Varisha Moradi’s Letter from Inside Prison: “One Must Either Not Live at All or Live Meaningfully and Sublimely”

Varisha Moradi, a political prisoner and women’s rights activist sentenced to death, has emphasized in a letter from inside Evin Prison that she and other female political prisoners facing execution have received such sentences as representatives of the entire society.

The Letter’s Text:

A death sentence has been issued not just for me but for ‘us’—a part of the imprisoned militant women. My friends and I have been sentenced as representatives of an entire society. This is the fate they have envisioned for all.

Repression—read: the execution of society—is what they have set in motion. Yet, they will undoubtedly face resistance. Both domestic and international support for the abolition of these death sentences has grown, providing us with significant reassurance. Inside prison, we have not succumbed to the security apparatus’s baseless accusations and coercion; we have resisted. The society, too, supports us, and this solidarity is a crucial manifestation of the continued civil struggle against the oppression of the ruling system in Iran. The recent strike by the people of Kurdistan was a testament to this and deserves recognition.

Inside prison, because the struggle is immediate and on the front lines, and because these struggles concern everyone, all other affiliations—national/ethnic, political, and ideological—are relegated to their proper, secondary place. This is a genuine resistance against efforts to sideline the fundamental issues of prisoners.

An unprecedented resistance has been waged—and continues—against the violations of human rights in Iran’s prisons. The fact that we women have taken up this resistance is partly due to the intensified oppression of the current patriarchal and misogynistic system and partly due to our unwavering resolve for freedom. Every Tuesday, the ‘No to Execution’ campaign takes place in various prisons across Iran—an act of unity that highlights our fundamental humanity, a collective demand to affirm the right to life and to abolish the death penalty in Iran. These ‘No to Execution Tuesdays’ are a united human front against state killing, which is wielded as a tool of terror against society. An injustice stemming from an unchecked regime that threatens to bring about global destruction and the ultimate erosion of humanity.

 

Being human is the fundamental reality of all of us; therefore, our struggle is a struggle in the name of all humanity, in the name of society as a whole, and in defense of our collective identity as imprisoned women fighters. This grants our struggle the power to voice the demands of the entire society. Taking the right stance endows seekers of social truth with such strength and capability. This is the very essence of freedom that must replace the ‘misguided life’—and we have already made that replacement.

The ruling patriarchy, in all its dimensions, stands in opposition to the very essence of humanity. It is, at its core, an existential challenge to our lives. We have embarked on a reinterpretation of this system, freeing ourselves from gendered, class-based, and dogmatic interpretations and instead looking at its true nature. This system, which for thousands of years has deviated from the path of human progress, was built upon the oppression of women—and given that women are synonymous with life itself, it is fundamentally an anti-life system. It first subjugated women, then men, and ultimately turned its assault toward nature itself.

What is the goal of this system? Maximum profit, insatiable greed, and unchecked materialism to satisfy its distorted ideology. And what must be done to counter it? The answer is clear: one must resist. This is the key point of divergence—some become part of the system, seeking their share of its spoils, justifying its crimes, while the free and the freedom-seekers stand in opposition, striving to correct its course. Throughout history, these free souls have believed that humanity deserves to live in harmony with nature—the mother of life.

They have upheld this belief, adapting their resistance to the circumstances of their time, and with unwavering determination, they have fought to realize this ultimate goal.”

We are part of this historical path. Our struggle is a continuation of that journey, and it has but one goal: a life that is human, vital, righteous, beautiful, and free. Our predecessors, each to the extent of their intellectual capacity, sought to define the problem and fight to correct it—sometimes through a belief system or ideological stance, sometimes through philosophical justification, sometimes through literary means, and sometimes with class-based arguments. Women, throughout history, have always been present in this struggle; they have been among the oppressed and have always suffered, yet they were never made the central subject of discussion. They were only mentioned in passing, as a part of oppression—not as its primary victims. Today, we have left that behind. We believe that the most fundamental challenge of our time is the gender challenge we are facing. Only when gender inequality is eradicated will the resolution of other challenges become possible.

The entire dominant intellectual system seeks to distort the core issue, to divert attention from it, and thus evade any real solution. But this century belongs to women. Women have gained the intellectual and practical power necessary to fight for and secure their rights. Technological and scientific advancements have also aided all fighters, including women, in this struggle. With the knowledge they have acquired and with a determination born from breaking free of servitude and their need for freedom, women have taken great strides in the fight for equality. From the efforts of female thinkers, scientists, writers, and artists to the struggles of women in their daily lives who simply seek to exist as human beings rather than be treated as commodities—all of these contributions form a wealth of achievements that serve as a solid foundation for women’s liberation.

Kurdish women, too, have not lagged behind in this battle. Relying on their strong cultural and social heritage, they have both participated in this “life of struggle” and enriched the movement with their resistance and defiance. Today, Kurdish women have become symbols of female struggle and perseverance.

January 26th marks the anniversary of the liberation of Kobani from ISIS forces—an event widely recognized as the beginning of the end for ISIS. This was the first glimmer of light breaking through the darkness. Kurdish women, before the eyes of the world, actively took part in this war, challenged the entire patriarchal paradigm, and went even further—they emerged as the vanguard of the battle.

They fought not only as a beacon of light against darkness and oppression but also as a powerful demonstration of the greatest challenge of this century—the struggle of women. I personally participated in the battle of Kobani and suffered wounds that still haunt me with pain from time to time. That pain is a constant reminder of the price I paid for humanity. Perhaps my conscience is somewhat at ease, knowing that I have, even in a small way, fulfilled my duty toward humanity.

I am the comrade of those who, after a lifetime of struggle, declared in their final moments: “Write on my gravestone that I departed this world still indebted to my people.” My comrades and I have learned from this culture—the belief that the fight for truth and humanity is a debt each of us must repay, without any expectation in return. Every time the victory in Kobani is celebrated, the joy and honor of that dignified struggle strengthen my resolve even more.

Now, one of the crimes I am accused of is that I stood against darkness—that I was a comrade to those who saved humanity. This alone reveals a crucial truth: those who prosecute me have made clear which side they belong to.

This patriarchal system simply cannot tolerate women’s resistance—let alone their victory and their joyous cries in the face of a dark and anti-human force. We saw the looming danger to humanity before anyone else, and without hesitation, we stood against it, delivering a great victory for all of humankind. Today, in various ways, they attempt to exact revenge for that defeat. The timing of their actions is no coincidence—it coincides with the end of a hundred-year plan that was designed for our region.

We are the wounded of Sykes-Picot Agreement, the children of a people who have tasted the injustice of the Lausanne Treaty to the very marrow of their bones—who have been hanged from ropes, killed by every weapon imaginable, subjected to chemical attacks, endured Anfal, and experienced genocide in every part of their fragmented homeland. And now, burdened with political and social crises, we step into the age of technology and artificial intelligence. But our resolve is unshaken. In this century, we are determined not only to prevent physical genocide but also to define cultural genocide and fight it with all our might.

“Jin, Jiyan, Azadî”—”Woman, Life, Freedom”—is our slogan and a symbolic expression of our intellectual paradigm. It is a paradigm that directly addresses the fundamental issues of today’s world and humanity.

Thus, we do not confine ourselves within the borders of nationality, gender, or class. We strive to view issues with a broad and comprehensive perspective. Since most global issues have become interconnected, it is only logical that our struggle must also take on a global dimension. Many of our concerns as human beings are shared, so it is only natural that our struggle should be based on common principles.

“Jin, Jiyan, Azadî” expresses the shared demands of most people on this planet—the right to a free and democratic life. This is also why there is global support for imprisoned women. The world, having witnessed our fight for universal values, stands with us, and we continue along this path.

The region is undergoing a process of transformation. Many forces are drafting new political and social maps, but the absence of the people’s will in this restructuring is glaring.

Now that popular movements have gained strength and can have a voice, we must work to strengthen this front. The societies and peoples of this region are caught in numerous conflicts and rivalries, but alongside these struggles, crucial solutions are also emerging. It is essential that our fight also encompasses solving the issues of our communities.

This is not a personal matter. Our imprisonment and our confrontation with the death sentence are part of our political and social struggle. Consequently, our thoughts and actions remain within that same framework.

We give meaning to our lives by stepping beyond the individual self and dissolving into the collective, pursuing a shared goal. Democratic Nation is a theory and doctrine that embraces all these objectives. Within this solution, the rights and lives of all peoples and social groups are secured. It is a solution where everyone benefits and no one is harmed. Through this approach, we can give life meaning.

I believe that one must either not live at all or live meaningfully and sublimely.

Many attempts to give life meaning have faced hostile attacks, and the pioneers of these movements have sacrificed their lives for their cause. But instead of instilling fear, their sacrifices have created hope and strengthened the continuity of the struggle and of life itself. I, too, have walked this path and now find myself in this situation.

During my interrogation, the same interrogator who once questioned Farzad Kamangar sat before me and said:
“Fifteen years ago, Farzad sat exactly where you are now, but he couldn’t do anything and ended up creating death for himself.”

I replied: “If today I am sitting here, it is the result of Farzad’s struggle.”

With his death, Farzad showed us the path of “living with meaning.” He gave us new life. If they executed one Farzad, hundreds more took up his path.

Because Farzad, Shirin, Farhad, Soran, and we all believe that every step taken toward freedom is a test. And by sacrificing our lives in the name of freedom, we emerge victorious from this test.

 Now, rather than dwelling on my sentence, I think about our struggle—about my people, all peoples, and the days that lie ahead for our region. Struggle is our primary concern, and our sentence is simply a part of it. Supporting us and opposing our sentence is part of a noble battle that humanity wages for a life that is human, noble, beautiful, righteous, and free.

The guiding principle of my fight is this:
“I want to break the fate that has always repeated itself in the tragic cycles of life—this time, in favor of freedom. In this game called truth, which can only be won through struggle, fate shall be defeated.”

Jin, Jiyan, Azadî
Resistance is life

Death-row prisoner – Varisha Moradi
Evin Women’s Ward
January 28, 2025

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