The Iranian New Year, Norouz, is on March 20, 2012. While many people are getting ready for the New Year and its traditions and celebrations that date back to antiquity, Mahsa Amrabadi, Iranian journalist and wife of imprisoned journalist Masoud Bastani, updated her Facebook status with the following statement:

“I will start this new year, too, without Masoud. I realized that I’m not even imagining Masoud with me on this upcoming year. I’m pretty sure that they [the officials] will cancel my visitation for the New Year too. I’m searching my calendar to see when the male prisoners’ visiting day is and how many days after the new year it will be when I am able to visit him. Oh, I found it. Three weeks after New Year! I wonder if they [the officials] will allow them [the prisoners] to at least call their family on the New Year. Can I hear his voice at that time to say happy New Year?

It is very interesting that in Iran, prisoners consider people’s happiness more than its officials. So, I think of this fact and stop complaining and say happy New Year to all my imprisoned friends.”