Children as Protectors: The Conditions of Parenthood in a Political Prison in Iran

Cet article décrit les relations enfants/parents à Evin, l’une des prisons politiques les plus célèbres de la République islamique d'Iran. On propose un bref compte rendu des événements et des facteurs ayant conduit à une répression politique sévère durant les années 1980 et, après la révolution, aux huit années sanglantes du conflit avec l'Irak. Entre 1981 et 1988, arrestations massives, torture systématique, emprisonnements de longue durée et exécutions sommaires ont créé un paysage sombre et violent en Iran, contrairement au bref "Printemps de la liberté" qui avait suivi la révolution de 1979. L’article combine des travaux de recherche et ma propre expérience de prisonnière politique durant plus de huit ans, dans une approche qu’ailleurs j’ai qualifiée d’ethnographie rétrospective ou d’anthropologie de l’après. Mon analyse des formes non-conventionnelles de maternités (ou de rapports « familiaux ») en prison s'appuie sur les histoires des quelques enfants avec lesquels j'ai vécu une partie de mon emprisonnement et de leurs relations avec les adultes, parents, autres détenus et personnel pénitentiaire. Mettant en avant le rôle performatif du langage, je montre non seulement comment la langue, les jeux des enfants – eux-mêmes une forme de langage -, mais aussi le comportement des parents envers leurs enfants et la vie au quotidien telle que nous l'avons vécue, ont tous été influencés par la condition en prison et la dynamique socio-politique de l'époque. J'illustre également le difficile travail requis pour établir une apparence de normalité et construire des liens familiaux dans ces circonstances si particulières. Enfin, en situant une réflexion sur ma propre vie, je montre le travail de mémoire et le retour du passé au «présent», à la fois comme un don et comme une temporalité complexe, capables d'influencer et d’influer sur ma vie présente. Ces réflexions montrent l’inséparable relation entre souvenirs, langues et formes de vie, tels qu’ils voyagent à travers le temps et l'espace.This article describes the condition of childhood and parenthood in Evin, one of the most notorious political prisons of the Islamic Republic of Iran. To contextualize, it offers a brief account of the events and forces that led to the severe political suppression of the 1980s. Shortly after the revolution, Iran faced eight years of bloody and long war with Iraq. Meanwhile, between 1981 and 1988 massive arrests, systematic torture, long imprisonments, and summary executions created a gloomy and violent landscape within the country in contrast to briefly lived “Spring of freedom” that had followed the 1979 Revolution. Combining research and my own first-hand experience as a prisoner of conscience for over eight years, this piece is informed by what I have elsewhere called ‘anthropology afterward’, or ‘retrospective ethnography’. My account and analysis of unconventional kinship in prison draw on the stories of a few children with whom I lived part of my imprisonment and of their relationship with adults, including their parents, other inmates and prison officials. Foregrounding the performative role of language, this piece attempts to show how not only language, but children’s game - itself a form of language - and parents’ behaviors toward their children and one another, or in general life as we lived it, were all influenced by prison condition and the sociopolitical dynamic of the time. I also illustrate the challenging yet creative work that went into generating a sense of normalcy for children and a bond of kinship under such unusual circumstances. Finally, reflecting on my own life, I trace the work of memory and the return of the past as “present,” in its double meaning, as gift and as a complex temporality, influencing and projecting my life in and as present. These reflections illuminate the inseparable relation between memories, languages, and life forms as they journey through and across time and space

Co-administration of silymarin and deferoxamine against kidney, liver and heart iron deposition in male iron overload rat model

Background: Tissue iron deposition may disturb functions of the organs. In many diseases like thalassemia, the patients suffer from iron deposition in kidney and heart tissues. Deferoxamine (DF) is a synthetic iron chelator and silymarin (SM) is an antioxidant and also a candidate for iron chelating. This study was designed to investigate the effect of DF and SM combination against kidney and heart iron deposition in an iron overload rat model. Methods: Male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to 5 groups. The iron overloading was performed by iron dextran 100 mg/kg/day every other day during 2 weeks and in the 3 rd week, iron dextran was discontinued and the animals were treated daily with combination of SM (200 mg/kg/day, i.p.) and DF (50 mg/kg/day, i.p.) (group 1), SM (group 2), DF (group 3) and saline (group 4). Group 5 received saline during the experiment. Finally, blood samples were obtained and kidney, heart and liver were immediately removed and prepared for histopathological procedures. Results: The results indicated no significant difference in kidney function and endothelial function biomarkers between the groups. However, combination of SM and DF did not attenuate the iron deposition in the kidney, liver and heart. DF alone, rather than DF and SM combination, significantly reduced the serum level of malondialdehyde (P < 0.05). Co-administration of SM and DF significantly increased the serum level of ferritin (P < 0.05). Conclusions: DF and SM may be potentially considered as iron chelators. However, combination of these two agents did not provide a protective effect against kidney, liver and heart iron deposition