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. For ten years Mr. Afshari has campaigned for reform-minded leaders and change within the Islamic Republic. His posts have included membership on the Central Council of Office for Strengthening Unity and membership on the Central Council of the Islamic Student Association at Amir Kabir University, where he served as the secretary of the association for three years.
From 2000 to 2003, Mr. 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, Mr. Afshari was tortured into providing a false confession in which he admitted to the crimes with which he was charged. This confession was broadcast across Iran and garnered considerable attention from the public. Despite the human rights abuses which were carried out against Mr. Afshari, he has been even more vigorous in his pursuit of bringing democracy and human rights standards to Iran since his release. After completing his Masters of Science in Industrial Engineering at Amir Kabir Industrial University (Tehran Poly Technique), Mr. Afshari has traveled to Ireland and the United States in an effort to bring the injustices of the Islamic Regime to light.
Mr. 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 pannel discussion organized by senator Rick Santorum and senator Joe Lieberman in 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 detail the progress of Iran ’s pro-democracy movement as well as the hurdles confronting it.
Political Experience:
1995-1999 Member Central Council of the Islamic Student Association at Amir Kabir University, served as the Secretary of the Association for three years.
1999-2004 Member of Central Council of the Office to Foster Unity National Islamic Student Association (Daftar- Tahkim-e Vahdat), responsible for political affairs for three of these years.
1996-1997 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—these activities resulted in imprisonment during the last few days of campaigning (political campaigning lasted only 2 weeks).
2000-2003 Imprisoned by the Islamic Republic of Iran, for political crimes, including activities against national security, 400 of these days were spent in solitary confinement (328 days were consecutive).
Activities:
1995 Coordinated student activities in defense of Dr. Abdul Karim Soroush’s right to publish writing and his freedom of speech at Amir Kabir University, which was followed by ten days in solitary confinement.
1997 Coordinated efforts on behalf of the Islamic Student Association Amir Kabir University designed to advocate for the human rights of Ayatollah Montazeri, object to attacks and seizure of his home by armed pressure groups (plain clothes groups supported by conservative elements within the regime).
1995 -1998 Organized a number of protests against the influence and power of armed pressure groups and their attacks against intellectuals, reformists, civil society activists, as part of my responsibility within Amir Kabir Islamic Student Organization and Office to Foster Unity. 1998 Coordinated a campaign in protest of the arrest of Gholam Hosein Karbaschi, the Mayor of Tehran.
1998 Coordinated a protest objecting to the serial killings of intellectuals in Amir Kabir University (and estimated 80 persons were assassinated by rouge elements within the Ministry of Intelligence). This was the first protest meeting objecting to the killings and before Khatami’s government officially announced that the killings were carried out by forces within the intelligence ministry.
1998 Coordinated activities designed to identify candidates for the city council elections (the first election for city councils). The candidates supported by the Office to Foster Unity tended to be those who were critical of the political status quo, reform oriented and who supported student and youth rights.
1999 Coordinated protests objecting to the arrest of Dr. Mohsen Kadivar, who was arrested for criticism of the regime, especially criticism of the Supreme Leader. Coordinated student protests objecting to the dormitory incident (July 1999—18th of Tir), where student dormitories were stormed by plain clothes pressure groups, followed by the police. Several students were injured, one killed and over 2000 students were arrested, some of them are still serving prison terms. A student council was set up to follow developments in this case, in which I served as a member. I was subsequently arrested in relation to these activities and served 1 year in prison (2003).
1999 Coordinated a protest objecting to the arrest of Hojat-ol-Islam Abdullah Nouri’s arrest on press charges.
2000 Coordinated student activities with respect to endorsement of candidates for the 6th parliamentary election (known as the reformist parliament). Participated in the Berlin Conference (2000), after which I was arrested and served initially 2 months and then ten additional months (2002).
2000 Coordinated protests objecting to human rights violations in the Islamic Republic of Iran in the City of Khoram Abad. The meeting was disrupted by the revolutionary guards.
2000 Delivered a speech criticizing the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran and in defense of the freedom of the press at Amir Kabir University. I was subsequently charged with the crime of overthrowing the Islamic Republic government the court for this charge is currently in progress. I served a temporary sentence for this charge which lasted one year, 328 days of this temporary imprisonment was spent in solitary confinement, with consistent physical torture throughout the first three months of arrest, and mental torture throughout. I was forced to repent my crimes on public television.
2003 Coordinated, as a member of the Central Committee of the Office to Foster Unity, student activities designed to promote fundamental reform within and/or beyond the system of the Islamic Republic of Iran and to change the constitution of the IRI.
2004 Coordinated student activities designed to boycott the 7th parliamentary election, in which all the sitting members of the 6th parliament (reformist parliament) were disqualified from running for elections, by the Guardian Council.
2005 Coordinated student activities designed to boycott the 9th Presidential elections, with emphasis on the defense of human rights. 2005 Lead, as one of the main and initial supporters, the effort calling for a referendum on the constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the structure of power of the regime.
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.
Education:
2004, M.S. Industrial Engineering, Amir Kabir Industrial University (Tehran Poly Technique)
