In 1983, a number of Komala revolutionary youths were arrested in Mahabad and some of them were unfortunately executed. I remember and respect for ever three brothers named “Hussein”, “Musa” and “Karim” among those memorable youth. I am sitting in a corner of my room and leaning my knees against my chest. I hold Musa’s picture in my hands. Grieve and sadness rises through my soul. Imagination and thought take me to the past like the lightning of the sun:

Mahabad / Prison of the Information department of Revolutionary Guards

Urmia / Sheikh Tappeh torture chamber, Sea Prison, the sound of boots inside the dungeon, torture, the smell of human blood and flesh, torn nails of hands and feet, bodies damaged by burn marks from cigarette and iron, piercing prisoners’ hands and feet with an electric drill, the voices of the hangmen who were cursing, threatening and shouting that the sharia rules of Islam should be implemented on prisoners.

Imagination of raping young virgin girls just before their executions to prevent them to rise up to the paradise (Islam believes that virgin girls rise up to paradise even if they are incredulous).

What a painful symphony, the revolutionary anthem of the political prisoners had broken the lifeless silence of the prison, Khalkhali, the merciless, had come to Urmia as an Islamic prosecutor, sounds of shooting and the final fatal bullet.

Musa, along with his brother Hussein and thirty two revolutionary young girls and men, supporters of Komala, were shot dead in Urmia after enduring countless tortures at dawn of 2/4/1362 Iranian Calendar (23/6/1983). They are buried in that city.

Musa was born in Mahabad on the 18/12/1337 (9/3/1959). Musa’s mother remembers: “We had Jewish neighbors. At his suggestion, we chose the name Musa for my son. He finished the secondary school. He was very interested in photography as a child. His passion motivated him to learn this skill at “Gina’s”, a very professional Armenian photographer. He learned a lot from Gina. Gina moved from Mahabad after the Iranian Revolution in 1978 and left his photography studio to Musa. Moses he ran the studio honestly and sent the income to him.”

Musa became acquainted with Komala after the Revolution of 1978 through his brother Hussein, who was commited in Komala (a Kurdish left-wing organization). His empathy was so deep in his mind that led Moses to become a member of the Komala organization and was organized as a Peshmerga in the Martyr Khana Group, although he had a little son. He was an active and professional Peshmerga and completed every task correctly.

He heard about the arrest of his brothers Hussein and Karim in June 1983. He went to Mahabad with the permission of Komala officials to learn more about his brothers’ situation. When he arrived near his parent’s house, he was surrounded and arrested by agents of the Islamic Regime. He was transferred to Mahabad Prison and later to Urmia Prison.

He was exposed to enduring torture. He was sentenced to death along with his brother Hussein and a number of supporters and members of Komala by Khalkhali (the Islamic prosecutor) without being allowed to defend himself or having a lawyer. He was shot dead along with his brother Hussein in a group execution on 2/4/1362 Iranian Calendar (23/6/1983) in Urmia. They were buried in the cemetery of that city.

May the memory of Musa and his companions who sacrificed their lives for their sublime ideals be cherished forever.