Akbar Ganji is an Iranian journalist and writer who is not liked by the Iranian regime. Ganji just completed a six year sentence in prison for writing articles linking high-ranking Iranian officials with a series of political killings in 1998. Known as the "serial murders," Ganji uncovered the involvement of government officials in the murder of several prominent writers and political activists. He acquired his freedom in March 2006, and under the auspices of Amnesty International (AI), made his way to AI's headquarters in Washington, D.C. to speak to the media about what he said is "the widespread democracy movement in Iran."
Speaking through an interpreter, Ganji said, "We need the help of the foreign media to get our message to our own people as well as to the world." His message is one that advocates democracy, human rights, and freedom. His most telling remark to the media was "the greatest weakness in the [Iranian] regime is its human rights record and lack of democracy and freedom. This is what "loses faith with the people," he said.
"The human rights… is the only point on which we can win, the only way to challenge them." In the eyes of Iranians, the issue of human rights and democracy makes "our struggle legitimate because the regime is universally condemned. It still lies that there are no political prisoners and says that it doesn't violate human rights."
An AI report on Iran notes that since President Mahmud Ahmadinejad came to power about six months ago, there have been signs of a "further harshening of repression." In addition to the repression of ethnic minorities, especially Arabs and Kurds, and the repression of religious minorities, especially Bahai's, the continuing restrictions on freedom of expression and association impact the journalists and human rights defenders.
Ganji said, "Over a hundred newspapers have been closed down [in Iran]. Many journalists have been imprisoned. No new permits have been issued for [publishing] new newspapers."
Ganji said censorship is the "rule of the day." Journalists succumb to self-censorship so "they won't be shut down."
AI reported that at least 10 journalists were summoned by the Ministry of Intelligence and Security officials and warned not to criticize the government of President Ahmadinejad or to write on sensitive issues, e.g., Iran's nuclear program.
Ganji said that books receive "enormous censorship" and are only allowed to be printed by the Minister of Guidance. "It takes one to two years to get a permit to publish a book."
These conditions make it hard for an accomplished writer like Ganji to publish his writings and make his pro-democracy views known. According to AI, while Ganji was imprisoned, he wrote in 2002 the "Republican Manifesto," which described his vision of a democratic republic of Iran, said an AI report. A second version of this work completed in May 2005 argued for a complete boycott of the Presidential elections. His criticism of the current regime required his writings in prison to be smuggled out. They were widely distributed, especially on the web, says the AI report.
"Akbar Ganji has been repeatedly honored with international awards such as the MESA Academic Freedom Prize (2005), the Press Freedom Award (2005), the Golden Pen of Freedom (2006) and the Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders (2006)," according to AI's statement.
The charges against Ganji sound strange and ridiculous to Westerners but are typical of the repressive fundamentalist regimes: "collecting confidential information harmful to national security" and spreading "propaganda against the Islamic system." Ganji said the most prevalent charge made by the government is spying.
Prison Conditions in Iran
Ganji said accused persons are "forced under torture to admit to something they have not done." The regime has a set of procedures and laws that permit solitary confinement and other forms of ill-treatment. There also exists a parallel system with its own detention facilities that are not within the judiciary purview. AI reports that denial of medical treatment is an increasingly common occurrence to pressure political prisoners, and uses ganji as one example.
Ganji began a hunger strike in June 2005 to protest the denial of medical care for his chronic asthma. He ended his hunger strike after more than 80 days. In Aug 2005, United nations Secretary General Kofi Annan called on President Ahmadinejad to release Ganji.
Ganji was temporarily released for medical treatment but was returned to prison in Sep 2005 and placed in solitary confinement. His wife said that he told her of being beaten by police while in the hospital prior to his return to prison.
How the Outside World Can Aid Democracy Development in Iran
Ganji made several comments that have implications for the U.S. policy makers regarding Iran. He probably would like to have a direct dialogue with the U.S. government, but if he did, he would be too easily discredited by the Iranian regime. So, he said, "I am having a conversation with the U.S. government through you [i.e., the media]."
Ganji sees the only viable road ahead for Iran and the world is respect for human rights and the building of strong democracies. Regardless of the differences between believers in democracy, they commonly share a desire for tolerance—a practice which the current regime and other totalitarian governments egregiously violate.
Democracy also needs peace to flourish. "The voice of peace, freedom, democracy, and human rights" needs to be the voice of the world, Ganji says. Ganji spoke of the enemy in the east and the west as the "extremists." In his country it is the voice of Islamism, terrorism, warmongering—the voice of Bin Laden, Al Quada, and Islamism. He said there are extremists in the West too that want confrontation which retards democratic advocacy in Iran.
Non-democratic governments are secretive and non-accountable. In order to maintain power, they have to create a foreign enemy. Non-democratic governments need to have a crisis so that they can put down the opposition.
Ganji concludes, therefore, that a war or invasion by the U.S. would hurt the democracy movement in Iran. He said the focus should be on human rights and democracy, where the regime is most vulnerable. The regime uses the nuclear issue as a distraction. He thinks the West are playing into the hands of the regime. Israel is allowed to have a nuclear bomb, but Iran is not permitted to even have a nuclear generator. The people will think the West is not fair, and end up supporting the hardline regime.
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