It was twenty years ago, you don’t remember

It was twenty years ago, you don’t remember

I read in the news that Mr. Ahmad Masjidjamei has a very good chance to become the Minister of Guidance in the Cabinet of Mr. Mezkiyan. I remembered twenty one or two years ago that this same Mr. Masjidjamei was the Minister of Guidance in Mr. Khatami’s cabinet. At that time, writers and artists apparently had a lot of problems with They did not have a Ministry of Guidance. Books, magazines, and films were produced and distributed with less trouble, but Mr. Khatami’s powerful rivals were working with all their might against writers, artists, and journalists to rob them of their peaceful sleep and not allow them to to extend themselves from their carpets. The Department of Places, which was a subdivision of the police force, was responsible for the main task of suppressing and intimidating artists and writers. Every day, one or two people were summoned or arrested. The list of the names of those summoned or arrested is long, from Aydin Aghdashlo, Masoumeh Sihun, Kaveh Golestan, Bahram Baizaei, Hoshang Golmakani, Behrouz Gharibpour and Siamak Pourzand. I will tell you from my personal experience. At that time, I was a film writer and the editor of a film magazine. One day, I learned that a number of my film writer friends who had nothing to do with political issues were arrested and imprisoned (including Kambiz Kahe and Mohammad Abdi). The purpose of these mass arrests was only to scare the writers. He was in prison and received such a shock that he banned writing forever. They also summoned me to a crypt in the basement of a government institution. The bearded interrogator said at the very beginning, “Your movie friends have admitted that you have an illicit relationship with Mahnaz Afshar.” I have never seen her up close, so how could I have an illicit relationship with her? The interrogator showed me the cover of the same magazine I was the editor of and asked, “Then what is this?” On the cover of the magazine was a photo of Mrs. Mahnaz Afshar. I said, “This means Proof of my relationship with this lady?” He said, “Don’t push too hard” and then he pulled out a letter from his desk drawer and showed me a letter signed by Mr. Qalibaf, in which he ordered Bijan Ashtari to be punished for spreading corruption and prostitution through publication. Film magazines should be arrested. The interrogator said, “You no longer have the right to be an editor, otherwise this letter from the police chief will be put on the agenda and you will be arrested.” When I came out of the interrogation room, I saw Mr. Seyed Ali Salehi (poet) and Dr. Omid Rouhani (film critic) sitting in the waiting room waiting for their turn.
I am waiting for the same events to happen again.

Bijan Ashtari
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This post is written by Omidreza_a