Iran’s new era: nine lessons for reformers
from:www.opendemocracy.net
Emadeddin Baghi
Emadeddin Baghi is one of Iran’s leading dissident intellectuals. He is the author of twenty books (six of which have been banned) and has been an editor and writer for myriad reform publications, most of which have been shut down.
In his book The Tragedy of Democracy in Iran (1998), he accused top government officials of complicity in the assassination of political dissidents. In 2000 he was sentenced to seven years in prison (reduced to three years on appeal) for “insulting sanctities”, “undermining national security”, and “putting out false news”.
In 2004 Emadeddin Baghi was awarded the Civil Courage Prize, but was, at the final hour, prohibited from leaving Iran to accept it. He remains in Iran today, with the threat of re-imprisonment constantly hanging over his head. His website is at www.emadbaghi.com/en.