Beauty queen backs condemned teen

Ex-Miss World Canada works to free Iranian on death row who killed rapist

Glenda Luymes, The Province

Published: Monday, January 08, 2007

They have one thing in common -- Nazanin Fatehi and Nazanin Afshin-Jam share a name.

But while Fatehi waits on Iran's version of death row, Afshin-Jam, a former Miss World Canada pageant winner, is working to have the Iranian teen's sentence overturned, spending much of her time at a computer in the bedroom of her apartment in Vancouver's Yaletown.

On Wednesday, both women will find out if Fatehi will live or die.

"She is always with me," Afshin-Jam said yesterday. "She is always on my mind. I've been nervous about this for the last 10 months."

The pageant winner and pop singer learned Fatehi's story last winter when she was contacted by a stranger who thought it was interesting the two shared a name.

Before that, Afshin-Jam had never heard of Fatehi, who was sentenced Jan. 3, 2006, to hang after admitting she stabbed to death one of three men who tried to rape her and a 16-year-old niece. Fatehi was 17 at the time.

"When I learned Nazanin's story I was horrified," said Afshin-Jam, 26. "I couldn't get it out of my mind. I felt I had to do something."

Using her fame as Miss World Canada and knowledge gained through an international relations degree, Afshin-Jam started a petition to save Nazanin. So far, she has collected more than 232,000 signatures, which have been delivered to the Iranian government.

She has also visited Ottawa and the United Nations headquarters in New York, asking politicians to put political pressure on Iran to stop the execution.

In June, Fatehi's death sentence was stayed and a retrial ordered. The second trial is scheduled to end Wednesday in Tehran.

"This isn't just about Nazanin," said Afshin-Jam, whose family left Iran when she was two years old. "This is about the right for all people to have a fair trial. It's something that affects us all as human beings."

If Fatehi had allowed the men to rape her, she would have been given 100 lashes under Iranian law. If she had been married at the time, she could have been found guilty of adultery and sentenced to death by stoning. "It's a double-edged sword," said Afshin-Jam. "Women [in Iran] have no option . . . I feel like I need to be a voice for those who don't have a voice."

Yesterday, members of the Vancouver chapter of the Federation of Iranian Refugees came together to watch a documentary created by Afshin-Jam and her recording label Bodog Entertainment.

After a showing of the documentary, which shows both women's fight for justice and includes moving footage of Fatehi speaking to her family in Iran from prison, the group spoke about their campaign to end all capital punishment in their home country.

"This can't continue. It must stop," said Tammy Sadeghi. "We hope Nazanin's story will touch people's hearts. As we've seen, public pressure can bring about change. The government stopped the execution once before and it can do it again."

Suzanne Mohammidi came to Vancouver as a refugee four months ago. Watching the documentary yesterday she sobbed quietly.

"This woman's situation makes me very upset. It doesn't matter if we're not related. It's just terrible that she tried to defend herself and now she might be put to death."

Abbas Mohammidi was more optimistic. "I'm hopeful we'll have a victory celebration on Wednesday," he said. "I think that the next time we come together, Nazanin will be free."

gluymes@png.canwest.com

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HOW YOU CAN HELP

- For more information and to sign Nazanin Afshin-Jam's petition to save Nazanin Fatehi, visit www.helpnazanin.com. Afshin-Jam will forward the petition to the Iranian government.

- To view Afshin-Jam's documentary A Tale of Two Nazanins visit www.bodog.tv.