He looks into the camera! As though somebody is on the other side of the camera and is supposed to save him! His hope is for tomorrow. Is there anybody out there to save him?

He is 7 years old and like his peers has to read the Koran and be trained about its teachings instead of playing in a safe environment with human emotions and warm atmosphere of family home.

He is not satisfied with the situation. He does not want to read the Koran. He wants to play with his friends and be happy. He wants to have a happy and calm life with his family. However, Islam and reactionary Islamists have imprisoned and chained him and his friends in an atmosphere of fear to learn religious lessons! He is guilty because he has fled the religious school many times and has returned to his family! He does not seem to have a way out. He is being brain washed with religious rubbish!

The photographer took this picture in Bangladesh and has been threatened to death by Islamists. While taking and publishing this picture he was well aware of the potential risk but he was sure about what he wanted to do.

This is not the first time that we witness such threats from the Islamists. This is just a small example of devastating situation of children in areas where Islamist forces rule.

Children are being brain washed into religious teachings which will make them into yet more reactionary forces.

In Iran too the Islamic government has created such situation for many years. They did not physically chain us but made us stay in religious classes. We had to learn about the prophets, the story of the dooms day, hell and heaven with all the fear attached to these subjects. Religious classes were always like this. Fear was always a main part of the classes. Fear of dieing, fear of hell and god! God had chained us in spirit!

If we escaped the classes, if we made fun of the classes, we were bitten violently and our parents were called in. We were condemned and had to read the Koran.

United Nations Convention of Children, which Islamic Republic is a signatory, is stated that: "States Parties recognize that every child has the inherent right to life ! (Article 6) and shall assure to the child who is capable of forming his or her own views the right to express those views freely in all matters affecting the child, the views of the child being given due weight in accordance with the age and maturity of the child. ( Article 12)"

Recognising children's right to life must not be outside the jurisdiction of the state! As it is now, no child is denied of religious teachings! Children are suffocated under religious dictatorship! Their right to life is only recognized under religious rule! There is no condition for freedom of expression and ideas. Children under the present system are only exposed to what the governments dictate. The only thing that is not considered is children's rights and their own views and desires!

Although they are small in stature and thought, but children have huge problems, i.e. religious mafia which imposes itself on millions of children world wide. We live in a world where the international community claims that it respects children's rights; governments introduce conventions in defence of children's rights etc, and pretend that suitable conditions for the welfare of children are provided. However we all know that millions of children are shouting against their lack of rights, exploitation and war every day...

Translate from persion to english by:

Maryam Kosha