Delbar Ghorbannejad Abkenari (Mother Goli Abknari)
Mother Delbar Ghorbannejad Abkenari (Goli Abkenari) was born on 09 Khordad 1304 (30 May 1925) in Abkenar, one of the suburbs of Bandar Anzali. Mother Goli Abkenari lost her three children – Rouzbeh, Vida and Parvin Goli Abkenari – and her son-in-law Mehran Shahabeddin in the 1360s (1980s).
Mother Goli Abkenari, with the imprisonment of her husband and his going underground in the years after the coup-de-etat of 1331 (1951), started her freedom-fighting and justice-seeking campaign. She spent seven years, from 1348 to 1357 (1969 – 1978), in front of the prisons of the Shah’s regime waiting to see her elder son Rouzbeh.
With the commencement of suppression and arrests of opposition in the 1360s (1980s), the Islamic Republic executed Rouzbeh and Mehran in prison by firing squad. Vida, at the time of her arrest committed suicide by taking cyanide. Parvin, who was sentenced to fifteen years of imprisonment, committed suicide in Evin Prison in 1366 (1987).
Mother Goli Abkenari, from the very first years of the 1360s (1980s), after the Islamic Republic executed her son Rouzbeh in 1362 (1983) in Evin Prison by firing squad, joined the group of the Khavaran Mothers and until she had the physical strength to walk, she engaged in justice-seeking with the group of mothers, with her sincere and kind face, with the photographs of her children and son-in-law in her hands. Mother spent almost five years suffering from the disease of Alzheimer and old age and finally passed away in Tehran on Saturday 02 Tir 1397 (23 June 2018).
Vida (Leila) Goli Abkenari
Vida Goli Abkenari was born in 1336 (1957) in Abkenar, one of the suburbs of Bandar Anzali. At the time of her arrest in Tehran on 29 Tir 1361 (20 July 1982), she was besieged by the Pasdars at the wedding ceremonies of her sister. By swallowing a cyanide capsule she ended her life. Vida was a member of the Organization of Fadai Guerillas(minority faction). Vida was a political activist during the Shah’s regime as well. At the young age when she was studying in High School, she joined the Organization of Fadai Guerrillas. Vida was a professional freedom-fighter and had dedicated her life to fighting against the regime of the Shah and of the mullahs.
Rouzbeh Goli Abkenari
Rouzbeh Goli Abkenari was born on 20 Azar 1326 (12 Dec. 1947) in Abkenar, one of the suburbs of Bandar Anzali. In 1348 (1969), Rouzbeh was arrested in relation to a gathering of freedom-fighters against the Shah’s regime, and was sentenced to one-year imprisonment. After release from the prison, he immediately resumed his political activities and joined the Jebhe Democratic Khalq (Peoples’ Democratic Front) and was arrested again in 1352 (1973) in relation to this same group. This time he was sentenced to ten years’ imprisonment. Rouzbeh was in prison until 1357 (1978).
Rouzbeh was arrested once in the month of Aban 1359 (Oct.-Nov. 1980) but was released after a few days. He was arrested for the second time on 29 Tir 1361 (20 July 1982) because of his affiliation to the Organisation of Rah-e Kargar, at the house of one of his relatives together with his wife, their two-year-old child, two of his sisters Vida and Parvin and Parvin’s husband Mehran Shahabeddin. Rouzbeh was executed by the firing squad in Evin Prison on 22 Mordad 1362 (13 Aug. 1983).
Parvin Goli Abkenari
Parvin Goli Abkenari was born on 29 Bahman 1329 (18 Feb. 1951) in Abkenar, one of the suburbs of Bandar Anzali. She was an employee of Bank Melli. On 29 Tir 1361 (20 July 1982), she was arrested for her political activities with the Organisation of Rah-e Kargar, together with her sister Vida, her brother Rouzbeh Goli Abkenari and his husband Mehran Shahabeddin, a member of the political office of the Organization of Rah-e Kargar. Parvin, after a period of interrogation and torture in Evin Prison, was sentenced to fifteen years of imprisonment. Parvin died in Evin Prison on 18 Azar 1366 (09 Dec. 1987). One of the penitents in a speech broadcast on Prison TV in Evin Prison falsely alleged that Mehran Shahabeddin, the husband of Parvin, had collaborated with the interrogators. Parvin, after the broadcast of this speech, committed suicide at 10 p.m. the same night.
Mehran Shahabeddin
Mehran Shahabeddin was born on 03 Khordad 1328 (24 May 1949) in Shahmirzad (Mazandaran). Mehran was a last year medical student of Tehran University when he was arrested in 1351 (1972) in relation to Organization of Fadai Guerrillas. Mehran was sentenced to ten years imprisonment. He was released from prison in 1357 (1978). He was one of the founding members of Organization of Rah-e Kargar which was founded in Tir 1358 (June-July 1979). He was a member of the political bureau of this Organization. Mehran was arrested on 29 Tir 1361 (20 July 1982) and was executed by firing squad on 04 Bahman 1362 (24 Jan. 1984) in Evin Prison.