Hashem Khastar, a 71-year-old and ailing political prisoner incarcerated in the high-security ward 1-6 of Vakil Abad prison in Mashhad, has written an open letter, in which he reiterates his critique of the regime and recounts the pressure imposed on him in prison.
In his letter, Khastar writes that in the past five years that he has been in prison, “a series of crises have unfolded, each with the potential to entangle the fate of the Islamic Republic.”
These crises are the results of the deception that regime founder Ruhollah Khomeini had caused, which he used to establish his authoritarian rule after the 1979 revolution, Khastar writes.
“Dictatorship implies unchecked authority, which breeds corruption, a corruption unparalleled in Iran’s history,” he writes.
As Iran’s youth continue to show their defiance in face of the regime, Khastar encourages them to study history and an array of views and prepare themselves to the governance of a free and democratic Iran. “Self-critique and self-improvement are akin to pruning a fruit tree; when done in a timely manner, it yields the finest fruit,” he writes.
Khastar also spoke about the pressure that the regime has imposed on him in prison, including denying him to write letters to his family. “Moreover, they deny me the opportunity to present my defense in court,” he writes.
According to Khastar, regime authorities recently, they affixed a metal strip to weld shut the doors of his cell to prevent others from seeing him when they pass in front of his cell. “They’ve sealed the sole window near the ceiling, the only source through which we could discern day from night. The official newspapers of the country are prohibited here in ward 1-6, and they withhold them from us. They even deprive us of access to the prison library,” he writes.
He has been isolated from other prisoners and his access to phone calls and other facilities have been severely limited.
Hashem Khastar is a former teacher at the Agriculture Technical High School in Mashhad in northeastern Iran, an agricultural engineer, and the Head of the Mashhad Teachers Union.
He was arrested by the Ministry of Intelligence and Security in 2008 after he directly targeted the Leader of the Iranian regime in a letter saying that “Ali Khamenei is the root of the corruption and all the problems” and must be held accountable. He was rearrested in 2011 after refusing to cease his anti-regime activities.
He was arrested again in 2018 and has been in prison since. Despite the regime’s pressure, Khastar has been adamant in his opposition to the regime. In 2021, he was one of the cosignatories of a letter that called for the resignation of regime supreme leader Ali Khamenei.
The full text of Hashem Khastar follows:
God, these deceptive Islamic rulers are determined to break my spirit and coerce my surrender using any means and all sorts of pressures. Aid me in my quest to either depart this prison with dignity in death or be liberated by the valiant people of Iran.
Today, our nation finds itself at the pinnacle of a crisis. In the five years I’ve spent behind these bars, a series of crises have unfolded, each with the potential to entangle the fate of the Islamic Republic.
These crises are the consequence of a deception by Mr. Khomeini. Initially, he endorsed a draft constitution that made no mention of religious authority, where freedom of speech was upheld, and political parties were respected. However, with the influence of the komiteh, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), and the Islamic Republic Party, he replaced the Assembly of Constituents with the Assembly of Experts, establishing the basis for the dictatorship of the Velayat-e-Faqih—reminiscent of the Shah’s dictatorship.
Mr. Khomeini candidly admitted to a Lebanese journalist who inquired about the stark contrast between his pre- and post-revolution statements, saying, ‘I deceived.’
Among his deceptions, it was ordained that the clergy would not hold executive roles in the post-revolution government. Instead, their role was to be confined to the mosque, but they assumed an all-encompassing position. Dictatorship implies unchecked authority, which breeds corruption, a corruption unparalleled in Iran’s history.
In an attempt to refute my claims that our government is not a dictatorship, have they provided any critical remarks on Mr. Khomeini’s and Khamenei’s performance during these 44 years from Iranian media and press? So that I may not only remain silent but also apologize for my prior stance and assert that the Islamic Republic boasts the most freedoms and the finest democracies?
While one should not extol oneself, there come moments when it is necessary. I’ve perused the religious works of my era, including those by Seyyed Qutb, Mohammad Qutb, Ali Shariati, Mohammad Taqi Shariati, Taleqani, Bazargan, Ayatollah Sadr, Imam Musa Sadr, Tafsir-e Nemuneh, Motahari School of Islam, Golzadeh Ghafouri, Khomeini, and countless non-religious texts, particularly historical ones. I implore our young people, especially students, to read a diverse array of books, particularly those on the histories of Iran and the world. They should convene whenever possible to engage in self-critique and self-improvement, preparing themselves for the governance of a free and democratic Iran. Self-critique and self-improvement are akin to pruning a fruit tree; when done in a timely manner, it yields the finest fruit.
My extensive studies, conducted amid various pressures and within the confines of numerous prisons, have led me to the logical conclusion that, under the current governance model—the dictatorship of the Supreme Leader—Iran’s destiny is inexorably tied to a liberation revolution.
Around a century ago, Lal Jawad Nehru (Jawaharlal Nehru) wrote the books ‘Glimpses of World History’ and ‘Letters from a Father to His Daughter’ while incarcerated in British prisons. Nehru was granted permission to pen a letter every two weeks, wherein he highlighted British injustices in India and mailed them to his daughter Indira. These letters were published prior to India’s independence, and no accusations were leveled against Nehru. Yet, here in the 21st century, within the confines of this prison, I am deprived of writing even a single letter. Moreover, they deny me the opportunity to present my defense in court.
The pressures I endure in prison are unparalleled, perhaps never before witnessed in Iran’s or the world’s history. Recently, they affixed a metal strip to weld shut the doors of our cells to prevent us from being seen as others pass in front of the cells. They’ve sealed the sole window near the ceiling, the only source through which we could discern day from night. The official newspapers of the country are prohibited here in ward 1-6, and they withhold them from us. They even deprive us of access to the prison library.
Whenever I walk past the entrance of the barbershop, they hastily close the door to shield me from the sight of those inside.
Upon entering prison, each inmate is supposed to be issued a phone card, yet mine remains in the custody of the jailer. When I seek to make a call to my family within the prison chief’s office, they maintain complete silence in the corridor so that I encounter no fellow prisoners. In jest, I’ve said, ‘Blindfold me.’ They do not allow us to meet face-to-face, fearing that letters might be exchanged between me and my family.
