Baghdad, 21 January 1969
In honor of my dear father, mother, Nana, Samy, Samia, Soheila, and Nathira,
Best wishes and longings to you all.
My first question is about your health and well-being. As for me, thank God, I am safe and sound. Nothing saddens me more than parting with you and your dear faces.
My dear father:
I am in the central prison of Baghdad. I was tried and sentenced to death. The Court of the Revolution issued the verdict against me, as well as against David G’ali, David Dalal, Sebah Haim, and Hezekiel Saleh.
Dear Father, the only solution you can try is to go to the Palace of the Republic, the President of the Republic, and the leadership of the Revolutionary Council, because the executive decision is in their hands. Please act quickly and urgently, as the executive decision could be implemented soon.
My good father, luck is not on my side, and this is my fate. Do not depend on me; God has condemned me to die here in this way.
My dear father, I sent the President of the Republic a request asking for mercy and relief from the sentence of execution that they sentenced me to. This request is my only hope to stay alive. The charge I was accused of is assault, and as you know, I am innocent of this charge. I ask you to go to the President of the Republic and ask that he lighten the sentence.
My honorable father, I ask you to forgive me for not fulfilling my duty to you. I also ask that you forgive me and calm my conscience. I wish you a long life so that you will see Samy in my place as a young man with a family, and also that you will get to see the marriage of the sisters.
Dear Samy:
You know how much I love you; you are part of my soul. What a pity that I didn’t get to see you as a young man with a family. How I hoped to see you graduate from university and your children playing on my shoulders. I would like to ask you to take care of Nathira, Sohaila, Samia, Nana, mother, and father, and also to focus on your studies and not to neglect them because you are the guardian in my place. You are my heart and soul, and my life. I ask you to greet all my friends in my name and kiss them in my place.
My dear mother:
Your son is going to die, God forbid. My mother! Fill my place because you are very wise. I ask you to do good deeds, to make up your mind, and to take care of yourself at home, because you are the wisest of them all. I also ask that you go to Uncle’s house because only he can protect us.
Dear Samia, Suhaila, my flower, and my beloved Nathira:
My sisters, I send you these words from a pure mouth, a pen with tears, and a black heart.
My dear Samia, I ask you to take care of father, mother, Nathira, Nana, Samy, and Sohaila. Also, complete your higher education anywhere in the world, whatever the circumstances may be. I also ask you to make sure that Sohaila studies at the university and completes the course she wants, and the same goes for sweet Nathira.
Nathira, my flower, I ask you to continue to be diligent and smart, not to be naughty, and to love Sohaila, Samia, Samy, mother, Nana, and father.
Sohaila, I don’t need to command you, as my faith in you is very great, and you are like half a lioness.
In honor of the honorable friend and brother Salah Khaki:
With respect and longing,
I love you like my brother Samy and like the respectable family, and I will not forget your favors towards me. In my opinion, the brother and friend is only known in times of trouble, and I know you and your nobility and charisma. Therefore, I do not need to ask or plead with you to be in my place, as you know my father is old and the family has no one but me. When I go, you will be in my place to watch over them and your dear son Roni. This life—they sowed for us to eat, and we sowed for them to eat after us. Unfortunately, I sowed, but they will not eat. So I ask you to take care of them because the fruit has not yet ripened. I ask you to provide for them when the fruit ripens, so that it will be seeded for future generations.
May God protect you, my dear brother, and finally, greetings to your family, to Eaime, Samira, and your parents.
Your faithful brother,
Naim K’Dori Hlali
Your son,
Naim K’Dori Hlali
