Mothers and family members of the of political prisoners executed in Iran in the 1980s gather at Khavaran to mourn their loved ones two times a year. This takes place once on the last Friday before the Iranian New year, Nowrooz, and again on the 31th of August. The latter date is observed as the anniversary of the mass executions. In recent decades since the executions took place, the Islamic republic has become increasingly aggressive about preventing families from holding memorial ceremonies on the site. They have trampled the flowers and removed any attempt to lay down memorial stones. In spite of these hostilities, families, lead by the increasingly frail mothers of the dead, continue to resist, remember and visit the site. Khavaran is Iran’s largest known mass grave site. It has become a symbol of the belligerent and buried violence of the Islamic Republic
Here are some images from Khavaran and gathering of the families on this site.
22 May 2020 (2 Ordibehsht 1399)
24 April 2020 (5 Ordibehsht1399)
March 2020 (Nowrooz 1399)
30 August 2019 (10 Shahrivar 1398)
30 August 2018 (Shahrivar 1397)
30 August 2017(10 Shahrivar 1396)
30 August 2016(10 Shahrivar 1395)
Last Friday before Iranian New year, Nowrooz 1395
30 August 2014(10 Shahrivar 1393)
30 August 2007(10 Shahrivar 1386)
30 August 2005(10 Shahrivar 1384)
10 August 2004(10 Shahrivar 1383)
