Faezeh Hashemi
Encyclopedia
Faezeh Hashemi Rafsanjani is an Iran
ian journalist, women rights activist, former member of Iranian parliament, and daughter of former Iranian President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani
.
Between 1996 and 2000, she was a Majlis
representative from Tehran
and founded the women's newspaper Zan
. Rafsanjani is currently enrolled as a student at Birmingham University in the United Kingdom
.
, Reuters
reported that Rafsanjani addressed a crowd at a banned opposition rally in Tehran on June 16, and was subsequently prohibited from leaving the country. She has been arrested and briefly detained at least twice after participating in an opposition rallies in Tehran -- on June 20 2009 (together with four relatives), and again on February 20, 2010 after "making blunt statements and chanting provocative slogans," according to Iranian state media.
A couple of videos have appeared on the internet showing her being harassed by hardliners. Sometime before February 27, a video appeared showing Hashemi surrounded by several "hard-liners" threatening her with violence, insulting her, calling her a "whore," and chanting "Death to Rafsanjani".
Faeze favors women's rights, and has been a staunch advocate of relaxation of strict dress code (even though she prefers to chardor herself) She does not think it should be imposed on the people. She has traveled widely to Europe, Africa, and India to promote dialogue and is interested in ties with all regions. She has written positively about the effective movements of Nelson Mandela
, Dr. Martin Luther King, and Gandhi.
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 journalist, women rights activist, former member of Iranian parliament, and daughter of former Iranian President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani
Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani
Ayatollah Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani is an influential Iranian politician and writer, who was the fourth President of Iran. He was a member of the Assembly of Experts until his resignation in 2011...
.
Between 1996 and 2000, she was a Majlis
Majlis
' , is an Arabic term meaning "a place of sitting", used in the context of "council", to describe various types of special gatherings among common interest groups be it administrative, social or religious in countries with linguistic or cultural connections to Islamic countries...
representative from 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...
and founded the women's newspaper Zan
Zan (newspaper)
Zan was an Iranian newspaper focused on women's rights, published from 1998 until it was banned in 1999.Zan was founded by Faezeh Hashemi in July 1998, becoming "the first-ever women's newspaper in Iran, competing for readership with established dailies and inserting women into the very heart of...
. Rafsanjani is currently enrolled as a student at Birmingham University in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
Views and activism
During the 2009 Iranian election protests2009 Iranian election protests
Protests following the 2009 Iranian presidential election against the disputed victory of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and in support of opposition candidates Mir-Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi occurred in major cities in Iran and around the world starting June 13, 2009...
, Reuters
Reuters
Reuters is a news agency headquartered in New York City. Until 2008 the Reuters news agency formed part of a British independent company, Reuters Group plc, which was also a provider of financial market data...
reported that Rafsanjani addressed a crowd at a banned opposition rally in Tehran on June 16, and was subsequently prohibited from leaving the country. She has been arrested and briefly detained at least twice after participating in an opposition rallies in Tehran -- on June 20 2009 (together with four relatives), and again on February 20, 2010 after "making blunt statements and chanting provocative slogans," according to Iranian state media.
A couple of videos have appeared on the internet showing her being harassed by hardliners. Sometime before February 27, a video appeared showing Hashemi surrounded by several "hard-liners" threatening her with violence, insulting her, calling her a "whore," and chanting "Death to Rafsanjani".
Faeze favors women's rights, and has been a staunch advocate of relaxation of strict dress code (even though she prefers to chardor herself) She does not think it should be imposed on the people. She has traveled widely to Europe, Africa, and India to promote dialogue and is interested in ties with all regions. She has written positively about the effective movements of Nelson Mandela
Nelson Mandela
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, and was the first South African president to be elected in a fully representative democratic election. Before his presidency, Mandela was an anti-apartheid activist, and the leader of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the armed wing...
, Dr. Martin Luther King, and Gandhi.
External links
- Meeting Faezeh: The rise and fall of a talented woman—Biographical article in The Iranian (October 5, 2000)