Amir Farshad Ebrahimi
Encyclopedia
Amir Farshad Ebrahimi (born August 14, 1975)
is a former member of Quds Force of Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution and is currently a peace
and human rights
activist living in Germany
.
district of Tehran
, he joined Basij
at the age of 12 and fought in the Iran–Iraq War. After graduation from Alborz High School
, he joined the Qods special forces, one of the five forces of Sepah, and graduated from the Imam Ali military school of the Qods with a major in psychological warfare engineering.
He was among the first series of Sepah officers who were sent to North Korea
.
Ebrahimi started Ansar-e Hezbollah along with other veterans following the end of the Iran-Iraq War
to "defend" the Islamic revolution "against Western influence." He became the managing editor of the group's own newspaper, and "spent a lot of time together" with Mojtaba Khamenei
, the son of Iran's Supreme leader
Grand Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
. He says he quit Ansar-e Hezbollah after the July 1999 student riots in Tehran. Ansar-e Hezbollah used violence against students but Ebrahimi decided, "No, Ansar-e Hezbollah is wrong, you the students are right."
He was the media attaché of the Iranian embassy in Beirut, Lebanon from 1997 to 1998. After coming back from Lebanon
, he went to the law school and got his Master Degree in International Law
from Tehran University in 2002. He received a Doctoral Degree In Human Rights From Middle East Technical University
, Ankara
, Turkey
in May 2006.
Ebrahimi had previously held close connections to the members of this group and revealed a number of their inside secrets in the video tape. After the circulation of this tape, human rights lawyer and Nobel Peace Prize
winner Shirin Ebadi
was accused by an Iranian court to have been involved in making it. She was vindicated and released from prison after a brief period.
Ebrahimi was also sentenced and spent two years in prison.
, which were banned in Iran after publication. As of February, 2006, he is living in Germany and writing his memoirs.
On March 27, 2008, wire reports stated that he was in danger of extradition from Turkey
to Iran, on charges that he "collaborated with peace activist
s in the flight of Ali Reza Asgari from Iran." His participation in several other events that have embarrassed Iran
-- including unconfirmed reports that he provided intelligence on Iran's nuclear weapons program to the United States
-- raise the likelihood that he will be imprisoned and/or executed if sent to Iran.
is a former member of Quds Force of Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution and is currently a peace
Peace activist
This list of peace activists includes people who proactively advocate diplomatic, non-military resolution of political disputes, usually through nonviolent means.A peace activist is an activist of the peace movement.*Jane Addams*Martti Ahtisaari...
and human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
activist living in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
Paramilitary career
Born in the GholhakGholhak
Gholhak is a neighbourhood in Northern Tehran,a part of Shemiran, located between Zargandeh/Elahiyeh to the west and Ekhtiarieh/Dolat to the east and is served by Shariati St., which in the old times was known as "Shemiran Road" and later with the construction of highways, "Old Shemiran...
district of Tehran
Tehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
, he joined Basij
Basij
The Basij is a paramilitary volunteer militia established in 1979 by order of the Islamic Revolution's leader Ayatollah Khomeini. The force consists of young Iranians who have volunteered, often in exchange for official benefits...
at the age of 12 and fought in the Iran–Iraq War. After graduation from Alborz High School
Alborz High School
Alborz High School , is a college preparatory high school located in the heart of Tehran, Iran. It is named after the Alborz mountain range north of Tehran.- History :...
, he joined the Qods special forces, one of the five forces of Sepah, and graduated from the Imam Ali military school of the Qods with a major in psychological warfare engineering.
He was among the first series of Sepah officers who were sent to North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
.
Ebrahimi started Ansar-e Hezbollah along with other veterans following the end of the Iran-Iraq War
Iran-Iraq War
The Iran–Iraq War was an armed conflict between the armed forces of Iraq and Iran, lasting from September 1980 to August 1988, making it the longest conventional war of the twentieth century...
to "defend" the Islamic revolution "against Western influence." He became the managing editor of the group's own newspaper, and "spent a lot of time together" with Mojtaba Khamenei
Mojtaba Khamenei
Mojtaba Khamenei is an Iranian hard-line cleric and the second son of Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of Iran. Mojtaba has reportedly taken control over the Basij militia being used to suppress the protests over the 2009 election and is also reported to be "being groomed" to succeed his father as...
, the son of Iran's Supreme leader
Supreme leader
A supreme leader typically refers to a figure in the highest leadership position of an entity, group, organization, or state, who exercises strong or all-powerful authority over it. In religion, the supreme leader or supreme leaders is God or Gods...
Grand Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
Ali Khamenei
Ayatollah Seyed Ali Hoseyni Khāmene’i is the Supreme Leader of Iran and the figurative head of the Muslim conservative establishment in Iran and Twelver Shi'a marja...
. He says he quit Ansar-e Hezbollah after the July 1999 student riots in Tehran. Ansar-e Hezbollah used violence against students but Ebrahimi decided, "No, Ansar-e Hezbollah is wrong, you the students are right."
Media career
Ebrahimi also got a bachelor of Fine Arts in 1997 with a cinema major.He was the media attaché of the Iranian embassy in Beirut, Lebanon from 1997 to 1998. After coming back from Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
, he went to the law school and got his Master Degree in International Law
International law
Public international law concerns the structure and conduct of sovereign states; analogous entities, such as the Holy See; and intergovernmental organizations. To a lesser degree, international law also may affect multinational corporations and individuals, an impact increasingly evolving beyond...
from Tehran University in 2002. He received a Doctoral Degree In Human Rights From Middle East Technical University
Middle East Technical University
Middle East Technical University is a public technical university located in Ankara, Turkey...
, Ankara
Ankara
Ankara is the capital of Turkey and the country's second largest city after Istanbul. The city has a mean elevation of , and as of 2010 the metropolitan area in the entire Ankara Province had a population of 4.4 million....
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
in May 2006.
"Confessions"
Ebrahimi appears in a controversial videotape in 2000, apparently confessing to a link between the hardline Iranian political and religious leaders and violent actions of an Iranian group known as Ansar-e Hezbollah.Ebrahimi had previously held close connections to the members of this group and revealed a number of their inside secrets in the video tape. After the circulation of this tape, human rights lawyer and Nobel Peace Prize
Nobel Peace Prize
The Nobel Peace Prize is one of the five Nobel Prizes bequeathed by the Swedish industrialist and inventor Alfred Nobel.-Background:According to Nobel's will, the Peace Prize shall be awarded to the person who...
winner Shirin Ebadi
Shirin Ebadi
Shirin Ebadi is an Iranian lawyer, a former judge and human rights activist and founder of Defenders of Human Rights Center in Iran. On 10 October 2003, Ebadi was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her significant and pioneering efforts for democracy and human rights, especially women's,...
was accused by an Iranian court to have been involved in making it. She was vindicated and released from prison after a brief period.
Ebrahimi was also sentenced and spent two years in prison.
Identifying paramilitaries
As of 2009 he is identfying members of plain-clothed men who beat up Iranian protesters of the disputed election. Ebrahimi "names and shames those he recognizes on the Web", publishing their names and phone numbers and sometimes even their addresses, "so people in their neighborhood know what they are doing." Some are Ansar-e Hezbollah members and former friends.Works
He has written two books, From Sarband to Blindfold and Republic of Ghosts, both in PersianPersian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
, which were banned in Iran after publication. As of February, 2006, he is living in Germany and writing his memoirs.
On March 27, 2008, wire reports stated that he was in danger of extradition from Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
to Iran, on charges that he "collaborated with peace activist
Peace activist
This list of peace activists includes people who proactively advocate diplomatic, non-military resolution of political disputes, usually through nonviolent means.A peace activist is an activist of the peace movement.*Jane Addams*Martti Ahtisaari...
s in the flight of Ali Reza Asgari from Iran." His participation in several other events that have embarrassed Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
-- including unconfirmed reports that he provided intelligence on Iran's nuclear weapons program to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
-- raise the likelihood that he will be imprisoned and/or executed if sent to Iran.