Mothers always think with their heart for their children. Any decision a mother takes for her child, has definitely passed the filter of her heart.
I am a mother whose child has been thrown to a field in the pinnacle of her youth and along with her, I entered a battlefield. An uneven battle.
My daughter was imprisoned and even visiting her was controlled by the same people who were conspiring against her.
I became a soldier who was fighting for Reyhaneh. With empty hands. Without any legal knowledge but only with my heart. My only weapon was my heart, which was receiving all the signs. My head was full of questions, but I could not find any answers. I received documents and some people said things. Time was needed to put all the pieces of writings and events, which looked meaningless at the beginning, together, for me to see the full picture of conspiracy. The picture that proved Reyhaneh’s innocence to me.
Why was she in solitary confinement for two months? Why was the second house inspection carried out in my absence in Reyhaneh’s room? Why has Reyhaneh’s interrogation been carried out by two people other than the official interrogator (Shamlu) in the criminal courthouse? Who were these two people? Why had the police officer been changed? Why did they arrest my 13-14 year old daughter on charges of assisting to murder? An act that had nothing to do with the real crime and the shock of this brutal act resulted in the immediate loss of hair and eyebrows of my daughter? And just upset the family?
Why doesn’t anyone ask what happened in that house after Reyhaneh left?
Why doesn’t anybody talk about the medical procedure carried out on the victim? Why didn’t anyone investigate the victim’s text messages? Why did Shamlu destroy the conversation CD? Why has no one investigated the pharmacy? Why did they insist on making a moral case for Reyhaneh, when investigations from the seller of the knife is not clear? (The seller could not identify Reyhaneh and said he didn’t know her).
Why did no one except Judge Kuh-kemeri ask the basic questions that what was Reyhaneh doing in that house? Why did the victim pick up Reyhaneh? Why was Reyhaneh’s scarf bloody?
Why wasn’t the pool of blood next to the table not important and only the less amount of blood next to the prayer mat was considered in the judgment? Why was the fact that the door was broken from inside was not taken seriously? Why was the victim crying “thief….thief…”, when millions of toomans of money, cheques, cell phone and expensive objects had remained intact? Who wanted to give Reyhaneh the image of a thief and a corrupt person? An image that was never approved by Reyhaneh’s friends and classmates.
Why did Shamlu tell Reyhaneh’s fiancé that: “I will order for your arrest because you came with Reyhaneh’s mother”? A threat that was never materialized.
Why wasn’t the linen on the couch seen?
Why wasn’t the laxative medication considered?
Why is the simplest fact in the case, which is the size of the knife, changing all the time?
Why hasn’t anyone given us the address and phone number to the Sarbandi family?
Why is it that after finding Jalal Sarbandi, all of attempts to see the family would become futile? Why couldn’t the seven of us, as the main people in this case, talk to one another?
Why was the victim’s address different to the one in the case?
How could one stab on the right shoulder, according to the Medical Examiner, tear the lining of the right lung?
Why did Sheikhi disappear from the file?
Why did the medical examiner declare that the knife was twisted in the wound, when Reyhaneh said she stabbed the knife straight and once?
Why did the prosecutor claim the murder was deliberate, when the judge said it was not with previous intent and it was the result of Reyhaneh’s narcissistic high demands, who suddenly found the victim unattractive?
Why even in the high court the motive is not clear? Is it possible for someone to kill someone else without a motive?
Why did some people insist to declare that Reyhaneh had a criminal background when in all the legal papers, after her name, it is written that she has no criminal background?
These are some of the endless questions of this mother that have remained without answer and has reached a conclusion after judging with her heart.
Conclusion: Justice has not been respected in the judgment process. People, influential in this judgment, have not done their duty. Something is wrong in this process. I need help to bring balance to this tilted scale of justice.
My heart is telling me that there are people on the way. Help is on its way. The angel of justice, whose eyes are closed but only searches for fairness, will be alerted. This angel will act as she should. All those who tilted this scale will be questioned.
A mother’s heart always tells the truth. A mothers’ heart recognizes the light of fairness.
I am Reyhaneh’s mother and as a mother I am asking the officials of my country for a re-trial for my daughter. A trial without any pressure and based on truth. I don’t know how to speak in legal terms but I know that even the highest official has a mother and is familiar with the simple and straightforward language of all mothers.
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