Yousefi Eshkevari
Encyclopedia
Hojjatoleslam Hasan Yousefi Eshkevari (born 1950) is an Iran
ian cleric, researcher, journalist, reformist and former political prisoner. He has been described as "an active supporter of the revolution" who became "an outspoken and influential critic of the current Iranian version of theocracy." In 2002 he was convicted in the Special Court for the Clergy for a number of charges including "spreading lies, insulting Islamic sanctities." He was defrocked by the Islamic Republic and served four years in prison before and after his conviction. During the crackdown on protests over the 2009 presidential elections
in Iran, Eshkevari fled to Germany
to seek political asylum.
Prior to his arrest, Eshkevari was the Director of the Ali Shariati
Research Centre and contributing editor of the newspaper Iran-e Farda, which was banned in April 2000. Eshkevari is an insulin-dependent diabetic.
held in Berlin April 7–9, 2000, in Berlin, Germany. At the conference, Eshkevari was quoted as saying
Eshkevari’s trial was held behind closed doors from October 7–17, 2000, in the Special Court for the Clergy
. He is believed to have been convicted of "acting against national security" in connection with a speech he gave at the conference, "defaming government officials in articles", "starting a campaign against the system", and "denying and insulting the holy religion of Islam". In addition he was charged with "declaring war on God", "being corrupt on earth" (Mofsed-e-filarz
), and apostasy
- all of which carry the death penalty - but these three charges were overturned. New charges of ‘propaganda against the Islamic Republic’ and ‘insulting top-rank officials’ were filed against him at the Special Court for the Clergy, for which he received a sentence of seven years’ imprisonment on 17 October 2002. He was released from prison on 6 February 2005.
Eshkevari has been a prolific contributor to the Great Encyclopedia of Islam, and an editor of the Encyclopedia of the Shia, both edited in Tehran.
Eshkevari has spoken out against the 2009 presidential elections, which, he is convinced, were rigged. During the crackdown on protests over the 2009 presidential elections
in Iran, Eshkevari fled to Germany
to seek political asylum.
Recently (in 2010) he has advocated a secular governmental system in Iran, for which, he suggests, the original draft of the 1979 constitution could serve as a blueprint. In 2011 at a conference of Iran scholars and experts in Berlin, he attacked the Ahmadinejad administration, stating that it had "crossed almost all political and religious lines," and that the Iranian regime was so deeply at odds with Shia tradition, it ultimately threatening to "destroy Islam, the government and the country."
)
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...
ian cleric, researcher, journalist, reformist and former political prisoner. He has been described as "an active supporter of the revolution" who became "an outspoken and influential critic of the current Iranian version of theocracy." In 2002 he was convicted in the Special Court for the Clergy for a number of charges including "spreading lies, insulting Islamic sanctities." He was defrocked by the Islamic Republic and served four years in prison before and after his conviction. During the crackdown on protests over the 2009 presidential elections
Iranian presidential election, 2009
Iran's tenth presidential election was held on 12 June 2009, with incumbent Mahmoud Ahmadinejad running against three challengers. The next morning the Islamic Republic News Agency, Iran's official news agency, announced that with two-thirds of the votes counted, Ahmadinejad had won the election...
in Iran, Eshkevari fled to 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...
to seek political asylum.
Prior to his arrest, Eshkevari was the Director of the Ali Shariati
Ali Shariati
Ali Shariati was an Iranian revolutionary and sociologist, who focused on the sociology of religion. He is held as one of the most influential Iranian intellectuals of the 20th century and has been called the 'ideologue of the Iranian Revolution'.-Biography:Ali....
Research Centre and contributing editor of the newspaper Iran-e Farda, which was banned in April 2000. Eshkevari is an insulin-dependent diabetic.
Background
On 5 August 2000, Eshkevari was arrested after returning from the 'Iran After the Elections' Conference'Iran After the Elections' Conference
The "Iran After the Elections" Conference was a three-day social and cultural conference on reform in Iran organized by the Heinrich Böll Foundation and held in Berlin on April 7 and 8, 2000...
held in Berlin April 7–9, 2000, in Berlin, Germany. At the conference, Eshkevari was quoted as saying
Even if KhatamiMohammad KhatamiSayyid Mohammad Khātamī is an Iranian scholar, philosopher, Shiite theologian and Reformist politician. He served as the fifth President of Iran from August 2, 1997 to August 3, 2005. He also served as Iran's Minister of Culture in both the 1980s and 1990s...
... should be defeated in his work ... this time not only has democracy become the first priority, but there is an unprecedented consensus among the intellectual and the political elites ... the historical time of despotism is over in Iran.
Eshkevari’s trial was held behind closed doors from October 7–17, 2000, in the Special Court for the Clergy
Special Clerical Court
Special Clerical Court, or Special Court for Clerics is an Iranian court system for examining transgressions within the clerical establishment. It tries Shia Muslim clerics, although it has also taken on cases involving lay people. The court functions independently of the regular Iranian judicial...
. He is believed to have been convicted of "acting against national security" in connection with a speech he gave at the conference, "defaming government officials in articles", "starting a campaign against the system", and "denying and insulting the holy religion of Islam". In addition he was charged with "declaring war on God", "being corrupt on earth" (Mofsed-e-filarz
Mofsed-e-filarz
Mofsed-e-filarz is the title of capital crime in the Islamic Republic of Iran, that has been translated in English language sources variously as "spreading corruption on earth", "spreading corruption that threatens social and political well-being", "corrupt of the earth; one who is...
), and apostasy
Apostasy in Islam
Apostasy in Islam is commonly defined in Islam as the rejection in word or deed of one's former religion by a person who was previously a follower of Islam...
- all of which carry the death penalty - but these three charges were overturned. New charges of ‘propaganda against the Islamic Republic’ and ‘insulting top-rank officials’ were filed against him at the Special Court for the Clergy, for which he received a sentence of seven years’ imprisonment on 17 October 2002. He was released from prison on 6 February 2005.
Eshkevari has been a prolific contributor to the Great Encyclopedia of Islam, and an editor of the Encyclopedia of the Shia, both edited in Tehran.
Eshkevari has spoken out against the 2009 presidential elections, which, he is convinced, were rigged. During the crackdown on protests over the 2009 presidential elections
Iranian presidential election, 2009
Iran's tenth presidential election was held on 12 June 2009, with incumbent Mahmoud Ahmadinejad running against three challengers. The next morning the Islamic Republic News Agency, Iran's official news agency, announced that with two-thirds of the votes counted, Ahmadinejad had won the election...
in Iran, Eshkevari fled to 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...
to seek political asylum.
Recently (in 2010) he has advocated a secular governmental system in Iran, for which, he suggests, the original draft of the 1979 constitution could serve as a blueprint. In 2011 at a conference of Iran scholars and experts in Berlin, he attacked the Ahmadinejad administration, stating that it had "crossed almost all political and religious lines," and that the Iranian regime was so deeply at odds with Shia tradition, it ultimately threatening to "destroy Islam, the government and the country."
Works
(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...
)
- A Hundred Years of Iranian History 1879-1979 (Qom 1974)
- Justice in the Monotheistic Worldview (Qom 1975)
- Broken Idols: An Analysis of the Foundations of Twentieth Century Civilization (Qom 1977)
- A Review of the Study of Creation: Issues in Islamic Anthropology (Tehran 1997)
- Religious Revivalism: Analysis and Criticism of the Contemporary Islamic Movement: Interviews with ten political-cultural figures (Tehran, first edition 1998, second edition 1999)
- Wisdom in the Feast of Religion (Tehran 2000)
- Remembering the Days: Political Approaches of the Reformist Movement in Iran (Tehran 2000)
- Solitary Reflections: A Prelude to Iranian Hermeneutics (2003)
- A Critique of Religious Discourse ( a translation of a book by Nasr Abu Zaid) (2004)
- Letters from Prison to my Daughters (2004)
See also
- 'Iran After the Elections' Conference'Iran After the Elections' ConferenceThe "Iran After the Elections" Conference was a three-day social and cultural conference on reform in Iran organized by the Heinrich Böll Foundation and held in Berlin on April 7 and 8, 2000...
- Human rights in the Islamic Republic of IranHuman rights in the Islamic Republic of IranThe state of human rights in Iran has been criticized both by Iranians and international human right activists, writers, and NGOs. The United Nations General Assembly and the Human Rights Commission have condemned prior and ongoing abuses in Iran in published critiques and several resolutions.The...
- Iranian reform movement
- Apostasy in IslamApostasy in IslamApostasy in Islam is commonly defined in Islam as the rejection in word or deed of one's former religion by a person who was previously a follower of Islam...