The death in police custody of the young Iranian-Kurdish woman Jina Mahsa Amini, for wearing ‘inappropriate attire,’ instigated a woman-led uprising against the totalitarian religious regime in Iran with unprecedented nationwide and international support in the history of the Islamic Republic. Since September 17, 2022, the regime’s security forces have brutally murdered 512 innocent civilians. More than 19,000 protesters, activists, writers, journalists, students, and artists have been unlawfully arrested, tortured, persecuted, and executed after sham trials and forced confessions.
We strongly condemn the unlawful detention of all writers, among them Ali Asadollahi, Danial Ghezeljai, and Mehdi Bahman. The 25-year-old Turkmen poet Danial Ghezeljai is a senior law student and was arrested in Gonbad Kavous on November 25. He is currently being held in Gonbad Kavous Central Prison and has been detained on the basis of false and baseless accusations. Poet and writer Mehdi Bahman, who was arrested on October 11, has been sentenced to death on charges of espionage after a television interview he conducted with an Israeli channel (Channel 13) in April. He is currently being held in Great Tehran Penitentiary. Ali Asadollahi, poet, literary critic, and secretary of the Iranian Writers’ Association, was arrested on November 21 without any charges. He is currently being held in Fashafouyeh Prison. The sole crime of these writers is their literary output and activities. We call on Iranian authorities to immediately reverse these absurd charges against Iranian writers and order their release.
Asadollahi has been an inspiring and leading poet of his generation, with six outstanding and widely read poetry collections. His rich repertoire of publications proves his outstanding status in the context of contemporary Iranian literature. Asadollahi’s literary output sparks with innovative poetic forms and a deep sense of political consciousness. Asadollahi is an internationally acclaimed poet and his work has been so far translated into English, Italian, and French and is published in a number of prestigious journals including Roanoke Review, Alchemy, Palaver, and The Persian Literature Review.
As academics, critics, poets, and writers, we the signatories of this statement strongly condemn the unlawful detention of Ali Asadollahi and demand his immediate and unconditional release. We stand in solidarity with Ali, Danial, and Mehdi’s families, and other writers who have been wrongfully arrested, tortured and executed for protesting against oppression, misogyny, and state violence against women. The continuing persecution and prosecution of Iranian writers constitute clear violations of their freedom of speech, and freedom of conscience, as protected by Iran’s own laws and its legal obligations under international law. We call on the international community to hold this criminal regime accountable for its heinous crimes against writers and poets.
Signatories:
1. Orhan Pamuk, novelist, Turkey
2. Hisham Matar, novelist, Libya-UK
3. Khaled Khalifa, novelist, Syria
4. Jia Zhangke, writer and filmmaker, China
5. Bi Gan, poet and filmmaker, China
6. Charles Bernstein, Donald T. Regan Professor of English and Comparative Literature, Emeritus, University of Pennsylvania; Fellow, American Academy of Arts and Sciences
7. Béla Tarr, filmmaker, Hungary
8. Sinan Antoon, Iraqi Novelist, Associate Professor, New York University
9. Zeynep Oral, President PEN, TurkeyJoint
10. Peter Sloterdijk, Professor of Philosophy, Karlsruhe, Germany
11. Moniroo Ravanipour, Novelist, Iran-USA.
12. Mikhal Dekel, Distinguished Professor of English and Comparative Literature, City College of the City University of New York
13. Matvei Yankelevich, World Poetry Books, Editor-in-Chief, New York, NY
14. Al Filreis, Kelly Professor of English, Faculty Director of the Kelly Writers House, University of Pennsylvania
15. Shahriar Mandanipoor, Novelist, Iran-USA.
16. Sanar Yurdatapan, Lyricist and Composer, Initiative for Freedom of Expression, Turkey
17. Farzaneh Milani, Writer and literary critic, University of Virginia
18. Abbas Milani, Director of the Iranian Studies Program, Stanford University
19. Nasrin Rahimieh, Department of Comparative Literature, University of California, Irvine
20. Ali Mirsepasi, Albert Gallatin Research Excellence Professor of Middle Eastern Studies. NYU
21. Fatemeh Shams, Poet and Assistant Professor of Modern Persian Literature, University of Pennsylvania
22. Homa Hoodfar, Concordia University, dept sociology and Anthropology
23. Mohamad Tavakoli-Targhi, Inaugural Director, Elahé Omidyar Mir-Djalali Institute of Iranian Studies, University of Toronto
24. Ali Behdad, Professor of Comparative Literature, UCLA
25. Ben Sharrock, writer and filmmaker
26. Azar Nafisi, Iranian Novelist
27. Hamid Dabashi, Hagop Kevorkian Professor of Iranian Studies and Comparative Literature, Columbia University
28. Huda Fakhreddine, Associate Professor of Arabic Literature, University of Pennsylvania
29. Ahmad Almallah, poet, Artist in Residence in Creative Writing at University of Pennsylvania
30. Barbad Golshiri, artist and critic
31. Amir Ahmadi Arian, Novelist and Adjunct Assistant professor of Creative Writing, CUNY City College, New York
32. Hamid Amouzad Khalili, Lecturer in Architectural, Interior and Spatial Design, ESALA, University of Edinburgh
33. Kamran Matin, Senior Lecturer, Department of International Relations, Sussex University, UK
34. Nacim Pak-Shiraz, Professor of Cinema and Iran, University of Edinburgh
35. Mohammad Ali Kadivar, Assistant Professor of Sociology and International Studies, Boston College
36. Nuno Ferreira, Professor of Law, School of Law, Politics and Sociology, University of Sussex, UK
37. Farshad Sonboldel, Poet, Middle East Studies Librarian and Area Studies Collection Strategist, University of California Santa Barbara
38. Behzad Zerehdaran, PhD Candidate, University of Melbourne
39. Bahar Abdi, PhD Student, Literature Department, University of California, San Diego
40. Taha Mirhoseini, Poet
41. Hamideh Farahmandian, MPhil Candidate in Architecture and Urban Studies, Department of Architecture, University of Cambridge
42. Mohamad Hosein Mansouri, Student, Economics, Technical University of Berlin
43. Elie During, Professor of Philosophy, European Graduate School
44. Babak Rahimi, Department of Literature, UC San Diego
45. Moira Dustin, Lecturer, School of Law, Politics and Sociology, University of Sussex, UK
46. Ata Heshmati, PhD student, the Institute for the History and Philosophy of Science and Technology (IHPST), University of Toronto.
47. Bahareh Badiei, PhD candidate, Journalism and Media Studies Department, Rutgers University
48. Reza Khabook, Research Assistant and Doctoral Student, Academy for European Human Rights Protection, University of Cologne
49. Tiba Bonyad, PhD Candidate, Sociology Department, University of Manchester
50. Soroush Marouzi, PhD candidate, the Institute for the History and Philosophy of Science and Technology (IHPST), University of Toronto
51. Mina Hosseinpourtehrani, Research Assistant, Department of Disaster Management, University of Newcastle, Australia
52. Hemn Seyedi, PhD in region planning, second PhD candidate in Kurdish studies, University of Exeter, UK
53. Reem Hazboun Taşyakan, PhD Candidate, Literature Department, University of California, San Diego
54. Afrooz Mosallaei, PhD student, Journalism and Media Studies Department, Rutgers University
55. Mahtab Saadatmandi, PhD Student, Cultural Studies, Modern Language School, University of St Andrews
56. Laya Jalilian Khave, Post-Doctoral Associate, Yale School of Medicine, Psychiatry Department, United States
57. Nilufar Karimi, Poet, PhD Student, Literature Department, University of California, San Diego
58. Seyedeh Parisa Sajjadi, PhD Candidate, School of Modern Languages, University of St Andrews, UK
59. Vahid Davar, PhD Candidate, School of Modern Languages, University of St Andrews, UK
60. Melina Jung, PhD Student, Literature Department, University of California, San Diego
61. Samuel Kim, PhD Student, Literature Department, University of California, San Diego
62. Dacia Pajé, PhD Candidate, Communication, Culture and Media Department, Drexel University, Philadelphia
63. Amin Bozorgiyan, PhD Candidate and researcher in sociology and anthropology at University of Côté d’Azur
64. Ann Marie Brennan, Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Architecture, Building, and Planning, University of Melbourne, Australia
65. Ali Abdollahi, Poet and translator
66. Liliana López, Poet and student, Department of Foreign Languages, National University of Colombia
67. Gregg Low, Poet
68. Patty Quinn, Alumna, University of Pennsylvania, Layout Assistant, Friends Journal
69. Ron Silliman, Poet, Lecturer, University of Pennsylvania
70. H. Gabriel Maya, Spanish teacher
71. Austin O’Malley, Assistant Professor, University of Arizona
72. Chris Murray, poet and essayist, Ireland
73. Mark Ford, poet and Professor of English, University College London
74. Val Moulton, poet and musician
75. Alex Selenitsch, Senior Lecturer and artist, University of Melbourne
76. Hamish Ford, poet, filmmaker and Senior Lecturer in Film, Media and Cultural Studies, Deputy Head of School, University of Newcastle
77. Hoornaz Keshavarzian, PhD Candidate, Simon Fraser University
78. Claudia Yaghoobi, Associate Professor, UNC-Chapel Hill
79. Amir Moosavi, Assistant Professor, Rutgers University-Newark
80. Viviana Fiorentino, poet, Belfast
81. Hedyeh Gamini, PhD Candidate and researcher in architecture, Deakin University
82. Pamela Karimi, University of Massachusetts, College of Visual and Performing Arts
83. Saeed Talajooy, Lecturer (Assistant Professor) in Persian, University of St Andrews
84. Kazim Ali, Professor and Chair of the Department of Literature at University of California, San Diego
85. Parmis Mozafari, Lecturer in Persian, University of St Andrews
86. Nicki Hitchcott, Professor, University of St Andrews
87. Diana Vonnak, postdoctoral researcher, University of St Andrews
88. Julia Prest, Professor, University of St Andrews, Scotland
89. Claudia Rossignoli, Assistant Professor, University of St Andrews
90. Elodie Laügt, Centre for Poetic Innovation – director, University of St Andrews
91. Sholeh Wolpé, Writer-In-Residence, University of California, Irvine
92. Alireza Abiz; Poet and Literary Scholar, Albert Gallatin Research Excellence Professor of Middle Eastern and Islamic studies
93. Julie Hugonny, Lecturer, University of St. Andrews, Scotland
94. Oya Baydar, Novelist, Turkey
95. Emily Finer, Senior Lecturer, University of St Andrews, Scotland
96. Malihe Vasfinejad, Designer and Graduate Student, University College London, UK
97. Marine Ganofsky, Lecturer, University of St. Andrews, Scotland
98. Richard Koeck, Professor of media and architecture, Liverpool, United Kingdom
99. Ros Holmes, Lecturer, University of St. Andrews, Scotland
100. Jesse Gardiner, Lecturer, University of St Andrews, Scotland, UK
101. Nil Mutluer, Senior Researcher, Leipzig University, Germany
102. Jordi Larios, Professor, University of St Andrews, Scotland
103. Ahmet Aykaç, Professor (Emeritus) of Economics
104. Ali Ansari, Professor of Iranian History, University of St Andrews
105. Ted Bergman, Lecturer, University of St Andrews, Scotland
106. Şebnem İşigüzel Novelist, Turkey
107. Firoozeh Kashani Sabet, Department of History, University of Pennsylvania
108. Liliana Chávez, Lecturer, University of St Andrews, Scotland
109. David Evans, Lecturer, University of St Andrews, UK
110. Leonard Schwartz, Professor of Poetics, The Evergreen State College
111. Cevza Sevgen, Professor Emerita, Bogazici University
112. Alpar Sevgen, Emeritus Professor of Physics, Bogazici University
113. Zehra Kabasakal Arat, Professor, University of Connecticut
114. Pauline Souleau, Lecturer, University of St Andrews, Scotland
115. Ahmet Ümit, Novelist, Turkey
116. Ali Ekber Ataş, Poet, Turkey
117. Alpar Sevgen, Emeritus Professor of Physics, Bogazici University, Turkey
118. Ayfer Tunç, Novelist , Turkey
119. Ayşe Erzan, Physicist, APS 2020 Andrei Sakharov Award, Turkey
120. Ayşegül Devecioğlu, Novelist, Turkey
121. Babür Pınar, Poet, Turkey
122. Bülent Tekin, Poet and author, Turkey
123. Cevat Çapan, Poet, Turkey
124. Cevza Sevgen, Professor Emerita, English Literature, Bogazici University, Turkey
125. Doğu Yücel, Novelist, Turkey
126. Erol Köroğlu, Associate Professor of Modern Turkish Literature, Bogazici University, Turkey
127. Figen Şakacı, Novelist, Turkey
128. Gaye Boralıoğlu, Novelist, Turkey
129. Güngör Şenkal, Author, Austria
130. Majid Naficy, Iranian-American poet
131. Hacer Ansal, Academician, Turkey
132. Hasan Öztoprak, Novelist, Turkey
133. Hatice Meryem, Novelist, Turkey
134. Haydar Ergülen, Poet, Turkey
135. Irmak Zileli, Novelist, Turkey
136. İsmail Beşikçi, Author, Turkey
137. Jaklin Çelik, Novelist, Turkey
138. Kemal Varol, Novelist, Turkey
139. Latife Tekin, Novelist, Turkey
140. Levent Kaçar, Author, poet, documentary filmmaker, Turkey
141. Mahir Ünsal Eriş, Novelist, Turkey
142. Mahmut Mutman, Professor, Cultural Studies, Turkey
143. Mahmut Temizyürek, Author, poet, Turkey
144. Mehmet Özer, Author, poet, photographic artist, Turkey
145. Murat Gülsoy, Novelist, Turkey
146. Murat Uyurkulak, Novelist, Turkey
147. Murathan Mungan, Poet-novelist, Turkey
148. Müge İplikçi, Writer, Turkey
149. Nazar Büyüm, Poet and author, Turkey
150. Necmiye Alpay, Writer, Turkey
151. Neşe Yaşin, poet, Cyprus
152. Nil Mutluer, Leipzig University, Germany
153. Nurcan Baysal, Writer, Turkey
154. Oylum Yılmaz Eriş, Novelist, Turkey
155. Pelin Buzluk, Novelist, Turkey
156. Sait Çetinoğlu, Author, Turkey
157. Sema Kaygusuz, Novelist, Turkey
158. Sezai Sarıoğlu, Poet, Turkey
159. Sibel Özbudun, Author, Academician, Turkey
160. Şiar Rişvanoğlu, Author, Lawyer, Turkey
161. Tarık Günersel, Poet, Turkey
162. Temel Demirer, Author, Turkey
163. Ümit Kıvanç, Writer, Turkey
164. Zehra F. Kabasakal Arat, Professor of Political Science , Connecticut
165. Judyth Hill, Poet, President of San Miguel PEN, Director of Poetry Mesa
166. Collette Sell, Poet, USA
167. Michelle Sell, Poet, USA
168. Pamela Walker, Writer, USA
169. Bettina Bildhauer, Professor of Modern Languages, University of St Andrews, UK
170. Thomas A Clark, poet, Scotland
171. Jinous Taghizadeh, artist and essayist
172. Neon Mashurov, poet, USA
173. Amir Soltani, writer and filmmaker, USA
