Ahmad Zeidabadi
Encyclopedia
Ahmad Zeidabadi is an Iran
ian journalist
, academic, writer and political analyst and the secretary general of Office for Strengthening Unity
. He is one of the notable figures of the Iranian reform movement.
Zeidabadi has been arrested multiple times for his journalistic work. In June 2009, shortly after the Iranian presidential election
, Zeidabadi was arrested and held in conditions which the World Association of Newspapers
called "horrific." In December 2009, Zeidabadi was sentenced to six years in prison.
Zeidabadi is the winner of the World Association of Newspapers' Golden Pen of Freedom Award
for 2010 and UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize in 2011.
and BBC Persian
.
Zeidabadi's professional work as a journalist started when he joined Ettela'at
newspaper in 1989. He also worked with Hamshahri
newspaper as well as other reformist newspapers which started being published after Iran's election in 1997. He is the secretary general of Office for Strengthening Unity
and is one of the notable figures in Iranian reform movement. He is a member of the board of Iran's Journalists' Union.
He has always kept defending ethnic and religious minority rights with his articles. He also is an expert on the Middle East crisis and has many articles supporting the peace process. While he was not aggressive and did not insult anybody in his articles, he did not compromise anything in fighting for minority rights. His courage and integrity has been admired even by many of his colleagues that did not share the same political views with him on many issues.
In 2003, Zeidabadi was arrested again. This time, he was sentenced to 23 months in jail. This was reduced to 13 months on appeal.
In June 2009, right after the Iranian presidential election, security forces arrested Zeidabadi and took him to prison. He is kept in a very bad situation even compared to other political prisoners based on many reports. In prison, he went on a hunger strike that was broken by force by security forces. Amnesty International
described the conditions of his imprisonment as follows:
In December 2009, the Iranian Judiciary sentenced Zeidabadi to 6 years in prison, 5 years in exile in Gonabad, and lifetime ban on social and political activities in an in camera
court. He is charged with sedition
and propaganda
against Iran's regime.
for 2010.
In the award citation, the World Association of Newspapers
said:
in the disputed 2009 presidential election
.
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 journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
, academic, writer and political analyst and the secretary general of Office for Strengthening Unity
Office for Strengthening Unity
The Office for Strengthening Unity , is an Iranian student organization created in 1979, and has been described as "the country's most well-known student organization," and "Iran's leading prodemocracy student group"...
. He is one of the notable figures of the Iranian reform movement.
Zeidabadi has been arrested multiple times for his journalistic work. In June 2009, shortly after the Iranian 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...
, Zeidabadi was arrested and held in conditions which the World Association of Newspapers
World Association of Newspapers
The World Association of Newspapers is a non-profit, non-governmental organization made up of 76 national newspaper associations, 12 news agencies, 10 regional press organisations and individual newspaper executives in 100 countries...
called "horrific." In December 2009, Zeidabadi was sentenced to six years in prison.
Zeidabadi is the winner of the World Association of Newspapers' Golden Pen of Freedom Award
World Association of Newspapers' Golden Pen of Freedom Award
The Golden Pen of Freedom Award is an annual international journalism award established in 1961, given by the World Association of Newspapers to individuals or organisations. The stated purpose of the award is "to recognise the outstanding action, in writing or deed, of an individual, a group or an...
for 2010 and UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize in 2011.
Background
Zeidabadi holds a doctorate degree in international relations from Tehran University. His PhD thesis topic was "Religion and Government in Israel". His articles appeared in many newspapers and other media such as RoozRooz
Rooz is a Persian and English news website. It is mostly staffed by exiled Iranian journalists including Masoud Behnoud, Ebrahim Nabavi and Nikahang Kowsar with occasional articles by activists and journalists inside Iran, including Shirin Ebadi and Ahmad Zeidabadi...
and BBC Persian
BBC Persian
BBC Persian is the Persian language radio station and TV operated by the BBC which conveys the latest political, social, economical and sport news relevant to Iran, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan, and the world. Its headquarters are in London, United Kingdom...
.
Zeidabadi's professional work as a journalist started when he joined Ettela'at
Ettela'at
- Incidents :On January 6, 1978 a slanderous article appeared in Ettela'at suggesting Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini was a homosexual and a serving British agent. The next day, clerics in Qom protested and the police demanded they disperse. When they refused, police opened fire and at least twenty...
newspaper in 1989. He also worked with Hamshahri
Hamshahri
Hamshahri is a major national Iranian Persian-language newspaper published by the Municipality of Tehran, and founded by Gholamhossein Karbaschi. It is the first coloured daily newspaper in Iran and has over 60 pages of classified advertisement, and is priced at 1000 Iranian rials. Currently, the...
newspaper as well as other reformist newspapers which started being published after Iran's election in 1997. He is the secretary general of Office for Strengthening Unity
Office for Strengthening Unity
The Office for Strengthening Unity , is an Iranian student organization created in 1979, and has been described as "the country's most well-known student organization," and "Iran's leading prodemocracy student group"...
and is one of the notable figures in Iranian reform movement. He is a member of the board of Iran's Journalists' Union.
He has always kept defending ethnic and religious minority rights with his articles. He also is an expert on the Middle East crisis and has many articles supporting the peace process. While he was not aggressive and did not insult anybody in his articles, he did not compromise anything in fighting for minority rights. His courage and integrity has been admired even by many of his colleagues that did not share the same political views with him on many issues.
Imprisonment
In 2000, Zeidabadi was arrested and was sentenced to 13 months in jail. He is mostly known for an open letter he wrote from prison during this time. In the letter, he protested how Iran's judiciary dealt with the journalists in prison.In 2003, Zeidabadi was arrested again. This time, he was sentenced to 23 months in jail. This was reduced to 13 months on appeal.
In June 2009, right after the Iranian presidential election, security forces arrested Zeidabadi and took him to prison. He is kept in a very bad situation even compared to other political prisoners based on many reports. In prison, he went on a hunger strike that was broken by force by security forces. Amnesty International
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
described the conditions of his imprisonment as follows:
Ahmad Zeidabadi, a journalist for Roozonline, an online publication based in Belgium and
spokesperson for the Graduates’ Association, was arrested on 21 June. He was held
incommunicado until his appearance on 8 August at the second session of the “show trial”
(see Chapter 7). His wife was only allowed to visit him in Evin Prison for the first time on 17
August and said that he was in an extremely bad physical and emotional state. She said that
Ahmad Zeidabadi told her that he had been held in solitary confinement for 35 days after his
arrest in a coffin-like cell only 1.5m long. He had apparently gone on hunger strike for 17
days until doctors convinced him to stop. His wife met him again in mid-September, when he
told her that he had been severely beaten during interrogation. In an interview with Radio
Farda on 23 September, she said his interrogator told him:
“We are ordered to crush you, and if you do not cooperate we can do anything we want with
you and if you do not write the interrogation papers, we will force you to eat them.”
In December 2009, the Iranian Judiciary sentenced Zeidabadi to 6 years in prison, 5 years in exile in Gonabad, and lifetime ban on social and political activities in an in camera
In camera
In camera is a legal term meaning "in private". It is also sometimes termed in chambers or in curia.In camera describes court cases that the public and press are not admitted to...
court. He is charged with sedition
Sedition
In law, sedition is overt conduct, such as speech and organization, that is deemed by the legal authority to tend toward insurrection against the established order. Sedition often includes subversion of a constitution and incitement of discontent to lawful authority. Sedition may include any...
and propaganda
Propaganda
Propaganda is a form of communication that is aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position so as to benefit oneself or one's group....
against Iran's regime.
Award
On 17 December 2009, Zeidabadi won World Association of Newspapers' Golden Pen of Freedom AwardWorld Association of Newspapers' Golden Pen of Freedom Award
The Golden Pen of Freedom Award is an annual international journalism award established in 1961, given by the World Association of Newspapers to individuals or organisations. The stated purpose of the award is "to recognise the outstanding action, in writing or deed, of an individual, a group or an...
for 2010.
In the award citation, the World Association of Newspapers
World Association of Newspapers
The World Association of Newspapers is a non-profit, non-governmental organization made up of 76 national newspaper associations, 12 news agencies, 10 regional press organisations and individual newspaper executives in 100 countries...
said:
"All journalists are aware of the dangers of challenging the autocratic regime of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the actions of Iran's Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei. Mr Zeid-Abadi has chosen to repeatedly brave them and publicly support reform and the rule of law in Iran. He was sentenced to six years in prison, five years in internal exile in the town of Gonabad and a lifetime writing ban in the wake of the disputed presidential election in June. Mr Zeid-Abadi has refused to give in, despite the horrific conditions in which he is being held, and his courage makes us feel very humble. We hope Mr Zeid-Abadi's sentence will be overturned."
Personal
He takes an anti-government position. He supported reformist candidate Mehdi KarroubiMehdi 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...
in the disputed 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...
.