Sara Jafari-Hatam, the daughter of Maryam Akbari-Monfared. 11 years old,

Text of letter by Sara Jafari-Hatam to Asma Jahangir, UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Iran:

Greetings dear Ms. Asma Jahangir,

My name is Sara Jafari-Hatam, the daughter of Maryam Akbari-Monfared. I am 11 years old, and when I was three they separated my mother from me.

It’s now eight years that my mother is not with us. I remember back on my first day in school when I was seven years old all the mothers had come there, but I started school without my mother.

Sara Jafari-Hatam, the daughter of Maryam Akbari-Monfared. 11 years old,We wanted her to come out on [temporary] leave even for an hour, but they did not allow this. I’ve gone on many trips with my sisters and father, but we’ve always missed my mum. I wanted for her to be with us. Now that eight years have gone by, I miss my mother very much. But she has a 15-year sentence, and I have to tolerate this situation for another seven years. I really want for her to join us sooner because our visits are no more than 20 minutes and this is not enough for me and my sisters. I wish someone could hear our voice and could end this separation.

I urge and plead with you to help if you can to free my mother. You have a mother and perhaps you are a mother yourself and can somewhat feel us in the hardship of being far from the mother.

Thanks for having read this letter.

God bless you

Sara Jafari-Hatam

10 November 2016