Memories of Akbar Hashemi - January 18, 2001 - Report and Quotation from Dr. Ahmad Milani-Nia on the Court's Proceedings and Sentences Issued for Those Involved in the Berlin Conference

Hashemi's participation in the memorial ceremony for the martyrs of Qom province and listening to the explanations of local officials.

A report and quotation from Dr. Ahmad Milani-Nia regarding the court's proceedings and the sentences issued for the defendants in the Berlin Conference case.

The publication of another explicit letter, this time from the Islamic Association of Sharif University of Technology.

Complete Daily Report:

At 7 AM, I headed to Qom for a speech at the memorial ceremony for 5,200 martyrs of Qom province. After visiting the shrine of [Lady Masoumeh (S)] and reciting Fatiha at the graves of my mother, sister, brother, and father, I went with Mr. [Ali Akbar] Masoudi [Khomeini], the custodian of the shrine, and [Mr. Qorbanali Saadat], the governor, to the ceremony venue at Ali Ibn Jafar (S). First, I visited the graves of the martyrs at Ali Ibn Jafar, then we attended the meeting. After the Quran recitation, a poem by a martyr's daughter, and a welcoming address by General [Abdollah] Iraqi, commander of the 17th Ali Ibn Abi Talib (A) Division, I delivered my speech. In my remarks, I praised Qom, the clergy, and the martyrs, explaining the significance of the collaboration between the people and the clergy and its important consequences in history.

Accompanied by the governor to the toll station, we departed for Tehran at 11 AM. Part of the route inside Qom was traveled with Mr. Masoudi, who explained the new courtyard project in the south of the shrine, while the governor discussed securing fresh water for Qom and implementing development projects. One person raised a request in the meeting for a solution for Qom's water issues; I mentioned that during the reconstruction government, the solution for transferring water from Zardkuh was identified, and after a two or three-year pause, the project would be activated again this year.

In the remarks of the eulogist and the martyr's daughter, there was a strong criticism regarding the isolation of the martyrs during their time. The martyr's daughter addressed her father, saying that when he became a martyr, she was small and he was very great, but now that she has grown, he has become very small. I comforted her and the families of the martyrs in my remarks, saying that God protects the dignity of the martyrs, and no one can diminish them.

In the afternoon, Dr. [Ahmad] Milani-Nia came and discussed the health check-up program. There has been harsh criticism in foreign and domestic media regarding the sentences for the defendants in the [Berlin Conference] trial. The foreign ministries of European countries have officially condemned it. The Islamic Association of Sharif University issued a strong statement addressed to the Leader and the heads of the three branches of government.