Then They Came for Me_ A Family's Story of Love, Captivity, and Survival - Maziar Bahari [146]
Iranian journalists and filmmakers bravely objected to my arrest in several letters to the authorities. They showed the Iranian government that my arrest would not intimidate and scare them (Chakereh hamegi!). My lawyer in Iran, Saleh Nikbakht, continues to show exemplary valor by defending the rights of prisoners of conscience in the country despite constant harassment by the government (Mokhlesim!).
My friends and colleagues at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam, the Committee to Protect Journalists, Index on Censorship, Canadian Journalists for Free Expression, PEN, Reporters Sans Frontières, the International Bar Association, and many other groups brought together an outstanding collection of individuals to sign petitions for my release and lobbied the Iranian government. People in the Iranian government tell me that the regime paid attention to every single petition. I am indebted to every person who signed the petitions.
Please continue supporting the efforts of organizations that champion human rights and freedom of expression, wherever you live. Remember that dozens of Iranian prisoners of conscience are going through the same ordeal I did. Silent diplomacy usually does not work. Speak out loudly in support of human rights!
Thank you to the people behind Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, for making the lives of authoritarian regimes more difficult. Bravo David Piaia, who organized the Facebook campaign, and David Shem-tov, who set up the www.freemaziarbahari.org website.
Countless friends and family members supported Paola during the ordeal and have continued to support us since my release, especially Barbara, who supported Paola during her pregnancy and the launch of the campaign. I owe so much to our friends at Latham & Watkins, as well as Malu, David, Chus, Lizzy, Masoud, Siavush, Jo, Fariba (and the family), Simon, Kirsten, Fred, Cynthia, Jacki, and Greg, who all put their thoughts together and staged the most remarkable campaign.
YOU don’t want your name to be mentioned, but I really don’t know how I can ever pay back YOUR kindness. You are my brothers. Taa aakhareh omr madyoon SHOMAA hastam.
Rosewater’s memorable, albeit idiotic, narrow-minded, and terrifying, lines were difficult to forget. I started to write down my memories of Evin as soon as I left Iran. I had also sent long emails to my Newsweek editors and kept notes of my reporting of the pre-election period. This book has been based on those notes.
Rosewater and his cohorts shouldn’t look for Amir. He is a composite character based on a few different high-ranking former members of the Iranian government. They were revolutionaries in 1979 but now hate the current Khamenei regime. Hamashoon az gozashtashoon pashimoonand. Shomaa ham yek rooz pashimoon mishid.
The readers can understand that I had to create the composite character of Amir in order to show the differences of opinion within the Islamic Republic establishment. I also had to change the name of my motorcycle cabbie at his request.
This book would not be possible without the support of the best people in the publishing world. Amanda Urban at ICM has been the guardian angel of the book. My co-writer, Aimee Molloy, put my scattered thoughts together and helped me get over my fear of writing my first book and the trauma of remembering the ordeal. The suggestions made by my editors, Kate Medina and Lindsey Schwoeri, took the book to another level. The book benefited a lot from comments by Barbara, John, Karim, Farideh, Jon, Naghmeh, Siavush, David, and Chris, who were kind enough to read the first draft.
Thank you, Maryam Dilmaghani, Ahmad Karimi Hakkak, and Mahvash Shahegh, who kindly gave me permission to use their translations of Persian poetry of Farrokhzad, Shamlou, and Akhavan Sales, respectively, in the book.