JINA

JINA: a diary of a revolution is a collection of reflections, stories, and illustrations about the “Women, Life, Freedom” movement in Iran. Launched in September 2022 after the death of Mahsa (Jina) Amini, a young Iranian woman who was arrested by the morality police for not wearing her hijab properly. The incident sparked outrage in Iran, where anger toward the government had already been flaring, and ignited a sustained and widespread protest movement. Here is an excerpt:

The day after the news broke that the morality police had killed a young woman named Mahsa (Jina) Amini — I, like so many others, went into the streets to protest. I saw people arrested right before my eyes, and I watched as their phones and cameras were smashed to pieces for trying to capture what was happening.

Somewhere in the middle of the street, surrounded by the sounds of blows and shouts, I sat down. I didn’t need a camera to record this crime I was witnessing. I had my own: my eyes and my sketchbook. I will capture everything I saw, so it will be remembered.

This notebook is the memory card of my camera.