Akbar Atri
Encyclopedia
Akbar Atri is a leading proponent of democracy and human rights in Iran. Mr. Atri joined the Iranian student movement in 1995 and was elected to a central leadership role in Tahkim Vahdat, Iran’s largest and most prominent student organization, annually from 1997 to 2005. He is a founding member of Iranian Students for Democracy and Human Rights. He spoke hundreds of times at universities throughout the country, organized countless discussion forums and led student protests in favor of freedom of expression and democracy. Atri has been imprisoned, fined and physically abused at the hands of the regime's militias for his human rights activism. Mr. Atri left Iran in 2005 and in the same year was sentenced in absentia to seven years in prison for defiling the Supreme Leader and for other crimes against the Iranian regime.
Mr. Atri believes that a secular, liberal democratic government is the best means for securing the human rights of all Iranians, regardless of their gender, religious views, political aspirations or lifestyle. He believes in an open, tolerant society that respects the dignity of all human beings.
Mr. Atri is a proponent of free market capitalism and strongly opposes corrupt, rentier economies such as that in Iran today.
A fierce critic of radical Islam, its violence and degradation of the rights of men and women, Mr. Atri serves on the board of the Committee on the Present Danger
, and American organization devoted to countering terrorism and the spread of radical Islam.
In struggling to achieve justice and the rule of law within the framework of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
, he co-authored a petition which calls for a national referendum
on a new constitution. The referendum would provide Iranians the means to demand a new constitution based upon democratic values and universal principles of human rights. Since publication of this petition, more than thirty-five thousand civil society activists, human rights organizations, academics, journalists and others from all walks of life have signed the petition and joined the cause.
Since leaving Iran, Mr. Atri has spoken on his country’s human rights situation and its civic led movements for democracy at universities, human rights organizations, and conferences worldwide. Mr. Atri has been a regular source of information on the Iranian student movement for international media outlets such as CNN and the BBC since the mid-1990s. He has written for several Iranian reformist papers as well as American publications such as American Spectator and The Wall Street Journal.
On March 2, 2006 he and Ali Afshari
were invited to give a talk on human rights and democracy in Iran at a panel discussion organized at the U.S. Capitol. The event was sponsored by the Foundation for Defense of Democracies
and Iranian Students for Democracy and Human Rights. Their talk provided information on human rights abuses in Iran and progress of Iran’s democracy movement.
Mr. Atri earned his BA and MA degrees in political science at Allameh Tabatabaei and Mofid universities, respectively. Atri is from the Azeri ethnic minority and speaks Azeri, Persian and English.
Mr. Atri believes that a secular, liberal democratic government is the best means for securing the human rights of all Iranians, regardless of their gender, religious views, political aspirations or lifestyle. He believes in an open, tolerant society that respects the dignity of all human beings.
Mr. Atri is a proponent of free market capitalism and strongly opposes corrupt, rentier economies such as that in Iran today.
A fierce critic of radical Islam, its violence and degradation of the rights of men and women, Mr. Atri serves on the board of the Committee on the Present Danger
Committee on the Present Danger
The Committee on the Present Danger is an American foreign policy interest group. Its current stated single goal is "to stiffen American resolve to confront the challenge presented by terrorism and the ideologies that drive it" through "education and advocacy"...
, and American organization devoted to countering terrorism and the spread of radical Islam.
In struggling to achieve justice and the rule of law within the framework of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is a declaration adopted by the United Nations General Assembly . The Declaration arose directly from the experience of the Second World War and represents the first global expression of rights to which all human beings are inherently entitled...
, he co-authored a petition which calls for a national referendum
Referendum
A referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. This may result in the adoption of a new constitution, a constitutional amendment, a law, the recall of an elected official or simply a specific government policy. It is a form of...
on a new constitution. The referendum would provide Iranians the means to demand a new constitution based upon democratic values and universal principles of human rights. Since publication of this petition, more than thirty-five thousand civil society activists, human rights organizations, academics, journalists and others from all walks of life have signed the petition and joined the cause.
Since leaving Iran, Mr. Atri has spoken on his country’s human rights situation and its civic led movements for democracy at universities, human rights organizations, and conferences worldwide. Mr. Atri has been a regular source of information on the Iranian student movement for international media outlets such as CNN and the BBC since the mid-1990s. He has written for several Iranian reformist papers as well as American publications such as American Spectator and The Wall Street Journal.
On March 2, 2006 he and Ali Afshari
Ali Afshari
Ali Afshari is an Iranian activist.For ten years Afshari has campaigned for reform-minded leaders and change within the Islamic Republic, with posts including membership on the Central Council of Office for Strengthening Unity and membership on the Central Council of the Islamic Student...
were invited to give a talk on human rights and democracy in Iran at a panel discussion organized at the U.S. Capitol. The event was sponsored by the Foundation for Defense of Democracies
Foundation for Defense of Democracies
The Foundation for Defense of Democracies describes itself as a non-profit, non-partisan policy institute "working to defend free nations against their enemies". It was founded shortly after the September 11, 2001, attacks to address what it regards as the "threat facing America, Israel and the...
and Iranian Students for Democracy and Human Rights. Their talk provided information on human rights abuses in Iran and progress of Iran’s democracy movement.
Mr. Atri earned his BA and MA degrees in political science at Allameh Tabatabaei and Mofid universities, respectively. Atri is from the Azeri ethnic minority and speaks Azeri, Persian and English.
External links
- "Solidarity with Iran" by Akbar Atri
- "An Undemocratic Iran is Dangerous" by Ali Afshari and Akbar Atri
- "The Iranian Student Movement's Struggle for Democracy" by Akbar Atri
- "Tools of Repression Inside Universities" by Akbar Atri
- "Iran: Round Two" by Akbar Atri
- "Nuclear Iran and the Wizard of Oz" by Akbar Atri
- "The Goose, the Gander and Iran" by Akbar Atri
- An Iranian Student Leader Makes his Escape in Face of Charges
- Neocons Revive Committee on the Present Danger
- BBC Persian report: Akbar Atri and Ali Afshari speak at the US Capitol about Iran's human rights situation and the struggle for democracy
- Right Web: Akbar Atri
- Peiknet in Persian and English