“It’s hard to be away, you feel so helpless”, says Mehrnoush Ghaznavi. Born in Iran in 1978, this mother grew up in France before returning to her country, from 2004 to 2008. Since her return, she has settled in Dijon with her husband and two daughters. “The rest of my family is in Iran.” She follows, via social networksthe protests in Iran following the death of 22-year-old Masha Animi, killed by vice police, for “inappropriate wearing of the veil”. “At first, I was a bit like an ostrich, I didn’t want to see or relay all this information because it was negative and shocking. And then, I told myself that I had to talk about it and carry this courage that people have. Iranians to take to the streets to demonstrate.” Despite numerous Internet shutdowns, Mehrnoush manages to receive some news from his relativesremained in Tehran. “They just have time to send us short messages, to tell us that they are fine.”
Concern and questions from his two daughters
The demonstrations in Iran, Mehrnoush talks about it with her two daughters, who are also very worried about the situation in the country where their family lives. Kiana, 14, even proposed to her civics teacher talk about it in class. “I asked my teacher if I could write an argumentative paragraph on freedoms in Iran and France. He agreed, asking me to make a presentation to present in class.” Despite her young age, Roxane, Mehrnoush’s other daughter, also wants to understand what is happening in Iran and above all to talk about it.
Mehrnoush and her two daughters will take part this Saturday, October 1 in a meeting in tribute to the Iranian people, organized Place de la Liberation in Dijon, from 2 p.m.