A poet who has written verses of uplifting spirituality will remain incarcerated in her prison cell when two Australian actors read examples of her work to a Sydney audience on 29 May 2014.
Mahvash Sabet penned her poems in secret in her Tehran cell, where she is serving a 20 year sentence solely for her role as one of the seven religious leaders of the Baha’i community of Iran.
Her book Prison Poems will receive its official Australian launch at Berkelouw Books in Paddington on 29 May, an event preceded by a performance of her poems in the Asia Bookroom in Canberra the previous evening.
This month marks the sixth anniversary of the arrest and imprisonment of the seven Baha’i leaders following raids on their homes by squads of the Iranian regime. They were tried on spurious charges in a sham trial, which was widely condemned by the international community.
The poems by Mrs Sabet, a former school principal, do not focus on her plight but neither do they ignore it, and it seems that this balanced, inspiring approach helps explains its appeal.
Bell Shakespeare Theatre associate artist James Evans will read some of the poems at the Sydney event, as will a voice artist, the writer-director Shideh Faramand.
Author Bahiyyih Nakhjavani, who translated the poems into English, has recorded a brief video explaining her work on the book, which will be shown at the events.
Adelaide poet Roshanak Amrein, whose Iranian Baha’i background informs her poignant poems, will also read some of her work that recently attracted national attention on the ABC Radio National Program Poetica.
Close relatives of the seven imprisoned Baha’i leaders, who have made public statements calling for their immediate release, will be in the audience.
Live music by recording artist Tahereh Maghami will be dedicated to the Baha’is of Iran.