Exposing Iranian Evil

AP: Sisters Unveil Database of Iranian Victims---

NEW YORK - Ali was a 17-year-old killed after allegedly sympathizing with Iranian opposition groups. Ozra, a married woman, was killed after a charge of adultery. And Bahram, age 50, was executed for being a member of the Baha'i faith.

To the theocracy that replaced Iran's monarchy after the 1979 Islamic revolution, these three and thousands more were criminals who deserved to die. To Roya and Ladan Boroumand, they were victims of a justice system without due process, and a crucial part of their homeland's history that they feel obliged to expose.

On Friday, the two sisters unveiled what is believed to be the largest database dedicated to those executed under the Islamic regime. It is the result of years of examining human rights reports, media accounts, memoirs and other records. Of the more than 9,400 cases catalogued, one has a special place in the sisters' hearts: that of their father, Abdorrahman Boroumand, whose leadership in resistance movements is believed to have led to his murder.

The Boroumand sisters, who live in Washington, D.C., hope their work will serve as a tool for Iranians who want to deal with the country's history. The database's release coincides with the 25th anniversary of the release of 52 Americans held hostage for 444 days after the takeover of the U.S. embassy in Tehran.

"In the Third World and Iran we really have not had a democracy — we are used to just going ahead and pushing the dirt under the rug and not looking at it," said Roya Boroumand, 45. "If we want to have a real transition to democracy, we need to look at what has happened to us and what we have done."

The database comes at a time of increased tension between the West and Iran. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has publicly called for the eradication of Israel, and Iran recently resumed uranium-enrichment activities, which the U.S. and Europe fear takes the country a step closer to having nuclear weapons.

You can find the database here.

There, you'll find the stories of brave Iranians who were only seeking the liberty you and I enjoy every day. They were murdered by the regime for such innocent things.

This is why we must fight for freedom everywhere.