Akhtar Sabet

Akhtar Sabet was in born 1958 in Sarvestan, a city in Central Iran not too far from Shiraz. She was always very proud of being from Sarvestan. After school Akhtar studied nursing.  She’d always wanted to work as a nurse. It took a while to qualify though, as, after the Revolution she was expelled from University because she was a Baha’i.  But she kept trying and she got there eventually.

Akhtar’s life was very busy as she had to work in the small family shop owned by her parents even while she was studying. Her family were far from wealthy and everyone in the family always worked very hard to help out.  However, Akhtar was happy to work hard and, in 1980, she got the job of her dreams - working in the paediatric department of Sadi Hospital in Shiraz.  She loved her job so much that she was happy to work work extra hours when other staff members needed time off. She was still working in that hospital on 23 October 1982 when she was arrested.  

Akhtar’s ‘crimes’ were that she was a Baha’i, she taught children’s classes and she was single. 

When she was in prison she heard that the President of the hospital, a Muslim man of great renown, called the Public Prosecutor on her behalf and asked that she be released.  He was told that they wouldn’t release her unless she renounced what she believed.  Akhtar didn’t plan on doing that but she was grateful that he had tried.

As a nurse Akhtar had skills that were very useful in prison.  Many of the Baha’i women were tortured badly and she was glad to be able to help treat their wounds and try to ease their suffering.  But the other women in Adel Abad prison were also often sick, especially those whose health was already bad because they had come from conditions of great poverty. 

Akhtar made many friends in the prison.  Every morning she walked quietly around in front of the cells checking in on everybody, very quietly chanting prayers as she went.  On her ‘rounds’ she got to know the women and they often invited her into their cells for a chat or to get help with some health concern or other. Akhtar really valued being able to use her medical training because it was as if her life had continued in prison not stopped.  

That feeling helped her when her family visited.  It helped her to be cheerful with them and to be able to reassure them.  She told them all was fine and all would work out as it should.  

Akhtar was 25 years old on June 18th, 1983 when she was hanged with 9 other Baha’i women.

*Wherever there is a hyperlink on Akhtar's name (hover over her name to find it) you can connect with art work produced for the #OurStoryIsOne campaign.

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