Posted by December 7, 2009
Iranian Women Foundation: Mrs. Zahra Rahnavard, Tehran University professor and wife of Mir Hossein Mousavi was harassed this morning around 11:00am at Tehran University by a number of women who claimed to be Basij.
Mrs. Rahnavard was planning to visit the Fine Arts Academy on the commemoration of Students Day and was attacked in the university compound.
According to an eye witness, when Zahra Rahnavard asked them why she was being followed, the women claimed they intended to protect her. Zahra Rahnavard then replied, “You have been following me all day anywhere I went including my office.”
According to the eyewitness, Rahnavard said, “I’m telling you that I am Green from head to toe and you are only here to prevent my presence.”
This conversation ultimately lead to a verbal discussion and Rahnavard was insulted by the leader of the women Basij who questioned Rahnavard on what her ideas were before and after the revolution. Rahnavard then replied, “Are you interrogators or body guards as you claim?” The lady replied, “You are scared of us.”
Rahnavard answered, ” I am not scared of anyone but God and if you cut me into pieces and bury me, you wouldn’t hear anything else from my grave but the cry for freedom and democracy.” According to the same eyewitness, the women got into the university building, and finally, with the help of the security guards, Rahnavard managed to leave.
However the same group of women continued to follow Rahnavard and in Vesal St while she was inside her car, they sprayed pepper gas on her face which caused her termporary soffocation and blindness.
Meanwhile shopkeepers and bystanders tried to help in any way they could. One eyewitness said, “They still insisted to separate her from the protection of the security guards.” According to the eyewitness, since the pepper gas was sprayed onto her face from a short distance, Rahnavard’s respiratory system and eye sight are now in poor condition.
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