The Islamic Ideology of Iran killed Neda Agha Soltan on 20 June 2009, however she has remained as a symbol of freedom in millions of people’s mind in Iran and in many other countries. Amnesty International UK screened the documentary movie of Neda’s life on 05.06.2010 on the anniversary of her death at the Human Rights Action Centre.
HBO production documentary which is directed by Anthony Thomas will meet audiences one more time at Frontline Club on 09.06.2010 at 7.00pm.”Channel4 has also promised to show the documentary.” said Thomas at the Q&A followed the docu-movie at Human Right Action Centre..
Young undercover Iranian journalist Saeed Kamali Dehgan who co-worked with Thomas on the movie secretly interviewed Neda’s mother, father and sister for the documentary, to show why she died and what she stood for in life. Ahmadinejad’s government has banned Neda’s family to talk to any publication after her death.
Neda’s doctor and her music teacher, who were with her when she was shot , tell us every moment of Neda’s death in the movie.
“She hated control when she was only 3 years old. She was the first girl in the school who refused to wear a scarf”says Neda’s tearful mum.
“She used to tell me that ‘women in Iran can not live like a human’”, says her brother who has not shaved his beard and mustache and had hair cut since Neda’s death according to Iranian traditions.
The documentary also enlightens us about fundamental problems of Ahmadinejad’s regime by interviewing many other Iranian scientists, authors, spokespeople from the International Human Rights Community and Department of State .
Director Thomas and Iranian journalist Dehgan answered audiences’ questions on the documentary after showing it at the Human Rights Action Centre.
What exactly happened that millions of Iranians poured to the streets on 13.06.2009? Iran held a presidential election on 12.06.2009. The next morning the Islamic Republic News Agency announced that Ahmadinejad had won the election with 62% votes cast who had been in power since 2005. The European Union, the UK and the US and many other western countries expressed their concerns about authenticity of the results.
While Iranians were expecting Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to make a statement to change the direction of the election, he urged the nation to unite behind Ahmadinejad even after five years of his dictatorship in Iran.
Iranians were not happy, they did not want Ahmedinejad’s dictatorship for another five years. On the following day millions of them were on the street to fight for their votes to be heard and bring opposition party leader Mir-Hossein Mousavi ‘s into power who received only 34% of the votes. The protests continued for seven days.
However, Iranian military force covered all the streets on 20 June 2009 to end ongoing protests. That was not enough to keep Neda and many other fearless Iranians in their homes. It was blood, violence and screams everywhere. Many died, some injured but Ahmedinejad remained in power.
5000 people were arrested, 115 convicted prisoners were executed after 20 June 2009 but demonstrations did not stop.80 more protests have been recorded since then.
Since the election the Iranian Government have arrested and detained more than 30 journalists and photographers.
