Writers at Risk Database

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

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

Writers at Risk Database

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

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

Kameel Ahmady

Kameel Ahmady

Ahmady has written about female genital mutilation and child marriage in Iran and was arrested in 2019. He was arbitrarily detained for 100 days, then released conditionally. In December… More

Keyvan Bajan

Keyvan Bajan

Novelist-journalist Bajan was imprisoned on September 27, 2020 and sentenced to three-and-a-half years for his peaceful opposition of state censorship, leadership of the Iranian Writers’ Association, and commemoration of… More

Ibrahim Al-Husseini

Ibrahim Al-Husseini

In December 2018, Al-Husseini was arrested on charges of "inciting protests" for social media posts criticizing authoritarian rule and religious extremism in Egypt. He was released on bail in… More

Writers at Risk Database

Ismail Alexandrani

Alexandrani is a researcher and journalist who studies extremism and counterterrorism in the North Sinai. He was arrested in November 2015 and charged with baseless crimes, including “publishing government… More

Hesham Gaafar

Hesham Gaafar

Gaafar was detained without warrant in October 2015 for suspected involvement with the banned Muslim Brotherhood. He was held for 41 months in pretrial detention, often under prolonged solitary… More