Akbar Ganji: A Profile in Courage

Shaheen Fatemi, Iran va Jahan:

Akbar Ganji the celebrated symbol of Iranian resistance has just won another round against Sultan Ali Khamenei, the absolute ruler of this captive nation. The battle of David and Goliath of our time is being replayed everyday in the Islamic Republic of Iran between Ganji and Khamenei. One of the most crucial battles of human rights using the most non-violent methods of civil disobedience is being waged by a middle-aged frail journalist/human rights activist against one of the most cruel and criminal surviving dictatorships. READ MORE

In this �duel� of life and death, Sultan Khamenei has monopolized control over every aspect of power and authority in the country. He appoints the judges, the military and police commanders, and the religious surrogates, indirectly screens the members of parliament and now has managed to install one of his hatchet men as President of the country. In addition to controlling all levers of state power, he also has ultimate authority over the national economy including the oil sector with close to $50 billion annual revenue. This man with such unprecedented monopoly of power is accountable to no one and can keep his job for life.

Facing him with unparalleled bravery and courage is Akbar Ganji. He is alone. He has no armies, no political party, no money, no organization but plenty of moral courage and political convictions. He, not unlike Mahatma Gandhi, is willing to undertake the highest risk: his life. Until yesterday, he was on a life-threatening hunger strike. After mounting pressures of protests from every decent person and organization, the regime in Tehran blinked first and accepted his demand to be transferred to a prison hospital for treatment of his chronic asthma, which has caught while in custody.

Shirine Ebadi, the Nobel Peace Prize Laureate who is Ganji�s attorney had to travel to London last week in order to hold a news conference and plead Ganji�s case before the court of world public opinion. Her actions and similar pleas have caused a worldwide chorus of support for Ganji. President Bush, the European Parliament, the US State Department and many US Senators and Congressmen are among those who have called for Ganji�s release from prison. Ganji, a columnist and investigative reporter was arrested more than five years ago and sentenced to six years in prison for taking critical stands against the regime. Through his investigative reporting, he had raised serious questions regarding the involvement of Khamenei and other officials of the Islamic republic in the murders of several dissident intellectuals and opposition politicians.

Ganji who one day was among the revolutionary zealots of 1979 upheaval in Iran has evolved into a crusader for human rights and democracy. In his writings, he advocates democracy and liberalism for Iran and the region. He seems to have both the courage and the vision of becoming a national leader. Already one prominent New York editor has referred to him as �Iranian Havel.� His survival and success is dependent on continued international public opinion support.