Abdollah Noori
Encyclopedia
Abdollah Noori is an Iran
ian reformist politician and cleric. Despite his "long history of service to the Islamic Republic," he became the most senior Islamic politician to be sentenced to prison since the Iranian Revolution
when he was sentenced to five years in prison for political and religious dissent in 1999. He has been called the “bete noire” of Islamic conservatives in Iran.
, also appointed him a member "of a powerful council which advises him on major policies". But Abdollah Nouri also supported dissident cleric, Grand Ayatollah Hossein-Ali Montazeri
, who had been placed under house arrest in 1997 for questioning the authority of Ayatollah Khamenei.
He served as Minister of Interior for four years in President Hashemi Rafsanjani's first term cabinet. He also served as the Minister of Interior in Mohammad Khatami
's first term cabinet until his impeachment
by the conservative-controlled 5th Majlis
for his "defence of political and social freedoms". Following his impeachment, Khatami brought Abdullah Nuri back to his cabinet as a vice-president. He was "generally seen as the most outspoken reformist" in Khatami's cabinet.
In February 1999, he stood down from this post to take part in the municipal elections in February and was elected as the chief of the City Council
of Tehran
.
He resigned from the Council in order to participate in the sixth parliamentary election. He founded a newspaper and named it Khordad
, named after the victory of President Khatami on the 2nd of Khordad, 1376 by the Iranian calendar
, equivalent to May 23, 1997. His newspaper advocated "freedom of expression, human rights and a modern and democratic Islam."
's memory by questioning the authority of the Supreme Leader
. According to one Western journalist, another explanation for his prosecution was that Nouri was very popular in Tehran and "the odds on favorite to become Speaker of Parliament in the February 2000 Parliamentary election," something imprisonment would prevent.
He was tried by the Special Clerical Court
in Iran
and made an "outspoken and aggressive defence during his trial", refusing to accept the authority of this court, which he saw as unconstitutional.
In November 1999, he was convicted of insulting Ayatollah Khomeini, publishing anti-religious
materials, disturbing public opinion, insulting officials, advocating links with the United States and was sentenced to five years in jail.
Readers of the Iranian voted him "the most significant Iranian personality of the past year," i.e., 1379 (1999).
, a member of parliament at the time, was killed in an accident. Mr. Noori was freed from Evin Prison
when Mehdi Karroubi
, speaker of the Majlis at the time, wrote a letter to the Supreme Leader
and asked him to free Noori as his father was suffering from the loss of his other son.
Abdollah Nouri was mentioned as a possible candidate in the 2009 presidential election
, but did not run.
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
ian reformist politician and cleric. Despite his "long history of service to the Islamic Republic," he became the most senior Islamic politician to be sentenced to prison since the Iranian Revolution
Iranian Revolution
The Iranian Revolution refers to events involving the overthrow of Iran's monarchy under Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and its replacement with an Islamic republic under Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the leader of the...
when he was sentenced to five years in prison for political and religious dissent in 1999. He has been called the “bete noire” of Islamic conservatives in Iran.
Career
Abdollah Nouri has been called a "trusted lieutenant" of Ayatollah Khomeini who was "the religious guide to the Revolutionary Guards early in the revolution." Khomeini, appointed him as his representative to many other important organisations as well. Khomeini's successor, supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali KhameneiAli Khamenei
Ayatollah Seyed Ali Hoseyni Khāmene’i is the Supreme Leader of Iran and the figurative head of the Muslim conservative establishment in Iran and Twelver Shi'a marja...
, also appointed him a member "of a powerful council which advises him on major policies". But Abdollah Nouri also supported dissident cleric, Grand Ayatollah Hossein-Ali Montazeri
Grand Ayatollah Hossein-Ali Montazeri
Grand Ayatollah Hussein-Ali Montazeri Najafabadi was a prominent Iranian scholar, Islamic theologian, Shiite Islamic democracy advocate, writer and human rights activist. He was one of the leaders of the Iranian Revolution in 1979...
, who had been placed under house arrest in 1997 for questioning the authority of Ayatollah Khamenei.
He served as Minister of Interior for four years in President Hashemi Rafsanjani's first term cabinet. He also served as the Minister of Interior in Mohammad Khatami
Mohammad Khatami
Sayyid Mohammad Khātamī is an Iranian scholar, philosopher, Shiite theologian and Reformist politician. He served as the fifth President of Iran from August 2, 1997 to August 3, 2005. He also served as Iran's Minister of Culture in both the 1980s and 1990s...
's first term cabinet until his impeachment
Impeachment
Impeachment is a formal process in which an official is accused of unlawful activity, the outcome of which, depending on the country, may include the removal of that official from office as well as other punishment....
by the conservative-controlled 5th Majlis
Majlis of Iran
The National Consultative Assembly of Iran , also called The Iranian Parliament or People's House, is the national legislative body of Iran...
for his "defence of political and social freedoms". Following his impeachment, Khatami brought Abdullah Nuri back to his cabinet as a vice-president. He was "generally seen as the most outspoken reformist" in Khatami's cabinet.
In February 1999, he stood down from this post to take part in the municipal elections in February and was elected as the chief of the City Council
City and Village Councils of Iran
City and Village Councils are local councils which are elected by public vote in all cities and villages throughout Iran....
of Tehran
Tehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
.
He resigned from the Council in order to participate in the sixth parliamentary election. He founded a newspaper and named it Khordad
Khordad (newspaper)
Khordad was a newspaper published by Abdollah Noori. It was shut down by Iran Special Clerical Court and its editor-in-chief, Abdollah Noori, was sentenced to jail for five years...
, named after the victory of President Khatami on the 2nd of Khordad, 1376 by the Iranian calendar
Iranian calendar
The Iranian calendars or sometimes called Persian calendars are a succession of calendars invented or used for over two millennia in Greater Iran...
, equivalent to May 23, 1997. His newspaper advocated "freedom of expression, human rights and a modern and democratic Islam."
Trial
Based on the contents of this newspaper, he was accused of insulting Islamic values, insulting Islam by pushing for democratic reforms, dishonoring Imam Ruhollah KhomeiniRuhollah Khomeini
Grand Ayatollah Sayyed Ruhollah Musavi Khomeini was an Iranian religious leader and politician, and leader of the 1979 Iranian Revolution which saw the overthrow of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the Shah of Iran...
's memory by questioning the authority of the Supreme Leader
Supreme leader
A supreme leader typically refers to a figure in the highest leadership position of an entity, group, organization, or state, who exercises strong or all-powerful authority over it. In religion, the supreme leader or supreme leaders is God or Gods...
. According to one Western journalist, another explanation for his prosecution was that Nouri was very popular in Tehran and "the odds on favorite to become Speaker of Parliament in the February 2000 Parliamentary election," something imprisonment would prevent.
He was tried by the Special Clerical Court
Special Clerical Court
Special Clerical Court, or Special Court for Clerics is an Iranian court system for examining transgressions within the clerical establishment. It tries Shia Muslim clerics, although it has also taken on cases involving lay people. The court functions independently of the regular Iranian judicial...
in Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
and made an "outspoken and aggressive defence during his trial", refusing to accept the authority of this court, which he saw as unconstitutional.
In November 1999, he was convicted of insulting Ayatollah Khomeini, publishing anti-religious
Antireligion
Antireligion is opposition to religion. Antireligion is distinct from atheism and antitheism , although antireligionists may be atheists or antitheists...
materials, disturbing public opinion, insulting officials, advocating links with the United States and was sentenced to five years in jail.
Readers of the Iranian voted him "the most significant Iranian personality of the past year," i.e., 1379 (1999).
Release
Nouri was released from prison on 5 November 2002. He was released because his brother Alireza NooriAlireza Noori
Alireza Noori was a member of the 6th Iranian parliament and a supporter of President Mohammad Khatami's reform programs. He was the brother of Abdollah Noori. Dr. Alireza Noori was educated in medicine and was a practicing physician before entering politics.Noori was killed in a car accident in...
, a member of parliament at the time, was killed in an accident. Mr. Noori was freed from Evin Prison
Evin Prison
Evin House of Detention is a prison in Iran, located in Evin, northwestern Tehran. It is noted for its political prisoners' wing, where prisoners have been held both before and after the 1979 Iranian Revolution...
when Mehdi Karroubi
Mehdi Karroubi
Mehdi Karroubi is an influential Iranian reformist politician, democracy activist, mojtahed, and chairman of the National Trust Party. He was Chairman of the parliament from 1989 to 1992 and 2000 to 2004, and a presidential candidate in the 2005 and 2009 presidential elections.He is a founding...
, speaker of the Majlis at the time, wrote a letter to the Supreme Leader
Supreme leader
A supreme leader typically refers to a figure in the highest leadership position of an entity, group, organization, or state, who exercises strong or all-powerful authority over it. In religion, the supreme leader or supreme leaders is God or Gods...
and asked him to free Noori as his father was suffering from the loss of his other son.
Abdollah Nouri was mentioned as a possible candidate in the 2009 presidential election
Iranian presidential election, 2009
Iran's tenth presidential election was held on 12 June 2009, with incumbent Mahmoud Ahmadinejad running against three challengers. The next morning the Islamic Republic News Agency, Iran's official news agency, announced that with two-thirds of the votes counted, Ahmadinejad had won the election...
, but did not run.