Mina was a professional photographer working in Iran, but the Regime spied on her with drones at private parties, and photogaphed her in her car to check she was wearing a hijab. Then Mahsa Amini was killed and Mina's family were swept up into the violence. Through all this, she started to look for other ways of finding spiritual meaning in life.

In this episode of 'Why Am I In Your Country?', hosts Charlotte Eagar interviews Mina, a refugee from Iran. Mina shares her harrowing journey of fleeing Iran due to the oppressive regime, particularly focusing on the challenges and dangers she faced as a female photographer. She discusses the moral policing, the stringent hijab laws, and the punishing consequences of involvement in the Mahsa Amini movement. Mina recounts the traumatic experience of witnessing her nephew's arrest during a protest, the subsequent search for him, and her enduring mental and emotional struggles. The episode also touches on Mina's eventual turn to Christianity as a source of hope and strength in a time of profound despair. This podcast is part of an oral heritage archive funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Hounslow Council, to be lodged at Gunnersbury Park Museum.

This episode is Hosted by Charlotte Eagar

Translation by Nikoo Khakpour

Editing by Luna Laurenti Sellers

Thank you to the National Lottery Heritage Fund

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