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Ahmad Zaid-Abadi: Prisoner of the day

Journalist serving six years in prison, five years in exile for "insulting Supreme Leader"

Ahmad Zaid-Abadi, who wrote a weekly column for Rooz Online, a Farsi- and English-language reformist news website, was arrested in Tehran in June 2009, according to news reports. Zaid-Abadi had also been a supporter of the defeated 2009 presidential candidate Mehdi Karroubi, and had served as director of the politically active Organization of University Alumni of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Charged with "propagating against the regime," "collusion to organize riots," "insulting the Supreme Leader," on November 23, 2009, Zaid-Abadi was sentenced to six years in prison, five years of internal exile in Khorasan province, and a “lifetime deprivation of any political activity” including “interviews, speeches, and analysis of events, whether in written or oral form,” according to the Persian service of the German public broadcaster Deutsche Welle. An appeals court upheld the sentence on January 2, according to Advar News.

In February 2010, Zaid-Abadi and fellow journalist Massoud Bastani were transferred to Rajaee Shahr Prison, a facility known for housing people convicted of drug-related crimes. Zaid-Abadi’s wife, Mahdieh Mohammadi, said prison conditions were crowded and unsanitary, the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran reported. She said she feared malnutrition and the spread of disease. In August 2011, Zaid-Abadi was granted a 48-hour furlough after posting bail of $500,000, the U.S. government-funded Radio Farda reported.

Video: Zeidabadi's 2011 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize:

from Ghormeh Sabzi
14-Jan-2012
Iranians of the Day | Photos
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jmyt17

Nice Person

by jmyt17 on Sat Jan 14, 2012 06:15 PM PST

Hope I can support him, in any way, I can.

You are real Iranian not those JERK IRI people.

 


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amirparvizforsecularmonarchy

60 Local Journalists killed in 2011, what a world!

by amirparvizforsecularmonarchy on Sat Jan 14, 2012 02:46 PM PST

That is a huge number, considering the numbers are for non war countries.  Something more has to be done internationally on this important issue.  That can't be a normal year, it can't continue like that either way.  It's clear democracy is not thriving in the world and fuctioning well only as a luxury of the developed powers for themselves.  South America's democratic leaders are being crushed and with it their peoples peace, progress, human rights and development. 

How to handle the IRI's actions against Iranians?  Any idea's?  People are not able to organize due to atmosphere of tyranny, how long can this be kept up?  How much more economic regression and mismanagement by the IRI, Inflation and poverty, on top of stolen elections before Iranians erupt again in pain?  A boycott altogether seems like a bad option, but what choice is there when the process is rigged, no one can talk and everyone knows this?  How can people protest the regime without being harmed?  If boycott, then what next? 


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Mammad

Fantastic guy

by Mammad on Sat Jan 14, 2012 02:22 PM PST

One of Iran's best children. Read more about him:

//www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/tehranbure...

Mammad


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Bavafa

Doorood bar tamame Iranian e mobarez...

by Bavafa on Sat Jan 14, 2012 08:48 AM PST

The many jem of Iranian resistance are paying a hefty price for their stands against tyranny and they need every one's support.

A sustain campaign for their immidiate and unconditional freedom is a duty for every Iranian who cherishes freedom and democracy.

'Hambastegi' is the main key to victory 

Mehrdad


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