In the UK I do not have a voice, just as I did not have one back home in Iran. The difference with living here is that I am not persecuted for the way I think; whereas I spent eight years in an Iranian prison for not being a Muslim and for believing in equality of sexes and human rights.
Actually, the reality was and is harsher than that. In Iran I was persecuted for simply being female whereas I am not persecuted for being a woman here.
In the UK I can use my imagination freely without fear of being found out, arrested and executed. Here I can go out with a man without fear of being stoned to death. This kind of freedom is great for those who think I came here for that - but I want much more.
I want full freedom; the freedom of speech I do not have. I go to see plays like Guantanamo Bay by Victoria Brittain and Gillian Slovo and see how some people are free to show only one side of cruelty. I write articles about Islam's brutal side and send it to newspapers but my pieces are not printed.
In the UK what kind of freedom do I have? Is my lack of freedom due to the fact that I am a classless, status-less person who did not suffocate on her way here?
No matter how much Tony Blair - the great warrior of his time - is proud of his country as a place that upholds and values its citizens' human rights, he is still responsible for violating human rights. His government supports the Islamic regime of Iran. After all, we are living in a global era and that means if human rights are violated in one country it is not only down to that regime's policy, it is also because the support these regimes receive from Western governments.
It is not only the Islamic regime that should be blamed for the treatment of a 16-year-old Iranian girl who was executed last November because of her "inappropriate" behaviour or for the many other men and women in prison waiting for their turns to be stoned to death. The Western governments who claim Iran's Islamic regime is a moderate one are responsible too.
Some UK politicians believe that people born in countries like Iran do not deserve more, and that if they move to Britain they should not expect anything else. After all if refugees have a critical voice it would undermine some politicians' arguments.
Refugees do not enjoy the freedom of speech they want, but other people have the freedom to talk and write about them in negative ways. If refugees could answer every article or speech against them then perhaps there would be less racist attacks against refugees.
Writing about my life has been like pouring water on my burning
rage. I realise the kind of freedom I, as a refugee living in the
UK, have and this is the freedom of imagination. And that feels
great.
Nasrin Parvaz is an Iranian refugee.
Positive images of social work
01 July 2009
Laming review of child protection
12 May 2009
Bristol finds common assessment framework liberates social workers and spreads responsibilities
01 July 2009
Helping people with mental health problems who are in debt
29 June 2009
How ITV Fixers have enabled young people to go public with life stories
17 June 2009
Khyra Ishaq: Accused face retrial after jury discharged
One third of children may be living with binge-drinking parents
Social workers 'must use GSCC code to challenge workloads'
Safeguarding board chair says Doncaster Council is struggling to recruit social workers
Details of government consultations
12 June 2009
Government Legislation
02 December 2008
Private Member Bills
21 November 2008