Iranian students studying at the University held a vigil after the election violence in Iran.

Persian students protest lost lives

By: CAREY O'NEIL

Posted: 7/2/09

Not a day goes by that Amir Asiaee doesn't worry about his parents in Iran.

"I almost talk to them every day to make sure nothing goes bad. They're fine right now, but I'm worried about the future," he said.

Asiaee came to the University from his home in Tehran, Iran, two years ago. Asiaee is a graduate student studying computer engineering, but at a candlelit vigil for the victims of the violence after Iran's disputed elections, he was simply a man calling for peace.

The vigil was commemorating one death in particular, a young woman shot during a protest.

"One of the girls who was killed in the violence, her name was Neda. She was 26. She had a fiance," Asiaee said. "The place she was killed was near the place I lived back home. It was just a mile away."

The vigil was held by the Persian Students Union, an organization dedicated to sharing Persian culture and helping Persian students adjust to life in America.

Asiaee, vice president of the organization, wore Neda's name on an arm band while watching others light candles spelling the young woman's name.

"What I really hope is the government listens to the people," Asiaee said. "We are not related to any political parties. We are just here to show our respect and honor for people fighting for democracy in our country."

Shahab Razavi, a University graduate student and member of the PSU, has been studying at the University since January 2008.

Razavi's parents, two sisters and several of his friends live in Tehran, a city Razavi said is usually not very different from Atlanta.

He said if he were in Iran today, he would doubtlessly be in the streets protesting, but is afraid to return to his home.

"My parents are worried," he said. "[The Iranian government] can detain you for nothing and you can't explain what you've done."

Because of this, Razavi was careful to point out his actions were not intended as a political statement.

"This is not politics. This is in memory and in honor of the people who have lost their lives," he said. "It's more about human rights."

Even if Razavi were able to return to Iran without conflict, he said he worries about his ability to get back to America because he would have to reapply for a visa, which is near impossible to obtain.

"I've had friends who had been here seven years getting their masters and PhDs," he said. These friends returned to Iran to visit family, only to be denied readmittance to the United States. "It's like they wasted seven years of their lives," he said.

Razavi said that because of a media blackout in Iran, it has been difficult to get information.

"Writing traditional newspapers is very hard. There's huge censorship," he said. But information is still out there. "We have one of the biggest populations of bloggers," he explained.

Asiaee said he is online as much as possible, despite government blocks to certain web sites such as Facebook. He said he is thankful for what information does get out, explaining, "we're trying to help pass their words to the rest of the world."