Roxana Saberi

1/4 - Bags of resistance, stories of resilience:

"Ma" is a cooperative founded by former Iranian political prisoner @SepidehQolian, bringing together 35 current and former women prisoners to make and sell handmade bags internationally.

All proceeds go toward supporting the women and their families, helping them build greater financial independence - and in at least one case, possibly escape execution.

The bags are available internationally via DM on Instagram @Ma__leather.

With @FJamalpour @hdagres and graphics by Roxana Weaver

Thank you, @jimsciutto, for continuing to report on the Rahimi twins in #Iran: Taraneh has been sentenced to death, and Romina, to 25 years - both, after protesting in January.

@MasoudNour

1/4 Years ago, in #Tehran’s Evin Prison, Mahvash Sabet taught me that even in the darkest places, compassion can survive.

Here are excerpts from my recent op-ed published in @Independent about Mahvash, her new memoir, and the lessons she taught me in prison - lessons that are a reminder not to look away as Iranians suffer for their beliefs and pursuit of basic freedoms.

#MahvashSabet #Iran #OneworldNews
Graphics by Roxana Weaver
Full article: lnkd.in/eSRessiJ
Mahvash's memoir: lnkd.in/eA4_Cijh
@OneworldNews @BallantinesPR @BahaiNews

1/5: “Don’t forget their names.”

Our latest report in @thetimes:

21-year-old Taraneh Rahimi dreamed of owning a horseriding stable. Now she faces execution in #Iran. Her twin sister, Romina, has been sentenced to 25 years in prison.
@FJamalpour @MasoudNour @IranRights_org

Blue Wolf (a piano composition):
youtube.com/watch?v=bhmCZJ…

Inspired by:
A journey to the beautiful country of #Kyrgyzstan last fall and the kind people I met there.
And perhaps, subconsciously, the #Persian #PianoMusic I have been exposed to over the years.

Special thanks to @hotelcaferoyal in London and its gracious staff for allowing me to spend a few mornings earlier this year, practicing on the Yamaha in the historic Grill Room before the lunch crowd arrived.

I'm also grateful to my friend @irit_tenhengel for making the introduction, and to filmmaker @Bahman_Ghobadi, who invited me to Kyrgyzstan to help on his forthcoming film.

If you'd like to hear more music, I have a few more compositions on YouTube, Spotify, ITunes, etc.

Thank you for listening. 🙏🎶

(This piece is named after #KokBoru, Kyrgyzstan’s traditional horseback game, which involves tossing a goat carcass into a goal. I chose the name as a working title because I like the sound of its English translation “Blue Wolf.”)

© 2026 Roxana Saberi

Көк бөрү (фортепиано үчүн чыгарма, убактылуу аталышы)

Илхам булактары:
Өткөн күздө кооз Кыргызстанга болгон сапарым жана ал жактан жолуккан боорукер адамдар.
Угуп бергениңерге чоң рахмат.

گرگ آبی (قطعه پیانو، عنوان موقت)

منابع الهام:
سفرم به قرقیزستان در پاییز گذشته و آدم‌های مهربانی که آنجا با آن‌ها آشنا شدم.
و شاید، ناخودآگاه، موسیقی کلاسیک ایرانی که طی سال‌ها باهاش آشنا بوده‌ام و ازش تأثیر گرفته‌ام.

تشکر ویژه از فیلمساز، بهمن قبادی، که من رو به قرقیزستان دعوت کرد تا در فیلم جدیدش باهاش همکاری کنم.

ممنون که گوش می‌دید.