Mahshid Amirshahi
Encyclopedia
Mahshid Amirshahi is a contemporary Iran
ian writer born in Kermanshah
. She is an active proponent of establishing a secular democracy
in Iran, and as an opponent of the current Islam
ic republic, for which she moved into exile in France
after the 1979 Iranian revolution
.
During the revolution, Amirshahi was one of the only politically active writers openly supporting Shahpour Bakhtiar. She even published an article in Ayandegan
in January 1979, warning the danger of a religious regime, and stressing on the necessity of supporting Bakhtiar, whom she named a national hero and maverick. She has continued her long enduring support for Bakhtiar to date, saying "It's a great pain to be a maverick, but at the same time, it brings you pride, which is a cure to that pain."
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 writer born in Kermanshah
Kermanshah
Kermanshah is a city in and the capital of Kermanshah Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 784,602, in 198,117 families.The overwhelming majority of Kermanshahi people are Shi'a Muslims...
. She is an active proponent of establishing a secular democracy
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
in Iran, and as an opponent of the current Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
ic republic, for which she moved into exile in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
after the 1979 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...
.
During the revolution, Amirshahi was one of the only politically active writers openly supporting Shahpour Bakhtiar. She even published an article in Ayandegan
Ayandegan
Ayandegan was one of the most influential and popular daily newspapers in Iran during Mohammad Reza Pahlavi's rule. It was founded by Daryoush Homayoun. After the 1979 revolution, on August 8, 1979, the revolutionary prosecutor banned the newspaper....
in January 1979, warning the danger of a religious regime, and stressing on the necessity of supporting Bakhtiar, whom she named a national hero and maverick. She has continued her long enduring support for Bakhtiar to date, saying "It's a great pain to be a maverick, but at the same time, it brings you pride, which is a cure to that pain."