated when I read where my dear friend Mary is being imprisoned at! Mary’s whole life has inspired and challenged my Christian faith. Her heart’s desire is for herself and all Christians in Iran to have the freedom to worship without fear of arrest and imprisonment. Reflecting on her courage and refusal to keep silent in one of the most dangerous places on earth to be a Christian, causes me to ask all of us a very important question!

    Where is your church? Is it safely inside four walls and padded pews? Or is your church “outside of the box” among the broken and helpless, where it is dangerous, risky, and inconvenient? The church in the west is far too insulated from the real world. We are safe, protected, and, in some cases spoon fed pep-talk sermons that are guaranteed to get us out on time for the start of a major sporting event on Sunday.

     In contrast, Mary’s church is located on the cold, dark broken concrete floors of a disease infested prison filled with drug dealers and prostitutes. A prison that has a reputation of beating and torturing, and even raping its prisoners. For the last several weeks I have been fervently praying that God would protect and strengthen my dear friend and give her boldness to be a light in the darkness of Qarchak Prison. Later this week, I was overwhelmed with joy when I watched in a video, President Donald Trump mention Mary’s captivity during the 68^th Annual National Prayer Breakfast in Washington DC.  President Trump said,

      “Weeks ago, a 21-year-old woman, who goes by the name of Mary, was seized and imprisoned in Iran because she converted to Christianity and shared the gospel with others.”

       Mary’s incredible story has reached the White House, and President Trump, who is a strong voice and supporter of the Iranian people. If it was possible to talk face to face with my dear Iranian friend, this is exactly what I would say to her:

      “Mary, I am so inspired and proud of your incredible courage! This government is very afraid of you! They arrested you because they are afraid of you, Mary. They are afraid of who you are and what you represent. You represent Christ and this government fears Christianity. Islam is dying inside of Iran, while Christianity is growing by leaps and bounds!

      They’re afraid of you Mary because you are a woman and a woman is leading the masses of Iranians to find their hope in Jesus instead of Mohammed. Don’t give up the fight, Mary! They will never stop or destroy you! Jesus will never leave or forsake you. He has promised that the gates of hell cannot prevail against the church and your mission is guaranteed to succeed. Your prayer for Iranians to have the freedom to worship will most certainly one day come true!”

     Soon after being elected President of Iran in 2005, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad publicly pledged to Iranians, “I will stop Christianity in this country!”

     Since that public speech, millions of Iranians have converted to Christianity and are secretly meeting in house churches, unafraid and unashamed to be called by the name of Christ. The fastest growing church in the world is the underground church in Iran. In her last interview before her arrest, Mary said, “I hope one day all Christians in Iran will be able to have a place to praise God without security guards.”

     Mary, I promise to support you, speak for you, and pray for you, to see your vision of a free Iran come true!

*Editor’s update…..

     On February 27, 2020, I was overjoyed to read the news that Mary had been released on temporary bail from Qarchak Prison. With the recent outbreak of the coronavirus sweeping across Iran claiming the lives of hundreds of people, the government stepped in and began releasing prisoners whose sentences were less than five years and those that tested negative for the virus. Mary was one of them! I will never forget a few days later that we connected on Telegram. I texted Mary anxious to know how she was doing and asked her how she was feeling. Mary quickly texted back with a very positive reply.

“I am fine, dear. Jesus and Christians are behind me!   

   I was not surprised by her answer. Mary has always maintained a very positive and hopeful attitude through all of her struggles. She explained to me that Qarchak Prison was a horrible experience, very dangerous, and that the food was awful!

    However, there was one more hurdle to overcome. Mary had to return to court a few days later and face the judge. She told me that she believed she would be sentenced and that it “was her duty to go to prison and stand up for Christians in Iran.”

   Mary’s attitude toward a possible future sentence really surprised me at first, but after a few moments, I understood why she felt that way. Being a voice of hope for Christians in Iran is her passion. She feels that its her duty to represent them even if it means that she will have endure more suffering. I told Mary I would pray for her and we ended our conversation.

   Monday, March 2 at 2 am my time, I received a text from Mary on Telegram. She explained to me that her court date had been postponed because the Judge was suffering from the coronavirus! I literally screamed for joy, hopefully not waking up my wife Becky, asleep in the other room! I texted Mary back with tears of joy in my eyes, telling her how happy I was that God had answered all of our prayers. 

   Mary must return to court on Tuesday, April 14, probably after the coronavirus has subsided. At the time of this writing, thousands of Iranians have been infected with the virus, and many have died due to the incompetence of the government. Mary is resting comfortable at home uncertain of her future but determined to continue being a voice for Christians in Iran. Mary challenges and inspires my Christian faith. She is in the hands of a sovereign, loving God who promises his people a “hope and a future.”

 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.”

                                                                                      (Jeremiah 29:11)

  No matter the outcome, I am trusting in the Lord that he will use Mary for his glory, whether in captivity or in freedom. Mary is not afraid. She is also trusting in God for the future of her life. She has submitted herself into his sovereign care and awaits her return to court. One thing is for certain. Mary refuses to keep silent in Iran. She will never stop, “shouting freedom!”

*Update.....

On April 21, 2020, The judge gave Mary a suspended prison sentence of 3 months and one day, plus 10 lashes. Mary will begin serving her sentence on April 21, 2021 due to the deadly outbreak of the coronavirus which has infected all of the major prisons in Iran.

          

Soheil Arabi: The crime of posting on Facebook

         For most of us who live in the West, making a daily post on Facebook is a freedom and a luxury that we take for granted. In the Islamic Republic of Iran, there is no such freedom and luxury. First of all, Facebook is banned and for an Iranian to log into his account, he must first use VPN to bypass the filter. However, the President and Supreme Leader have no such restrictions. They have active Facebook accounts that they use on a daily basis. The hypocrisy is very obvious. If you are an active member of the government, then Facebook is not illegal for you.

          In November of 2013, Soheil Arabi logged onto his Facebook account. Like many other Iranian bloggers, he was zealous to speak out against the government. He had a few things to say about his disdain for the religion of Islam. Facebook would become his platform to speak his mind that day. It wasn’t long after his post, that the Cyber police, who monitor the activities of Iranians on Facebook, came across his post. Soheil was immediately arrested and charged with “insulting the prophet,” and being critical of the government. The charge of insulting the prophet carried with it the death penalty, but after months of intense pressure from the international community, the sentence was dropped. The new charges against Soheil resulted in seven and one half years in prison, two years of religious studies to prove his repentance, and a two-year ban from traveling abroad.

            In August of 2017, Soheil began a hunger strike, protesting the harassment and detention of his wife, Nastaran. Six days later, he broke the strike, after his wife was finally released from IRGC detention to answer accusations regarding contacts with the foreign media. However in a letter from prison on August 24, Soheil resummed his hunger strike after discovering that his wife and relatives continued to be harrassed. In his letter from prison, Soheil explained the desperation of his situation:

         “Our phones are tapped, online accounts are hacked, relatives are threatened and my wife is interrogated and persecuted. Stop torturing and harassing my love. It is all my fault. Yes, I am to blame."

          Soheil was outraged because of the tactics of the IRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps)  creating websites and publishing slander and lies about him. Both he and his wife had filed a formal complaint to put an end to their tactics. The IRGC had threatened to also put Nastaran in prison.

          Arash Sadeghi and Golrokh Iraee are very close friends with Soheil. Speaking out on his behalf, Golrokh wrote an open letter calling into question the legitimacy of his arrest and demanding his immediate release.

        “Soheil has been behind bars for years without having committed a crime! He is held captive by a vengeful system that has no tolerance for dissenting views.”

        Golrokh went on to explain, “Soheil was first detained on a misunderstanding that devolved into a blasphemy charge. After spending years behind bars and nearing the end of his sentence, they tore his family apart and now another case file emerges, and yet another prison sentence is leveled against him. After compounding his suffering with a ban on visits from his daughter, they now want to do with him what they did with Ajang Davoudi and Gholamreza Kalbi, exile him to the middle of nowhere, remove him from public memory, and let his existence perish onto the abyss.

         In a desperate effort to get him out of prison, Soheil’s mother, Farangis,  began working very hard behind the scenes and was eventually imprisoned for a few months and then released on bail. Farangis ironically is one of Mehnoush Bakhtiari’s friends. She has informed Soheil of Mehnoush’s human rights activities on his behalf and he responded with overwhelming gratitude. Long hours of interrogation, hunger strikes, tortures, and beatings has been the horrible daily experience for Soheil. His interrogators have spared no mercy. They crushed one of his testicles and prevented him from being transferred to the hospital in order to continue their torture.

         The next time that you log into your Facebook account and freely speak your mind on a post, remember Soheil Arabi. He is no different from you. His desire was to also speak his mind and he has severely paid for it!

Blue Girl: A blazing torch for freedom

"We move through the world like
  shooting stars across the sky.
 Splitting through the darkness
 Putting the light into their eyes."

     A soft cool breeze gently blew across Sahar’s face. Spring was in the air! Nowruz, the Persian New Year, was just nine days away and the celebration was about to begin. However today, Sahar had far more important things on her mind. Today was Tuesday, March 12, 2019 and Sahar was about to attend her first soccer match in Tehran! Her favorite soccer team, Esteghlal was playing United Arab Emirates and she couldn’t wait to stand up with thousands of other young fans and loudly scream and cheer them on to victory.

     Sahar stopped a few hundred feet from the entrance to Azadi Stadium and watched a huge crowd of people hurrying inside anxious to get to their seats. She took a nervous deep breath and then adjusted the blue wig covering the top of her head. Removing a mirror from the pocket of her gray overcoat, she carefully examined her face. Did she really look like a man? Had she removed all traces of make-up on her face? Would she get through security?

     Quickly shoving the mirror back into the pocket of her overcoat, Sahar took another deep breath. Beads of sweat coming from the wig trickled down her face. She nervously wiped the sweat away and continued walking, trying to blend in with the crowd in front of her. She had never done anything like this before. She had heard the stories of many women, desperate to see a soccer watch, and dressing up like a man to sneak inside.

     Sahar gazed up at the sign hanging above the entrance that read, Azadi Stadium. She chuckled out loud to herself,

     “Azadi Stadium? What kind of name for a stadium is that? Azadi in Persian means freedom, but that’s a lie! There is no freedom for women in this stadium. They are forbidden!”

      Ever since the Revolution in 1979, when Iran was transformed from a secular state, into an Islamic Republic, men and women became segregated classes of people. Women could no longer hold government jobs and were forced to be veiled when going out publicly. Men became the dominant class and women were reduced to second class citizens. Even though it was not officially written into code, women could no longer attend stadium events alongside of men because of the discriminatory teachings of Sharia Law. The government now ruled their lives from cradle to grave and human rights and freedom no longer existed!

    Yet that didn’t stop Sahar. She was not afraid of what the government could do to her. Today she was proudly wearing blue, the official team color and she was determined to be the loudest cheering fan in the whole stadium! Attending a soccer game in Tehran was the absolute dream of her life and nothing could stop her today.

    A smile beamed out across her face as she neared the entrance. In her mind’s eye, she visualized herself standing way atop the stadium gazing down at the playing field, surrounded by thousands of fans, all of them men, cheering loudly into the air as Esteghlal scored their first goal of the game. Chills and goosebumps broke out all over Sahar’s body as she saw herself having the greatest time of her life.

     Pulling her cell phone out of her pocket to show the security guard her ticket, Sahar once again took a deep breath and relaxed arriving at the entrance. She presented her cell phone to the ticket patron when suddenly two security officers surrounded her. One of them reached on top of her head with his hand and pulled off her blue wig. Sahar dropped her cell phone in shock. Her heart began racing in her chest

    “You are not a man!” the guard screamed back at Sahar. “You are an impostor. You are under arrest!”

     In an instant, Sahar’s world had been shattered. Her dream of attending her first ever soccer game was no longer a “child-like” reality, but had now been transformed into a horrible nightmare!

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     Monday, September 2, had finally arrived. Sahar had dreaded this day for months but realized she had to keep her court date or face more jail time. After finding out she had been arrested, Sahar’s parents were extremely angry and reluctantly paid the expensive bail for her freedom. They were loyalists to the government and warned her to fully comply with the law or risk staying in jail forever. They refused to bail her out for a second time.

     Sahar entered the court building and walked up to the front desk. A lady dressed in a full chador that covered her body and hair greeted her, asking what her reason for coming was. When Sahar explained that she had been summoned to court, the lady politely informed her that the judge had postponed the case for family reasons and she was scheduled to return another day. The woman looked closely at her paperwork and then looked intently into her eyes.

    “You realize mam, that your case is very serious. You are charged with going out publicly without a hijab and impersonating a man to attend a soccer game. If you are convicted you will have to spend six months in jail and maybe even two years!”

     The thought of being imprisoned for six months and caged like an animal was horrifying to Sahar. The woman’s warning cut through her soul like the blade of a sharp knife. Sahar grabbed her chest in fear as anxiety pains shot through her. She had heard the horror stories of women being raped and sexually assaulted by prison guards. She was well aware of the deplorable prison conditions where there was no medical assistance and no access to a lawyer for many months. Sahar understood how women were treated like animals and sexual objects, and the thought of even spending one day in prison for the crime of being a woman in Iran was absolutely repulsive and unacceptable to her.

     Racing out the front door in fear, Sahar knew exactly what she had to do. There was no turning back. Living as a woman in Iran was no longer an option for her. Today would be her last day of living under fear and oppression. Her friends had urged her to just hang in there a little longer. Freedom and democracy would soon come to Iran. The daily protests in the streets and all over the cities were having a drastic effect on the government, her friends claimed. The government cannot last much longer under the pressure of sanctions and the violence in the streets.

    However, Sahar had lost all hope. Today had been the last crushing blow of despair that she could endure. She raced around the corner and arrived at a gas station. Purchasing a small plastic container, she filled it full to the top with gasoline. The owner gave her a concerned look and decided instead not to interfere into her personal business.

    Sahar rounded the corner onto a busy side street filled with people walking to their early morning jobs. The loud noise of honking horns in the traffic-filled streets and the screaming voices of angry motorists didn’t bother her like before. She had become deaf to the chaotic sounds of Tehran. The world had suddenly become dead to her. She had no feelings anymore. She was now totally numb and indifferent to life itself.

     Stopping in the middle of the sidewalk, Sahar took an angry deep breath. Tears streamed down her face. Her hand trembled at she unscrewed the cap off of the plastic container of gasoline. She closed her eyes and at once she saw herself inside of Azadi Stadium surrounded by thousands of happy, jubilant fans cheering on Esteghlal. For a brief moment, Sahar managed to smile. Right now, at this moment, she was living the dream of a lifetime visualizing the thrill of attending her first soccer game. Yet the thrill was short lived. It was all just a cruel nightmare that had died six months ago. There was nothing left to live for now. All hope had died on the day that she was arrested. Sahar knew being a woman in Iran was a hopeless and cruel existence and she didn’t want to be a part of it anymore. Despair had sucked every last bit of life from out of her soul.

     Sahar raised the plastic container over her head and began saturating her body with gasoline. A few men on the street stopped and gazed with concern at her. As she lit the match, a young woman raced toward her realizing what she was about to do.

      “Stop! Stop! Please……”

      But before the young woman could finish her sentence, Sahar touched her clothes with the match and was immediately engulfed in flames. Sahar had never in her life felt anything like this before! The scorching hot burning pain paralyzed her entire body. She could barely utter a word. The pain and suffering was indescribable and yet she didn’t regret what she had done for a second. A young man raced toward her, but Sahar immediately warned him in a shrieking voice.

     “Leave me alone. I want to die! Leave me alone!”

    Sahar was rushed to a hospital in Tehran. Her whole body was covered with third degree burns. Seven days later on September 10, 2019, “Blue girl” died from her severe injuries.

                                                               

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   The tragic news of Sahar’s death was heard all over the soccer world. There was outrage and sadness. Her favorite team, Esteghlal held a moment of silence before their training session, in memory and tribute to “Blue Girl,” affectionately called, because she dressed herself in the team colors. The Iranian soccer team issued a public statement that was recorded on video:

   “The tragic death of our beloved child, Ms. Sahar Khodayari, has caused much sadness and regret for Esteghlal. We offer our condolences to you and your relatives.”

   Thousands of sad supporters gathered on the very spot where Sahar committed self-immolation and held a candlelight vigil in prayer. There were hundreds of flowers laid at the sight and one hand written note declared, “You won’t be forgotten Blue Girl.”

   The FIFA (International governing body for football) outraged at Sahar’s senseless death publicly called on Iranian authorities to “ensure the freedom and safety of any women engaged in the legitimate fight to end the stadium ban for women in Iran.”

    Amnesty International loudly spoke out against the unjust tragic death of Sahar condemning the oppressive rules against women in Iran.

   “Her only crime was being a woman in a country where women face discrimination that is entrenched in laws and plays out in the most horrific ways imaginable in every area of their lives, even in sports!”

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   Thousands of Iranians took to Twitter tweeting their outrage with the hashtag #BlueGirl. One such outrage tweet came from Magdalena Erickson, a soccer player for Chelsea’s women’s team in Londo

    “Today our hearts bleed blue for Sahar Khodayari. Now it’s time for everyone in Iran to be allowed to attend every football match together! RIP Blue Girl.”

   World renowned human rights activist, Emadi Baghi, also took to Twitter in support of Sahar declaring:

        “Tehran’s Azadi Stadium should be renamed, “Sahar-e-Azadi.”

         For forty years, we’ve called that stadium Azadi. Azadi means freedom, but there is nothing in common between the stadium and the real meaning of that word!”

     On October 10, 2019, caving into the international outrage and pressure from the FIFA, the government of Iran allowed women to purchase 3,500 tickets and attend the world cup final against Cambodia. It was the first time in 40 years that women were allowed inside. However, this was nothing more than a publicity stunt, damage control for the rebuilding of a public image, giving the watching world the impression that Iran was finally respecting women, when in reality there was nothing in writing to lift the ban. It was all about image and yet for a few hours, it appeared that some measure of justice was finally given to the memory of Sahar.

    Rival Sons is a very popular American rock band that wrote a powerful song entitled, “Shooting stars.” The chorus of this song has a haunting and incredible melody, that although not intended to be a tribute to Sahar, yet is describes something very ominous of her courage and personality.

      “We move through the world like shooting stars across the sky. Splitting through the darkness. Putting the light into their eyes.”

    In just a few verses, I can see the face of Sahar and everything that she stood for. She lived a very brief life and died at the young age of 29. She was like a shooting star. Here for just a few moments in time, but those few moments forever changed the world. With courage and conviction, she set herself on fire and became a blazing torch for freedom. She bravely stood up to the darkness of oppression and because of that, the world paused from their chaotic life and for a few brief moments listened to her message. Sahar was crying out in desperation, engulfed in the agonizing flames, putting the light into their eyes. In the final moments of her life, Blue Girl screamed loudly in her suffering and set the world on fire. She shouted freedom from a busy street in the middle of Tehran to tell the world that there is something terribly wrong and cruel going on in Iran.

   We must never forget this courageous woman who refused to keep silent about the gender apartheid in Iran. It was not just about a soccer game. It was about life itself! Blue Girl was a shooting star and in an agonizing instant of flames engulfing her body, the blazing light of truth shined out from her whole being in protest against the cruel and unjust discrimination of Iranian women.