Ahmad Bourghani
Encyclopedia
Ahmad Bourghani Farahani (in Persian: احمد بورقانی فراهانی; March 9, 1959 – February 2, 2008) was an influential Iran
ian reformist politician, notable journalist, writer and political analyst.
Bourghani was deputy minister of culture of Iran in President Mohammad Khatami
's cabinet. He was also head of IRNA in United Nations
as well as member of Iranian parliament.
Bourghani received his Bachelor's degree in Geography from Shahid Beheshti University
of Tehran. He entered journalism after the victory of the 1979 Islamic Revolution. During the Iran-Iraq war
, he oversaw the War Information Press, and was chief news manager of the IRNA. From 1990 to 1993, he was posted in New York
as the UN correspondent for IRNA. Upon returning, he helped establish the short-lived weeklies Bahar, Barharan and Envoy.
During his brief tenure as vice-minister of Culture, Ahmad Bourghani oversaw the issuance of hundreds of press permits and the flowering of an independent Iranian press for the first time since 1979. He had a significant role in the development of journalism in post-revolution Iran. Following the initial attacks on the reformist press, Iran's conservatives tried to undercut the reformist press by reactivating the Press Court. Bourghani stood up in the Court in front of the young presiding judge, Saeed Mortazavi
, and defended the freedom of the press
. Mortazavi, the nephew of Ayatollah Yazdi, was trying to force Bourghani and Khatami's government to shut down the Ja'meh newspaper but when Boorghani refused to do so, he himself ordered to shut down the newspaper.
After the closure of Jame'eh and Tous in the summer of 1998, a second crop of independent dailies appeared in late 1998. These papers exposed Intelligence Ministry agents' involvement in the political assassinations of reformist intellectuals and activists in late 1998.
Bourghani, chosen by Khatami, to spearhead the liberalization of the public sphere, resigned in February 1999, frustrated with the intransigence of the Commission for the Supervision of the Press (a joint committee of representatives of the three branches of government and the press that reviews press application and thus determines who can and cannot publish), and dismayed by lukewarm support from his own minister, Ata'ollah Mohajerani
, who narrowly survived a parliamentary impeachment motion in May for "cultural laxity".
Two years later, he was elected as representative of Tehran to Majlis of Iran
, The Iranian Parliament. As a Member of Iranian Parliament, he persuaded his goal for the freedom of the press in Iran and was one of the key people in debating the Reform of the Press laws. Shortly after, Ayatollah Khamenei sent a letter to the parliament demanding that the debate stop.
Ahmad Bourghani was also the president of the Parliamentary Friendship Group between Italy
and Iran. He was also the organizer of "Iran, hundred years after Iranian constitutional revolution", an international conference organized in Tehran (2007).
Bourghani died in a Tehran hospital of a heart attack at the age of 48.
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, notable journalist, writer and political analyst.
Bourghani was deputy minister of culture of Iran in President 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 cabinet. He was also head of IRNA in United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
as well as member of Iranian parliament.
Bourghani received his Bachelor's degree in Geography from Shahid Beheshti University
Shahid Beheshti University
Shahid Beheshti University was formerly The National University of Iran . The university's name was changed during the cultural revolution in Iranian universities, 1980-82. It is located in Evin District and extends into Velenjak District in northwestern Tehran, Iran, on a main campus of...
of Tehran. He entered journalism after the victory of the 1979 Islamic Revolution. During the Iran-Iraq war
Iran-Iraq War
The Iran–Iraq War was an armed conflict between the armed forces of Iraq and Iran, lasting from September 1980 to August 1988, making it the longest conventional war of the twentieth century...
, he oversaw the War Information Press, and was chief news manager of the IRNA. From 1990 to 1993, he was posted in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
as the UN correspondent for IRNA. Upon returning, he helped establish the short-lived weeklies Bahar, Barharan and Envoy.
During his brief tenure as vice-minister of Culture, Ahmad Bourghani oversaw the issuance of hundreds of press permits and the flowering of an independent Iranian press for the first time since 1979. He had a significant role in the development of journalism in post-revolution Iran. Following the initial attacks on the reformist press, Iran's conservatives tried to undercut the reformist press by reactivating the Press Court. Bourghani stood up in the Court in front of the young presiding judge, Saeed Mortazavi
Saeed Mortazavi
Saeed Murtazavi is a controversial Iranian jurist and former prosecutor of the Islamic Revolutionary Court, and Prosecutor General of Tehran, a position he has held from 2003 to 2009. He has been called as "butcher of the press" and "torturer of Tehran" by some observers...
, and defended the freedom of the press
Freedom of the press
Freedom of the press or freedom of the media is the freedom of communication and expression through vehicles including various electronic media and published materials...
. Mortazavi, the nephew of Ayatollah Yazdi, was trying to force Bourghani and Khatami's government to shut down the Ja'meh newspaper but when Boorghani refused to do so, he himself ordered to shut down the newspaper.
After the closure of Jame'eh and Tous in the summer of 1998, a second crop of independent dailies appeared in late 1998. These papers exposed Intelligence Ministry agents' involvement in the political assassinations of reformist intellectuals and activists in late 1998.
Bourghani, chosen by Khatami, to spearhead the liberalization of the public sphere, resigned in February 1999, frustrated with the intransigence of the Commission for the Supervision of the Press (a joint committee of representatives of the three branches of government and the press that reviews press application and thus determines who can and cannot publish), and dismayed by lukewarm support from his own minister, Ata'ollah Mohajerani
Ata'ollah Mohajerani
Ata'ollah Mohajerani , , is an Iranian historian, politician, journalist, and author. Ata`ollah Mohajerani served as Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance of Iran under reformist President Mohammad Khatami until 2000 when he was resigned from office for alleged permissiveness."-Overview:Dr...
, who narrowly survived a parliamentary impeachment motion in May for "cultural laxity".
Two years later, he was elected as representative of Tehran to Majlis of Iran
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...
, The Iranian Parliament. As a Member of Iranian Parliament, he persuaded his goal for the freedom of the press in Iran and was one of the key people in debating the Reform of the Press laws. Shortly after, Ayatollah Khamenei sent a letter to the parliament demanding that the debate stop.
Ahmad Bourghani was also the president of the Parliamentary Friendship Group between Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and Iran. He was also the organizer of "Iran, hundred years after Iranian constitutional revolution", an international conference organized in Tehran (2007).
Bourghani died in a Tehran hospital of a heart attack at the age of 48.