Manouchehr Ganji
Encyclopedia
Manouchehr Ganji is a human rights activist and a former Minister of Education of Iran (1976–1979).
, Iran. He received his B.A. and M.A. degrees in Political Science
and International Relations
from the University of Kentucky
, his doctorate degree in International Law – International Protection of Human Rights - from the Graduate Institute of International Studies
, University of Geneva
, and his post doctorate degree from the University of Cambridge
.[1]
Ganji was the Minister of Education of Iran between the years 1976 and 1978. He served as professor of international law and international organizations at Tehran University from 1966 to 1979. He was the founder and the first Director of the University's Center for Graduate International Studies (1966–1971). He served as the Dean of Faculty of Law and Political Science of Tehran University (1971–1974) and he acted as the advisor to the Prime Minister of Iran, Amir Abbas Hoveida
, between the years 1974-1976. Ganji was also the Founder of the Iranian Committee for Human Rights, 1967 and its first Secretary-General, 1967-1970.[2] He has written 27 books in Persian
, English and French and many articles on the topics of international protection of human rights, civil disobedience
and international law.
Between 1961-62 he served on the Secretariat of the International Labour Organization
and the Division on the Application of the ILO Conventions and Recommendations (in Geneva). He later,1962–65 , worked for the UN Division of Human Rights at the UN Headquarters in New York.
At the time of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi
's reign, Ganji convinced the Shah to invite the International Committee of Red Cross to open up permanent offices in Iran, to visit and inspect Iranian prisons and guarantee that no torture was taking place there.[4] The ICRC offices remained open and active until after the Iranian Revolution
, when the ruling clerics closed them down in 1980. Since the Iranian Revolution, Ganji has been active in bringing violations of human rights in Iran by the ruling clerics to the world's attention.[5]
Ganji was the first Special Rapporteur for the United Nations Commission on Human Rights
on the question of apartheid and racial discrimination in southern Africa, including South Africa
, South West Africa (now known as Namibia
) and Southern Rhodesia
(now known as Zimbabwe
), during the years 1967-1969.[6]
Between 1969-1973 Ganji served as the U.N. Special Rapporteur in charge of preparation of a comprehensive Study on Conditions of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in all member countries of the United Nations.[7] The U.N. published this global study in 1974 in all its official languages.[8] In 1973 and 1976, Ganji was elected by the UN Commission of Human Rights to serve, in his personal capacity , as a Member of the UN Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities (each time for a 3 years term). In 1976 he was also elected by the Conference of States Parties to the United Nations Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to serve a three years term in his personal capacity as a Member of the Committee on Human Rights, responsible for overseeing the implementation of the Covenant.
To save his life, Ganji hid in Iran and six months after the 1979 revolution escaped Iran on foot into Turkey and from there to the United States. Ganji is the founder and Secretary General of the 'Derafsh Kaviani' (the Flag of Freedom Organization of Iran "FFO"), a democratic non-violent opposition movement to the clerical regime. He is also founder and Secretary General of the Organization for Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms for Iran whose aims and purposes are educating the Iranian people about their rights and freedoms, demanding their respect by the authorities, and through civil disobedience striving towards the establishment of a free and pluralistic society respectful of human rights,the rule of non-discrimination , separation of church and state and a parliamentary democracy in Iran.[9]
Through the Flag of Freedom Organization of Iran and the Organization for Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms for Iran, Ganji has been a leading advocate for freedom and human rights in Iran and has orchestrated a campaign of political defiance by advocating civil disobedience against the clerical regime in Iran since the revolution.
During the past 30 years, seven attempts have been made against Ganji's life. Seven of his closest colleagues were assassinated in Europe and in the Middle East by the agents of the clerical regime. Many others are said to have been imprisoned, tortured and killed in Iran.[10]
Ganji is the author of many books and articles in Persian, English, and French. In addition to his 5 volumes of the United Nations Reports; these include university textbooks on international law and international organizations (four volumes in Persian
), international protection of human rights, apartheid and racial discrimination in southern Africa, Etre Persan (a personal political memoir in French), a study of the developments of the past fifty years in Iran written in Persian, entitled Atash-e Nahofteh (The Hidden Fire ), and Defying the Iranian Revolution: From a Minister to the Shah to a Leader of Resistance.[11]
Life
Ganji was born in TehranTehran
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...
, Iran. He received his B.A. and M.A. degrees in Political Science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
and International Relations
International relations
International relations is the study of relationships between countries, including the roles of states, inter-governmental organizations , international nongovernmental organizations , non-governmental organizations and multinational corporations...
from the University of Kentucky
University of Kentucky
The University of Kentucky, also known as UK, is a public co-educational university and is one of the state's two land-grant universities, located in Lexington, Kentucky...
, his doctorate degree in International Law – International Protection of Human Rights - from the Graduate Institute of International Studies
Graduate Institute of International Studies
The Graduate Institute of International Studies, best known as HEI , was founded in 1927 as one of the first institutions in the world dedicated to the study of international relations...
, University of Geneva
University of Geneva
The University of Geneva is a public research university located in Geneva, Switzerland.It was founded in 1559 by John Calvin, as a theological seminary and law school. It remained focused on theology until the 17th century, when it became a center for Enlightenment scholarship. In 1873, it...
, and his post doctorate degree from the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
.[1]
Ganji was the Minister of Education of Iran between the years 1976 and 1978. He served as professor of international law and international organizations at Tehran University from 1966 to 1979. He was the founder and the first Director of the University's Center for Graduate International Studies (1966–1971). He served as the Dean of Faculty of Law and Political Science of Tehran University (1971–1974) and he acted as the advisor to the Prime Minister of Iran, Amir Abbas Hoveida
Amir Abbas Hoveida
Amir-Abbas Hoveyda, was an Iranian economist and politician who served as Prime Minister of Iran from January 27, 1965 to August 7, 1977. He was prime minister for 13 years and is the longest serving prime minister in Iran's history. He also served as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance...
, between the years 1974-1976. Ganji was also the Founder of the Iranian Committee for Human Rights, 1967 and its first Secretary-General, 1967-1970.[2] He has written 27 books in Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
, English and French and many articles on the topics of international protection of human rights, civil disobedience
Civil disobedience
Civil disobedience is the active, professed refusal to obey certain laws, demands, and commands of a government, or of an occupying international power. Civil disobedience is commonly, though not always, defined as being nonviolent resistance. It is one form of civil resistance...
and international law.
Human rights activities
Ganji has been a human rights protagonist since his student days in the US, in the 1950s. The subject of his Masters degree thesis was the United Nations and Human Rights and his PhD. dissertation was entitled "International Protection of Human Rights".Between 1961-62 he served on the Secretariat of the International Labour Organization
International Labour Organization
The International Labour Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that deals with labour issues pertaining to international labour standards. Its headquarters are in Geneva, Switzerland. Its secretariat — the people who are employed by it throughout the world — is known as the...
and the Division on the Application of the ILO Conventions and Recommendations (in Geneva). He later,1962–65 , worked for the UN Division of Human Rights at the UN Headquarters in New York.
At the time of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi
Mohammad Reza Pahlavi
Mohammad Rezā Shāh Pahlavi, Shah of Iran, Shah of Persia , ruled Iran from 16 September 1941 until his overthrow by the Iranian Revolution on 11 February 1979...
's reign, Ganji convinced the Shah to invite the International Committee of Red Cross to open up permanent offices in Iran, to visit and inspect Iranian prisons and guarantee that no torture was taking place there.[4] The ICRC offices remained open and active until after 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 the ruling clerics closed them down in 1980. Since the Iranian Revolution, Ganji has been active in bringing violations of human rights in Iran by the ruling clerics to the world's attention.[5]
Ganji was the first Special Rapporteur for the United Nations Commission on Human Rights
United Nations Commission on Human Rights
The United Nations Commission on Human Rights was a functional commission within the overall framework of the United Nations from 1946 until it was replaced by the United Nations Human Rights Council in 2006...
on the question of apartheid and racial discrimination in southern Africa, including South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, South West Africa (now known as Namibia
Namibia
Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia , is a country in southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east. It gained independence from South Africa on 21 March...
) and Southern Rhodesia
Southern Rhodesia
Southern Rhodesia was the name of the British colony situated north of the Limpopo River and the Union of South Africa. From its independence in 1965 until its extinction in 1980, it was known as Rhodesia...
(now known as Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
), during the years 1967-1969.[6]
Between 1969-1973 Ganji served as the U.N. Special Rapporteur in charge of preparation of a comprehensive Study on Conditions of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in all member countries of the United Nations.[7] The U.N. published this global study in 1974 in all its official languages.[8] In 1973 and 1976, Ganji was elected by the UN Commission of Human Rights to serve, in his personal capacity , as a Member of the UN Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities (each time for a 3 years term). In 1976 he was also elected by the Conference of States Parties to the United Nations Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to serve a three years term in his personal capacity as a Member of the Committee on Human Rights, responsible for overseeing the implementation of the Covenant.
To save his life, Ganji hid in Iran and six months after the 1979 revolution escaped Iran on foot into Turkey and from there to the United States. Ganji is the founder and Secretary General of the 'Derafsh Kaviani' (the Flag of Freedom Organization of Iran "FFO"), a democratic non-violent opposition movement to the clerical regime. He is also founder and Secretary General of the Organization for Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms for Iran whose aims and purposes are educating the Iranian people about their rights and freedoms, demanding their respect by the authorities, and through civil disobedience striving towards the establishment of a free and pluralistic society respectful of human rights,the rule of non-discrimination , separation of church and state and a parliamentary democracy in Iran.[9]
Through the Flag of Freedom Organization of Iran and the Organization for Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms for Iran, Ganji has been a leading advocate for freedom and human rights in Iran and has orchestrated a campaign of political defiance by advocating civil disobedience against the clerical regime in Iran since the revolution.
During the past 30 years, seven attempts have been made against Ganji's life. Seven of his closest colleagues were assassinated in Europe and in the Middle East by the agents of the clerical regime. Many others are said to have been imprisoned, tortured and killed in Iran.[10]
Ganji is the author of many books and articles in Persian, English, and French. In addition to his 5 volumes of the United Nations Reports; these include university textbooks on international law and international organizations (four volumes in Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
), international protection of human rights, apartheid and racial discrimination in southern Africa, Etre Persan (a personal political memoir in French), a study of the developments of the past fifty years in Iran written in Persian, entitled Atash-e Nahofteh (The Hidden Fire ), and Defying the Iranian Revolution: From a Minister to the Shah to a Leader of Resistance.[11]