Parvaneh Forouhar (Persian: پروانه‌ فروهر, née Eskandari (اسکندری); 20 March 1939 – 22 November 1998) was an Iranian dissident and activist who was murdered during the chain murders of Iran in November 1998.[1]

Parvaneh Forouhar
Born
Parvaneh Majd Eskandari

20 March 1939
Tehran, Iran
Died22 November 1998(1998-11-22) (aged 59)
Tehran, Iran
Resting placeBehesht-e Zahra
NationalityIranian
OccupationTeacher
Political partyParty of the Iranian Nation
Spouse
(m. 1961)
Children

Biography

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Parvaneh Forouhar was Dariush Forouhar's wife. When they married, their witness in absentia was Dr. Mohammad Mossadegh and the clergyman marrying the couple was Ayatollah Zanjani. She became a member of the Party of the Iranian Nation when she was a university student, launching an anti-Shah campaign alongside her husband.

Both husband and wife were proponents of a democratic and independent Iran and supported the separation of state and religion. They felt that the Islamic Republic led to a concentration of power and made political reform difficult.[2]

Threatened by governments figures, she had told human rights watchdogs based in New York: "We are living with the fear of being killed. Every night when we go to bed we thank God the Almighty for His blessing of living for another day."[citation needed]

Murder

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On November 22, 1998, while 59 years old and ill, Parvaneh was stabbed 25 times and killed on the second floor of her home.[3] Her husband, Darius Forouhar, was also murdered in the incident.

According to Parvanah's daughter (Parastou), "At the time of her death my mother was wearing an overall over her sleeping gown which indicates that she was not waiting for anyone and because she was killed in front of the wardrobe where family documents were usually kept, she had most probably gone upstairs to fetch the deeds of the house to use it for release of my father on bail."

Context

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The death of Parvaneh Eskandari Forouhar and Dariush Forouhar was followed by the assassinations of Mohammad Mokhtari and Mohammad-Ja'far Pouyandeh, two well known Iranian writers assassinated a few days later. The Iranian Ministry of Intelligence later denied responsibility for these assassinations[4] and claimed Ministry employees had acted on their own accord. As of 2014, the government still refuses to allow the families of the victims to hold any vigils or ceremonies for their loved ones.[1]

Family

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The couple is survived by a daughter, Parastou Forouhar and a son, Arash Forouhar.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Iranian security forces stop ceremony for slain dissidents". Payvand Iran News. Radio Zamaneh. November 24, 2014. Retrieved December 28, 2014.
  2. ^ "One Person's Story". Human Rights & Democracy for Iran. Retrieved December 28, 2014.
  3. ^ "Iran's Chain Murders: A wave of killings that shook a nation". BBC News. 2018-12-02. Retrieved 2024-06-24.
  4. ^ "Parastoo Forouhar Banned From Leaving Iran". Payvand Iran News. Radio Zamaneh. December 8, 2009. Retrieved December 28, 2014.
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