Ali-Akbar Sa'idi Sirjani

Ali-Akbar Sa'idi Sirjani (, b. December 12, 1931 in Sirjan - d. November 28, 1994) was an Iranian writer, poet and journalist who died in prison under mysterious circumstances after having been arrested for openly criticizing the government. He is widely believed to have been killed at the hands of the Islamic Republic intelligence ministry for criticizing of Iran's Supreme Leader.

Background

Saidi Sirjani was a disillusioned supporter of the Islamic Revolution who used satirical and allegorical stories to criticize the Islamic Republic for what he saw as its "authoritarianism, religious hypocrisy, and obtrusive meddling in people's personal lives." His first open confrontation with the authorities came following the publication of a book of essays, stories, and parables called You of Shortened Sleeves in 1989. The first printing sold out in days and the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance banned not only the second printing but all other books by Sirjani.Molavi, Afshin, The Soul of Iran (2005), p. 126.

Sirjani then initiated a letter-writing campaign, demanding that a second printing be released. Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, then told Sirjani through intermediaries to halt his writings and his protestations. Sirjani refused and "directly assailed the Islamic Republic in an open letter." According to Iranian scholar Ahmad Karimi-Hakkak, this `letter sealed the author's fate in a way that no previous writing...
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