IRAN – Freedom Is Female

Golineh Atai was five years old when she left Iran with her parents, but the country and the way it has developed since have remained a core interest. Iran is a topic close to her heart. In this book, she paints a portrait of how the mullahs’ theocratic government kept the country in a firm grip for forty years, snuffing out any democratic tendencies – and she does so from the point of view of nine women. Atai tells the story of a cleric’s daughter who became an internationally renowned activist. And the story of a young employee, loyal to her government, who publicly removed her headscarf in Tehran – a revolutionary act that has inspired countless Iranian women up to the recent protests following the death of Mahsa Amini, who was arrested by the police for "bad hijab". Others talk about prison and escape, the daily battle for a bit of dignity, for being able to raise their voice in public or even just let their hair flow in the wind. They know: Only the freedom of women creates freedom in society.

Golineh Atai is a journalist and author with many awards and prizes to her name. She paints a fascinating picture of Iranian society since the Islamic Revolution, offering findings and insights that no external observer could make.

"Atai's unvarnished stocktaking fulfils an invaluable enlightening function." Die Welt on Atai's previous book Die Wahrheit ist der Feind.