Saeed Soltanpour: On this shore of fear

Abstract

Saeed Soltampour, an Iranian poet and playwright, was executed on 26 July 1981 by the authorities of the Islamic Republic. He was imprisoned many times under the Shah's regime mostly for his writings. His books of poems included Ketab-e Avazha-ye Band (‘Book of Ballads from Jail’). A founding member of Iran's Theatre Society in 1968, his plays were often banned. His last play was called Koshtargah (‘Slaughter House’). He was elected to the Executive Committee of the Writers Association of Iran in 1980. After his arrest in July 1981. the Soltanpour Committee was set up in Paris to campaign for his release. The following is one of the poems he recited in front of a huge crowd during a public event called ‘Ten Nights of Poetry’ in November 1977 held at the Goethe Institute and organised by the Writers Association of Iran.