The name of Akbar Ganji, an Iranian journalist is not unrecognisable to the politicians, the media community and western intellectuals who follow social, political and cultural changes of Iran with great delicacy and enthusiasm. He, who has recently been released from prison after many years of ordeal, has been given permission to leave the country in order to receive his awards that were given to him as a gesture of appreciation for his display of struggles and strength whilst in prison, in the name of freedom as an act of defence of human rights. In his current travels around the world, Ganji introduces himself as the messenger of the Iranian people who seek peace and freedom. At a glance on the social and political life of this journalist it may be possible to view a picture, part of which shows the changing cultural values that the Iranian society, the intellectuals and political community have undergone, from the early stages of the Islamic revolution up until today; his two trips to the west as the messenger of ‘the voice of the people of Iran’ is a reflection of this very picture.

To perform his revolutionary duties, Ganji, whom in the first few years of the revolution was amongst the most dedicated supporters of the Islamic revolutionaries, was even granted the post of the security guard to the leader of the revolution (Ayatollah Khomeini). However, as the fiery excitement of the revolution was settled down and the Islamic fundamentalist regime entered its new era of foundation and stabilisation, particularly after the 8 year war with Iraq was ended, which coincided with the bloody suppression of the internal oppositions and protesters, he and hundreds of other Islamic revolutionaries of his generation gradually reached the conclusion that the revolution had diverted from its primary targets. From one side, the political and economical power was limited to certain distinguished ruling groups and on the other side, the sever political suppression and aggressive cultural and social pressures on the society resulted in the spread of dissatisfaction amongst the people and vast sectors of intellectuals, political, cultural and university executives. At the same time that the level of dissatisfaction of the society reached its peak and the foundations of the logistics of a regime that was in fact the result of the revolution were loosening, the educated youngsters and Islamic ideologists such as Ganji, whom although still dedicated to the idols of the Islamic revolution and the religious regime that had emerged from it, thought it was vital to conduct reforms within the structural power, without having to emerge from its main political and constitutional format of this clerical regime.

Ganji commenced his journalism career by publishing the weekly ‘Rahe Noe’ (New Way) at the same time that the 2nd Khordad Movement, (late 1997) was gaining strength. Within a short time this magazine was turned into yet another voice for the reformists and in addition of publishing articles about the connection of Islam with modernization and democracy, it also published articles that criticised day to day politics of the authorities and powerful wings of the Islamic regime. Like many other publications by reformists of that time, ‘Rahe Noe’ was forced to cease publishing shortly after. After that, Ganji worked as a freelance in different reformist newspapers such as ‘Sobhe Emrooz’, ‘Asre Azadegan’ and ‘Fath’. At the time when the serial murders of the country’s intellectuals, by the intelligent security service and by order of executive commissioners of the regime were taking place, his continuing work as a freelance journalist lead him to the subject of revealing the supporters of the murders and those who were responsible. When he went to Germany for the first time, as a messenger of the voice of the people of Iran, he was known as the most radical Iranian journalist and his life was over shadowed by extreme danger of arrest and imprisonment.

The very first time, when Akbar Ganji travelled to Berlin, amongst other selected writers, journalists, lawyers, activists of the student movement and women’s movement, by invitation of Heinrich bel, in order to participate in the 3 day conference of 7-9th April 2000, like all other 16 people who travelled with him, he saw himself as a messenger from the reformist movement from within the ruling Islamic regime of Iran. At that time, in an introductory interview his comments about himself and his reformist friends were:

“Individuals such as myself are endeavouring to bring together Islam and democracy as well as Islam with modernization. We have gradually turned into a social Movement.”

At that time, despite his strong criticism of some sectors of the Islamic regime, differentiating between Akbar Ganji’s type of mentality, as well as many other guests that were present at the Berlin Conference, and the religious intellectuals that defended the Islamic regime was an impossible task; because not only the structure of the Islamic regime and the complicated influence of organizations that controlled different sections of the political and cultural community allowed or made it possible for such proceedings by independent individuals to take place in the open, but also Ganji and the majority of his companions and co-thinkers never actually claimed that they were acting independently. Also from the point of view of internal supporters and government officials, the presence of a group of selected intellectuals who were mainly from Khatami’s wing who defended the continuation of a clerical regime, at a conference in a European country was a valuable opportunity for presenting a likable face to international governments and make an impact to the general views in Europe regarding Khatami’s government. Even the German intellectuals and politicians who had the responsibility of hosting this Iranian group, conducted the “3 day conference on Iran” in Berlin, with the intension to further familiarise themselves with some of the religious intellectuals and exchange views with them, whom at that time claimed that sooner or later the Iranian society will be able to transform into a democratic and civilized society by ways of reforming the structure of the clerical regime whilst preserving its Islamic political and civil framework. They, also had high hopes and expectations from these changes and did not hide the fact that under no circumstances did they wish to loose this ‘historic opportunity’ which was participation and having a closer look and even assisting these historical changes in the way of democratization of this country despite its Islamic regime. At the same time, The Heinrischbel institution which was the main organizer of this venue, in a section of their brochure which explained the reasons for conducting this 3 day conference and their expectations of the process of reform in Iran wrote:

“A new era has commenced for president Khatami and his cabinet. There will never be any more obstructions against the agenda of this government from the parliament. (At that time, the 6th round of the Islamic parliament was completely in control of the reformist MPs who supported Khatami), as a result the period of promises has come to an end and now the government is under obligation to fulfil promises as a vast section of the people are awaiting re-forming to take place.”

Ganji, like many of other participants at the Berlin Conference was arrested and sent to prison upon his return and was convicted of ‘betray of national security’. Six years have passed since then and so much has happened during this time; spokesmen and defendants of the ‘Reform project’ such as Ganji have admitted to its failure. The highest rank and symbol of this movement, President Khatami, practically announced his loyalty and continuous support of the Islamic regime, even at its worst type of fundamentalist form, by accepting a post next to Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani whom at the peak of the reform movement had been summoned by the Miconus court for his proven involvement in the terrors outside the country and for the known chain murders. The western world is no longer prepared to tolerate against the fundamentalist and war breeding government of Ahmadinejad and the dangers that they will face if this regime is in possession of nuclear weapons, and waste any more time than the 8 years that have already been wasted. Even western intellectuals who are interested in democratic changes of Moslem societies are now drawing their attention to the debates of Moslems who are outside the political power and are searching for ways of modernizing Islam amongst Moslem and non-Moslem intellectuals of the society who are not so keen on achieving political power by using religion as their tool. Some of the 17 members of that same group who were pro-reformist movement inside the regime have been disposed of, fled the country or exiled. Some have chosen to remain silent in order to prevent torture and prison sentences. Another group have lost hope of reform from within the regime and have joined the line of oppositions who object to the interference of religion with government and are now fighting for the complete separation of these two issues from human life in Iran. Some of this group of 17 members have spent all or part of this time inside prison. Akbar Ganji is one of those who spent all of that time in prison, mostly in individual cells and severely harmed. He almost lost his life, in the name of freedom and in defence of human rights. His 70 days hunger strike alone shows that in defending one’s beliefs it is possible to break away from any borders that seem impossible by sheer determination. Today Ganji’s life and indeed the lives of many political prisoners in Iran, a vast majority of whom are heroically putting themselves in horrific circumstances as an act of defence for freedom and human right issues, in order to gain the new values of the Iranian society and the return of Iran to the family of the international world, and a peaceful environment, are undoubtedly the symbol of the great changes in the valuable cultural and political beliefs amongst the aware society of Iran.

Ganji started his second round of travels around the world after experiencing these changes in himself and the Iranian society. His first stop in Moscow was in order to receive the Golden pen award from the International Institute of Journalists. Since then he has travelled from Berlin to Florence and New York and other major and capital cities of western countries and has delivered many speeches, has had talks with many intellectual international figures and has been interviewed by the media on several occasions. Once again Ganji claims that he is delivering a message from the people of Iran. He is using this opportunity of freedom to endeavour and make awareness amongst the general public and other countries and governments of the world and draw their attention to the breech of the human rights in Iran, by taking actions such as conducting a 3 day hunger strike both inside and outside the country with the help of a vast category of Iranians in exile around the world. He and other freedom-loving Iranians from different beliefs and political tendencies are making a united effort to gain global support for the release of political prisoners in Iran and to enforce pressure on the Islamic Republic.

In these actions, Ganji and other liberal Iranian intellectuals have clearly specified the separation of the people and the rebellious and war-seeking mentality of the clerical regime. In his speech at the National Institute of American Journalists, when he received the year 2006 award, this journalist points out:

“You must acknowledge me only as a voice that is reflecting the needs, hopes and suffering of the people; those who are worried that they may be judged by the actions of those who rule them and that their humanity which they share with all human beings may be invisible from the eyes of the world.”

During Ganji’s two-month tour, a few weeks of which have already passed by, he has delivered and published many speeches. Undoubtedly many aspects of his speeches and articles derive from his own views and opinions as one of the intellectual-political figures of the society and depend on only one of the opinion- political sectors of the society. However, for those who seriously follow issues relating to Iran, what is most important is the chain that connects the Iranian society together and puts leading political and intellectual figures into one united and common line and Ganji in all his speeches has never withdrawn from emphasizing on the importance of building up this united chain and has insisted on this issue at any opportunity that he has found; insisting on the values of liberalization, peace and friendly co-existence with other nations, defending and implementing the international Human-Rights manifesto in Iran and administrating equal justice for all Iranians in their homeland. Ganji and all other freedom loving Iranians, from any family of politics agree that such values are the base of today’s movement for democracy and the conditions for any future transformation in Iran and they are asking all liberal international communities to assist them in this hopeful path!


The Chain Hunger Strikes of Iranians In Defence of Iranian Prisoners

Following and in reply to Ganji’s announcement and invite for a 3-day chain of hunger strikes, in the aim to gain public attention and international support for defending the lives of political prisoners in Iran, thousands of Iranians from inside the country and different parts of the world sent messages of support for this call by Ganji and his actions on an international level. Also hundreds of people announced that their willingness to participate in the hunger strikes and so this action took place in a joint attempt by Iranians inside and outside the country from 14th-17th July 2006 in many cities such as Tehran, Ankara, Istanbul, Sidney, Toronto, Stockholm, Vienna, London, Koln, Hamburg, Berlin, Paris, Brussels, Atlanta, San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and….