Lives lost but not forgotten: Germany exhibition honors Iran's victims

Glasses left behind, a cherished jacket, a shirt bearing the last scent of dead man: the items on display moved many attendees of a unique exhibition on Iranian state repression to tears and tell a painful tale of Iran's suffering.

"Memories Left Behind" held over the weekend in Cologne, Germany paid tribute to the victims of 45 years of repression since the inception of the Islamic Republic in Iran.

The event coincided with the fifth anniversary of Iran's November 2019 protests, known as "Bloody November," in which security forces killed at least 1,500 protesters.

Organized by the Association of Victims' Families for Transitional Justice and the Association of Aban Families for Justice, the exhibition showcased personal belongings of victims, including handwritten letters, clothing and cherished keepsakes.

These items displayed served as a tribute to protesters, political prisoners, and victims of state repression beyond Iran's borders, spanning the mass executions of political prisoners in 1988 to the Woman, Life, Freedom uprising in 2022.

Soran Mansournia, whose brother Borhan was killed during the 2019 protests, reflected on the exhibition's meaning.

"We aimed to show the audience that the names and numbers seen in the news represent real people—human beings who fought for freedom and justice in Iran," said Mansournia, a co-founder Aban Families for Justice, whose name refers to the Persian month.

Mahboubeh Ramezani, the mother of Pezhman Gholipour, who was also killed during the November 2019 protests, shared a message with attendees which was played for the audience.

"Every photo, every name, every item displayed here tells a story of courage. These are stories of integrity and honor, of those who gave their lives for freedom and justice. We will not forget the crimes of the Islamic Republic."

Rahimeh Yousefzadeh, mother of Navid Behboudi, also killed during November 2019 protests remembered her son: “Navid, my passionate son, dreamed of justice and freedom, but the regime stole his dreams. We will not forget, and justice must be served.”

Fight against forgetting

The exhibition also commemorated the victims of the Woman, Life, Freedom uprising which began in September 2022 following the death of Mahsa Amini in morality police custody and was defined by months nationwide protests against theocratic rule.

Among the items displayed was a dress belonging to Minoo Majidi, who was killed during the uprising on September 20, 2022 in Kermanshah, Western Iran.

"My mother wore this dress during her birthday celebration in England," her daughter, Mahsa Piraei, said. "It was the first and last time she wore it. One of the goals of the exhibition is to fight against forgetting. These souls were not just numbers; they were loved ones with families who adored them."

Similarly, a jacket worn by 17-year-old protester Artin Rahmani killed during the same uprising on 16 November 2022 in Izeh, Southwestern Iran was on displayed.

"Artin joined the protests dressed in black the day after I warned him not to wear this jacket, as it was too identifiable during the previous day’s protests," his uncle, Foad Choobin recounted. "The next day at the protests, the Islamic Republic killed him with three bullets. We are here today to amplify Artin’s voice and the voices of others who were killed by the Islamic Republic."

A pair of shoes belonging to Fereydoun Mahmoudi, who was killed on September 19, 2022 during the protests in the Kurdish city of Saqqez, Western Iran.

"When I saw the photos of our loved ones and Fereydoun’s shoes displayed, I choked up," his brother Farhad said.

"Those shoes, once worn at weddings and formal occasions, now serve as a memento far from his homeland. Fereydoun sacrificed everything for freedom, prioritizing the fight for his country’s liberty over his own ambitions."

Remembering PS752 Flight victims shot down by the IRGC

The exhibition also included items cherished by those who lost their lives in the downing of Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752 by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards in January 2020.

A hat belonging to environmental activist Ghanimat Azhdari was among the artifacts. "This hat was part of her life," her sister, Azamat said. "Her memory and her fight lives on."

1988 mass executions: a legacy of loss

The exhibition also featured a section paying tribute to the victims of the 1988 mass executions of political prisoners.

Khatereh Moini, whose brother Hebat Elah was executed during then, shared a heartbreaking memory as she stood next to her brother’s shirt.

"I wanted to smell his shirt, to see if I could still remember his scent," she said, pointing to the faded shirt returned to her after over 35 years.

"Twelve of my family members were killed by the Islamic Republic, including my brother and my sister’s husband, Kasri Akbari Kurdestani, in the summer of 1988," Moini said.

During this time, Khatereh Moini witnessed the heart-wrenching plight of families, including her own, as they searched for their loved ones in unmarked graves.

In the wake of the 1988 massacre of political prisoners, many victims’ bodies were neither identified nor returned to their families. Instead, they were buried in mass graves at Khavaran, a cemetery in southeastern Tehran, where thousands of victims remain.

Moini, one of the witnesses to this atrocity, recalled the painful experience of searching for her family members' final resting place.

"I remember my mother digging the graves, and it is something that will never leave me," she said, her voice breaking.

Ongoing tragedies and transnational repression

The exhibition also highlighted transnational repression and ongoing tragedies, such as the disappearance of former political prisoner Ebrahim Babaei while fleeing Iran in 2021.

Among the items displayed was a pair of glasses that belonged to Babaei. His daughter, Shima, spoke about the pain of his absence.

"Instead of embracing my father, I was handed his belongings. His glasses and other personal belongings are a testament to his memory and the crimes committed against him. Two years and eleven months have passed, and I still cling to hope."

A collective vow for justice

Organizer and activist Lawdan Bazargan said the exhibition aimed not just at preserving lost loved ones' memories but winning a better future for Iran.

"This is not just about remembering the past but amplifying the voices of victims and their families. We will not forget. The voices of our loved ones must be heard, and justice must prevail."

The exhibition drew dozens of attendees, many visibly moved by the stories and items on display.

Bazargan noted that the exhibition only scratches the surface of the crimes committed by Iranian authorities against their people.

"The sheer scale of these crimes shocks viewers. Our fight for justice will continue until it bears fruit."