Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the 'Why Am I in Your Country' podcast, we continue Neda's harrowing story of fleeing Iran with her young daughter after her involvement in the women life freedom movement. After the death of Mahsa Amini, Neda became an active protester against the morality police. Forced to escape after her husband was detained, she recounts their dangerous journey to the UK, the hardships they faced, and her ongoing struggles as a new asylum seeker. This episode provides a stark look at the real-life impacts of political unrest and the difficult asylum process in the UK.

Thank you to the National Lottery Heritage fund for making this series possible.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Neda seemingly had everything—a thriving career, a beautiful home, a loving husband, and a precious baby girl. Her life in Iran seemed secure, even enviable. But beneath those superficial comforts, she had always known the weight of living under a regime that criminalizes womanhood. When Mahsa Amini died at the hands of the morality police, Neda could no longer stay silent. She took to the streets, fighting for the rights of women whose freedom and safety were being stripped away. What she didn’t know was that this act of courage would cost her everything. Branded as a threat, hunted by the authorities, and forced into hiding with her infant daughter, she had no choice but to flee. In this episode, hear Neda’s harrowing journey—from fearless protester to refugee.

This is Neda's journey... part one.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.