Maral Still Has a Father—But Justice Is Nowhere to Be Found
A human story of a case that could cost a father his life and a child her peace It’s early morning. In a small house in Bukan, a 12-year-old girl clutches a framed photo of her father as she wakes from sleep.
The call to morning prayer does not bring serenity, but dread: “What if they executed my father at dawn?” This is the story of Maral—a girl whose childhood dreams have been replaced by the nightmare of a noose. Her father, Kaveh Salehi—a hardware engineer, independent journalist, youth educator, and member of Bukan’s basketball team—is now trapped on death row. His future hangs between lengthy prison sentences, crushing fines, and two death penalties. He lives in complete uncertainty. Kaveh never built bombs, never carried a weapon, never gave orders for violence, and never attended a violent protest. He was a hard drive technician—a specialist who recovered people’s lost data. Just like his own life now needs recovery. Kaveh Salehi: A Gentle Man in a Turbulent Case Everyone who knows Kaveh describes him the same way: calm. He played basketball for the local team. Every Friday, he went hiking with his family. Then one day, his name was suddenly placed next to terrifying words that have nothing to do with his life: spy, smuggler, saboteur. He was pulled into a national security case still riddled with unanswered questions: -Why was the accusation of “espionage for Israel” brought three years after his arrest? -Why have his lawyers never been shown any verifiable technical evidence? -Why is his family—his 12-year-old daughter included—forced to undergo humiliating strip searches just to see him behind glass? This Is Not a Courtroom—It’s a Stage If justice means anything, it must be rooted in transparency and reason. Yet Kaveh’s case is cloaked in shadows—of accusation, of death, of distrust. There is no private plaintiff, no independent witness, no verified digital evidence, not even a single encrypted message. Instead: two death sentences. Thirty-six years in prison. Billions of tomans in fines. It’s as if the system has turned one man into a symbolic enemy to send a message: We show no mercy—even if your daughter is twelve years old. Maral: A Child Forced to Grow Up Too Fas Behind every political case are silent victims. Here, the primary victim may not even be Kaveh—it’s Maral. A girl who has learned words like *solitary confinement, torture, unfair trial, and execution instead of painting and daydreaming. When Justice Becomes Political, It Ceases to Be Justice No system is immune to criticism. But one that silences, hides, and kills instead of answering, is crumbling from within. If Kaveh Salehi truly committed a crime, why not present clear evidence in a public, fair trial? Why should a society trust a government that fears even a simple embrace between father and daughter? What Do We Want? We are not judges. We are not prosecutors. We are not issuing verdicts. We are simply asking: - Why has such a severe case advanced without evidence, without witnesses, without transparency? - Why must a 12-year-old girl pay the price for a politicized justice system? - Why is no one answering? We demand just one thing: an immediate halt to the execution and an independent, thorough review of a case that reeks of injustice. Conclusion: As Long as Kaveh Is in Chains, Justice Is Not Free It may not be too late for Maral. There may still be time to replace the framed photo with the warmth of a real embrace. But if we stay silent—if we let justice be sacrificed for a performance of power—then tomorrow, it will be another child’s turn. As long as Kaveh Salehi is in chains, justice remains in exile.
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