{"id":196141,"date":"2026-02-12T14:47:04","date_gmt":"2026-02-12T13:47:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/?p=196141"},"modified":"2026-02-12T14:47:07","modified_gmt":"2026-02-12T13:47:07","slug":"iraanse-studenten-leven-mee-met-protesten-alsof-mijn-familie-elke-dag-opnieuw-sterft","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2026\/02\/12\/iraanse-studenten-leven-mee-met-protesten-alsof-mijn-familie-elke-dag-opnieuw-sterft\/","title":{"rendered":"Iranian students follow protests closely: ‘It feels like my family is dying again every single day’"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Darya and Navid follow the news from Iran day and night, while their family there lives in uncertainty. From the Netherlands they feel powerless, but staying silent is not an option. \u201cIf I were there, I would be the one taking to the streets and I would probably be killed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"

\n\t\n\n<\/svg>\n<\/span>\n\tImage by:<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAmi Rinn<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Darya Nikpayam and Navid were not born in Iran, but almost all their family still lives there. They grew up in the Netherlands and study medicine at Erasmus University. Yet they feel strongly connected to their parents\u2019 country. \u201cAll the innocent people who are being killed there now deeply affect me\u201d, says Darya. \u201cIt feels like my family is being killed every single day again.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t

\n\t\t

At his request, Navid\u2019s name has been changed for safety reasons, as open criticism of the regime can have serious consequences. His real name is known to the editors. Darya wanted to appear in the article under her own name.<\/p>\n\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\n

In early January, the protests against the Iranian regime reached a new peak. In dozens of cities, people took to the streets in large numbers. On those days, the highest number of deaths occurred since the start of the protests at the end of December. For Darya, those days were almost unbearable. \u201cOn Instagram, you see videos of people who have been killed. Young and old, in the most horrific ways. I have cried a lot.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Guilt<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Darya says she knows people who have been shot. She knows little about her own family. \u201cBecause of the poor internet connection, sometimes you hear nothing for days and don\u2019t know how everyone is doing.\u201d She regularly wonders what she would have done if she had been in Iran now. \u201cIf I were there now, I would be the one taking to the streets. And I would probably have been killed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\t

\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t
\n\t\t'If I were there now, I would be the one taking to the streets. And I would probably have been killed'\n\t<\/blockquote>\n\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t–<\/span>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDarya \n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption>\n\t<\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Navid recognises that feeling and sometimes struggles with guilt about his life in the Netherlands. \u201cWe are free here, while there they have to give their lives to gain that freedom. If, for example, I have a birthday, I sometimes feel that I\u2019m not allowed to be happy.\u201d Besides the guilt, he also feels powerless. \u201cThere isn\u2019t much you can do here, apart from speaking out on social media, signing petitions and going to demonstrations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Iran has been an Islamic Republic since 1979, in which religious leaders hold power. Criticism of the regime is punished severely. Political opponents, journalists and activists can be arrested, abused or sentenced. The recent protests arose from dissatisfaction with economic problems, social inequality and the lack of freedom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No internet<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

To suppress the protests, the government completely shut down the internet and phone traffic in early January. \u201cThat\u2019s the moment when you know terrible things are about to happen\u201d, says Darya. \u201cThe regime doesn\u2019t want the world to see what is happening.\u201d For weeks they were unable to contact their family. They can now sometimes get in touch through indirect means. \u201cBut it\u2019s very brief and far from ideal\u201d, says Navid. \u201cA lot is being monitored and it\u2019s risky.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\t

\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t
\n\t\t'The regime doesn\u2019t want the world to see what is happening'\n\t<\/blockquote>\n\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t–<\/span>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDarya\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption>\n\t<\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Due to censorship, it is difficult to obtain reliable news from Iran. Domestic media are under government control. That is why Darya and Navid mainly follow foreign news channels. \u201cThere are three major channels we get our information from\u201d, says Navid. \u201cThe largest is Iran International<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to Darya, Dutch media are doing their best, but they depend on limited information. \u201cIran is doing everything it can to push propaganda. As a result, the real situation is often underestimated.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Difficulty concentrating<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The situation in Iran is also taking its toll in the Netherlands. During her master\u2019s research, Darya could barely concentrate. \u201cSometimes I couldn\u2019t concentrate for days. I would often start crying out of nowhere and was very unproductive.\u201d She tried to avoid the news, but rarely succeeded. \u201cOften I just couldn\u2019t resist looking.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Darya and Navid receive a lot of support from friends and family. Contact with other Iranian students in particular helps. \u201cThey feel the same pain you do, and that makes you feel truly understood\u201d, says Darya. But support from non-Iranian students is also important. \u201cEspecially when they express their support, for example via Instagram, I really feel heard.\u201d Navid adds: \u201cWhat also helps is turning the pain into action, for example by going to demonstrations and speaking out.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t

Een lijst met artikelen<\/h2>\n\t\t\n\t\t
\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t