The National’s Review on The Gaze of the Gazelle: Witness to a death that changed history

The Gaze of the Gazelle, Arash Hejazi's memoir on the story of Neda has been published in English, German and Italian

Source: Noori Passela, The National, Sep 16, 2011

Arash Hejazi is an Iranian writer, publisher, doctor and one of the few to witness Neda Agha-Soltan’s dying moments first-hand, when he captured it on a mobile-phone camera during the 2009 riots. It was his choice to upload the video, whichsparked an international media frenzy over the death of the bright-eyed young woman.

Forced to leave his country and live in exile due to his prominent role as an opponent of the Ahmedinejad regime, it is no surprise that Hejazi comes across as a weary narrator.

Along with Hejazi’s recollections of his youth and experiences in Iran’s publishing industry, The Gaze of the Gazelle is also an account of the nation’s history of uprisings – political, religious and cultural. From being prosecuted by hardline Islamists for his outspoken attitude at college to the difficulties he endures under Iran’s strict censorship regulations, Hejazi spares little in recounting the decline that finally culminated in the incident that put him in the global spotlight.

Hard-hitting and direct, this book provides valuable revelations about a struggle that receivedvery little coverage inside Iran.