Ali Afshari
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Ali Afshari (Persian: علی افشاری; born 1973) has become one of the most recognizable faces within Iran’s reform movement. [citation needed] For ten years Afshari has campaigned for reform-minded leaders and change within the Islamic Republic, with posts including membership on the Central Council of Office for Strengthening Unity and membership on the Central Council of the Islamic Student Association at Amirkabir University of Technology, where he served as the secretary of the association for three years.
Biography
From 1995 to 1999 Afshari was a member of Central Council of the Islamic Student Association at Amirkabir University of Technology, serving as the Secretary of the Association. From 1999 to 2004 he was a member of Central Council of the Office to Foster Unity National Islamic Student Association (Daftar- Tahkim-e Vahdat). From 1996 to 1997 Afshari was coordinator of Khatami’s Student Political Campaign, included coordination of student activities and gatherings in support of Khatami’s presidential election nationally in 30 universities. From 2000 to 2003 he was imprisoned by the Islamic Republic of Iran for political crimes, including activities against national security. 400 of these days were spent in solitary confinement.
From 2000 to 2003, Afshari was imprisoned by the Islamic Republic on charges that he was threatening the national security of the country though his active role in pro-democracy programs on college campuses. During those years, he was placed in solitary confinement for 400 days, including 328 days consecutively. Following days of abuse, Afshari was tortured into providing a false confession in which he admitted to the crimes with which he was charged.[1] This confession was broadcast across Iran and garnered considerable attention from the public. Despite the human rights abuses which were carried out against Afshari, he has been even more vigorous in his pursuit of bringing democracy and human rights standards to Iran since his release.
Advocacy
After completing his Masters of Science in Industrial Engineering at Amirkabir University of Technology (Tehran Poly Technique)in 2004, Afshari has traveled to Ireland and the United States in an effort to bring the injustices of the Islamic Regime to light. Afshari has published his views in over forty essays and papers including Roozonline, Gooya news and has been profiled by the BBC, Agence France Presse and The Irish Times.
On March 2,2006 he and Akbar Atri gave talks on human right and democracy in Iran at a panel discussion organized by Senator Rick Santorum and Senator Joe Lieberman at the U.S. Capitol. The event was sponsored by The Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Iranian Students for Democracy and Human Rights. Their talk provided updated information on human rights abuses in Iran and detailed the progress of Iran ’s pro-democracy movement as well as the hurdles confronting it.
Publications
- Translation of: About Evolution, with Dr. Nasser Zarafshan, Agah Publications, 2005, Tehran.
- 1996 – 2005 Published upwards of 40 essays and papers in the print media, and the internet addressing issues of freedom of expression, human rights, women’s rights, democracy, the rights of ethnic and religious minorities, and in support of political prisoners.
- 1996 – 2005 Conducted numerous interviews with the print media on issues related to human rights and democracy.
- 1996 – 2005 Provided over 100 talks, speeches and papers in public gatherings in support of democracy, human rights, reform, etc.
References
- ^ NPR, Morning Edition, 7/19/2007
See also
External links
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