Shahla Lahiji
A pioneering publisher, Lahiji was arrested in 2000 upon her return from a conference. She was charged with spreading anti-state propaganda for criticizing Iran’s policies toward women. She was… More
Siamak Pourzand
Pourzand, former manager of a cultural center and frequent cultural commentator, passed away after falling from his apartment balcony; though it is unclear whether he jumped or was pushed.… More
Nasser Zarafshan
Distinguished lawyer and writer Zarafshan was arrested in 2000 after giving a speech alleging that the intelligence services had murdered five intellectuals in 1998. Though a civilian, he was… More
Aras Amiri
Amiri showcased work by Iranian artists at the British Council in the U.K. Upon visiting Iran, she was sentenced to ten years in prison for espionage. Temporarily released during… More
Golrokh Ebrahimi Iraee
Iraee was first sentenced to six years in prison in 2014 on charges related to an unpublished short story criticizing the practice of stoning. Released in April 2019, she… More
Akbar Ganji
Described as one of Iran's leading political dissidents, Ganji's writings are banned in the country. Ganji was imprisoned from 2001-2006 for participation in an academic conference and investigations into… More
Sepideh Jodeyri
Jodeyri's translation of Blue Is the Warmest Color by Julie Maroh into Persian made her persona non grata in Iran. Already facing a campaign of public persecution for her… More
Narges Mohammadi
Mohammadi, jailed relentlessly by authorities for her writing and advocacy, was freed in 2020, but in May 2021 was again sentenced to 2.5 years in prison and 80 lashes.… More
Hossein Rajabian
Rajabian was arrested in October 2013 with his brother Mehdi in connection with an underground music sharing website that they co-founded. He began serving his sentence in June 2016… More
Baktash Abtin
Poet and filmmaker Abtin, with two other board members of the Iranian Writers Association, was convicted in 2019 for opposing state censorship policies. Abtin's six-year prison sentence was upheld,… More
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