She could have gone to school this year… Yasna, Iran

The sad story of Setayesh Ghoreishi, happened in my birthplace, Tehran. This sad story is not just about crime, it is also about violation of human rights, racism and more

She was a normal six-year-old girl. She Moved from Afghanistan to Iran to find a better life and she and her family wished her to grow up, go to school, find love and marry, but destiny had different plans and turned her life into a sad story. On 9 April 2016, her family found her dead body. She has been raped and murdered in a neighbor’s house. They probably put her in a bathtub and poured acid on her.

Abolghasem Moradtalab, a 17-year-old Iranian boy, who kidnapped Setayesh and murdered her brutally, last month was convicted to death penalty by the Iranian judiciary system. He also could have graduated this year from high school and start looking for a job or apply to university.

These two young people are both victims. The victims of the politically and culturally ailing system.  When a government is openly racist toward other nations, different religions etc.…, when hatred and intolerance are spread among Iranians on a daily basis, it is not to surprising t witness such inhumane behaviors and savage crimes.

Setayesh is just one example. Afghan refugees, who come to Iran to escape from the crises and unstable situation of their country, unfortunately face bigger problems here. They just jump out of the frying pan to land in the fire. In Iran, they are never welcomed by Iranians nor by the political system. Human rights violations happen every day.

These kinds of events will solely provoke deeper rifts between the two nations. Although some authorities and individuals in Iran condemned this brutal crimes and tried to express their sympathy with her family, but it is not enough. A fundamental and vital solution has to be applied to prevent racism and violation of human rights in Iran.

This approach towards Afghans, prevents Iranian journalists from covering those stories unbiased and properly. Because of this flagrant fact, as journalists it is our duty to condemn the cruelty of her murder and speak out about this sort of violation of human rights to avoid any further brutal actions. By sharing and raising my voice in social media regarding this story, I have been trying to perform my duty in order to inform and educate people, so that new generations will be protected from such crimes.