Mohsen Aminzadeh
Encyclopedia
Mohsen Aminzadeh born 1957 in Mashhad
, Iran
, is an Iranian reformist diplomat and politician. Aminzadeh was a founding member of the largest reformist party, the Islamic Iran Participation Front
. He served as the Deputy Foreign Minister during the 1997-2005 administration of the Iranian president Mohammad Khatami
.
Like many other senior reformist politicians, Aminzadeh was arrested in June 2009 for protesting the disputed re-election of president Ahmadinejad and convicted in 2010 of conspiring to "disturb security" and "spreading propaganda" against the Islamic regime.
in 1982.
He entered Shahid Beheshti University
in late 1990 and studied for a Masters in Political Science. He also has PhD in Political Science from Tehran University.
.
He served as Deputy Foreign Minister from 1997–2005 under the reformist administration of Mohammad Khatami
.
News and Amnesty International
have described him as "a leading member" of the Islamic Iran Participation Front
. According to the semiofficial ISNA
news agency, Aminzadeh was head of the opposition coalition's headquarters in 2009. He was arrested in June 2009, amidst the 2009 Iranian election protests
.
On February 8, 2010, ISNA reported that Aminzadeh had been sentenced to six years in prison by an Revolutionary court
– making him one of the most senior of the 100 reform activists and politicians to be sentenced following the mass trial of the postelection crackdown.
According to Aminzadeh's lawyer, Abbas Shiri, his client was convicted of conspiring to "disturb security" and "spreading propaganda" against the regime.
Mashhad
Mashhad , is the second largest city in Iran and one of the holiest cities in the Shia Muslim world. It is also the only major Iranian city with an Arabic name. It is located east of Tehran, at the center of the Razavi Khorasan Province close to the borders of Afghanistan and Turkmenistan. Its...
, 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...
, is an Iranian reformist diplomat and politician. Aminzadeh was a founding member of the largest reformist party, the Islamic Iran Participation Front
Islamic Iran Participation Front
The Islamic Iran Participation Front is a reformist political party in Iran...
. He served as the Deputy Foreign Minister during the 1997-2005 administration of the Iranian 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...
.
Like many other senior reformist politicians, Aminzadeh was arrested in June 2009 for protesting the disputed re-election of president Ahmadinejad and convicted in 2010 of conspiring to "disturb security" and "spreading propaganda" against the Islamic regime.
Education
Aminzadeh received a B.Sc. in Mining Engineering from Amirkabir University of TechnologyAmirkabir University of Technology
Amirkabir University of Technology , formerly called the Tehran Polytechnic is a public research university located in Tehran, Iran. AUT is one of the most prestigious universities and the first established technical university in Iran...
in 1982.
He entered 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...
in late 1990 and studied for a Masters in Political Science. He also has PhD in Political Science from Tehran University.
Political career
In 1988, Aminzadeh was appointed the first head of a department dedicated to the press within the Ministry of CultureMinistry of Culture and Islamic Guidance
The Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance is the ministry of Culture of the Islamic Republic of Iran. It is responsible for restricting access to any media of which the Islamic Regime in Tehran does not approve....
.
He served as Deputy Foreign Minister from 1997–2005 under the reformist administration of 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...
.
Arrest and imprisonment
BBCBBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
News and 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...
have described him as "a leading member" of the Islamic Iran Participation Front
Islamic Iran Participation Front
The Islamic Iran Participation Front is a reformist political party in Iran...
. According to the semiofficial ISNA
ISNA
ISNA can refer to:Abbreviations/acronyms* Iranian Students' News Agency* Intersex Society of North America* Islamic Society of North America* Indigenous Sovereign Nation Assembly, an assembly of indigenous nations in New Zealand and vicinityPlaces...
news agency, Aminzadeh was head of the opposition coalition's headquarters in 2009. He was arrested in June 2009, amidst the 2009 Iranian election protests
2009 Iranian election protests
Protests following the 2009 Iranian presidential election against the disputed victory of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and in support of opposition candidates Mir-Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi occurred in major cities in Iran and around the world starting June 13, 2009...
.
On February 8, 2010, ISNA reported that Aminzadeh had been sentenced to six years in prison by an Revolutionary court
Islamic Revolutionary Court
Islamic Revolutionary Court is a special court in the Islamic Republic of Iran designed to try those suspected of smuggling, blaspheming, inticing violence or trying to overthrow the Iranian government...
– making him one of the most senior of the 100 reform activists and politicians to be sentenced following the mass trial of the postelection crackdown.
According to Aminzadeh's lawyer, Abbas Shiri, his client was convicted of conspiring to "disturb security" and "spreading propaganda" against the regime.