Rebel Heart

A few years ago Iranian courts passed the death sentence for Nazanin Fatehi for killing a person who tried to rape her. Singer, activist and Miss World Canada Nazanin Afshin-Jam took up her cause and gathered enough support from the international community to exonerate her namesake of murder charges. She tells Mathures Paul about her plans to compose songs on Aung San Suu Kyi, Mahatma Gandhi and the Dalits in India

They were on the march then
In 1978
They filled our minds with hate
They deceived the nation
In the name of religion
And soon it was too late
When the soldiers came
We were on the run
Our lives forever changed
That was no solution
Regressive revolution
Together we must stand
Someday
We will find a way
Someday
The darkness fades away
~ Someday (The Revolution Song)

The President of Iran will have to get past the Ahmadinejad Wall of Shame, a visual display and demonstration across the United Nations Headquarters before entering the opening of the General Assembly. The three-hour rally to be held on 23 September feature Iranian/American groups each directly challenging Ahmadinejad on the surge in human rights abuses in Iran. As politicians continue to sell lopsided ideas of peace, security and life, people on the street ~ who continue to fight for survival and pride ~ try to find recluse in words of courage voiced by champions of their cause, be it musicians, actors or even former beauty pageants. The last mentioned category has hardly given birth to activists, one dedicated to social causes whole heartedly, thinking little about her career. Exceptions are rare and so is another Nazanin Afshin-Jam, former Miss World Canada. Next week she will lead off the line up of the “Wall of Shame” by asking: “Ahmadinejad why are you executing children?” The singer and activist’s actions on behalf of the children on death row in Iran began when she was told of a young girl (her namesake) was going to be executed for stabbing one of three men who attempted to rape her. Nazanin was instrumental in saving this girl and since then has been dedicated to saving more lives.

Has the final verdict in Nazanin’s case changed the way justice is meted out in Iran?
The judicial system, if you can even call it that, has not changed since the case of Nazanin Fatehi; however it has changed the way people perceive it. Many Iranians gained hope and learnt that power of the individual is supreme and their voices count. Our organisation Stop Child Executions (www.stopchildexecutions. com) has witnessed time and time again that minors profiled in the media, or when diplomatic pressure is placed on the government, are the ones who are ultimately saved. The juveniles that we have not heard of are quickly executed without justice being delivered. Pressure from the international community makes a difference.

What is the extent of human rights violation in Iran? This year six children have been hanged.
Judges still disregard International Human Rights Law and even domestic laws under the Iranian Penal Code even though they have signed the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the Charter of the Rights of the Child (CRC). There are currently 141 minors on death row for alleged offences they committed before the age of 18. There have been no proper trials and often juveniles, who come from poor families, cannot afford proper legal counsel, making them rely on state-appointed lawyers. The families and lawyers of two of the six children who were executed this year were not even given prior notice before the execution took place, which is against law. A boy was executed less than a year ago for engaging in homosexuality when he was 13 years old. This is not justice. It is hard dealing with a judicial system in which judges act on “elm-e-ghazi” (divine knowledge of the judge) and not by the rule of law.

While fighting for Nazanin what were the threats and challenges you faced from the Iranian government?
In the year and a half working on the Save Nazanin campaign, I didn’t get an “official” response from the government, despite many letters sent to the head of judiciary, a direct video plea to the supreme leader, and 350,000 signatures on a petition requesting them to free Nazanin. I did, however, receive threats to my life, which, I suspect, came from some government official or supporters of the regime. Nothing will stop me from being a voice for the voiceless.

The events of the late-1970s in Iran forced your family to immigrate to Canada. The country you grew up in or the place of your birth (your heritage), what beckons you?
I consider myself a citizen of the world. Borders for me are socially constructed but that said I am proud to have been born amongst a people that have made so many significant contributions to the world at large. I am happy to have been brought up in a culture that values the importance of family and the importance of a good education. On the other hand, due to the fact that Iranians do not live in freedom, I feel blessed to have lived most of my life in Canada. Having been exposed to the richness of multiculturalism has opened my eyes to the beauty and strength of all cultures. It has also made me sensitive to the plight of people that do have the same opportunities that I have had growing up and this is what drives me to try and make the world a little bit more just and fair.

You released your debut album in 2007. It was a voice against child persecution in Iran and around the world. Are you working on your next album?
Music was another vehicle for me to try and raise awareness on the oppression taking place in Iran, China, Burma etc. I wanted to spread hope to the victims of atrocities. Six months ago I had to put music aside because I was busy with different campaigns. I have been busy touring the world and speaking to various government officials, NGOs and the general public about women’s rights and human rights in general. Another album is not on the horizon this year, but if I do another album in the future it will be for a specific cause. I would love to do a song about Aung San Suu Kyi, one about Mahatma Gandhi, the Dalits in India and honour killings in the Middle East.

You were Miss World First Runner-up and Miss World Canada. Though most winners speak of helping society but you did make a difference. What prompted you to turn towards taking up the cause of the many Nazanin Fatehis in Iran?
Prior to Miss World, while I was studying Political Science and International Relations, I worked as a global youth educator with the Red Cross. I felt the need to inform more people about issues like landmine and children affected by war. It seemed people listened more to sportsmen and celebrities than they did to politicians. So I decided to try for a “title”. When I entered the Miss World competition, I had a specific purpose