Kouhyar Goudarzi

There was speculation that Goudarzi’s arrest stemmed from an interview he conducted with Spiegel International. Goudarzi had launched a hunger strike in solidarity with his friends in prison. In the interview Goudarzi said, “I've been out for the last seven months, but you always have one foot in prison if you campaign for human rights and are politically involved.”

Following Goudarzi’s arrest ensued an international outcry from various individuals, states, and human rights organizations demanding his immediate release.

The National Press Club called on Iran’s government to set free the jailed Kouhyar Goudarzi his mother and all journalists and other citizens who have suffered retaliation merely for exercising the basic human right of self-expression.

Human Rights Watch said “Disappearing an Iranian citizen for more than six weeks without any semblance of legal process violates both Iranian and international laws which Iran’s government pretends to respect.”

Lawyers’ Rights Watch of Canada (LRWC) demanded, “The Iranian government immediately cease the continued and unlawful harassment of Kouhyar Goudarzi,” and said “Harassment of Kouhyar Goudarzi is an attempt to silence his legitimate human rights activities and that his sentence of “imprisonment in internal exile” is not provided for in Iranian legislation.”

In a letter to the National Press Club, Goudarzi’s mother Parvin Mokhtare said in part, “On behalf of Kouhyar and myself I dedicate this award to the Green and great nation of Iran… Since my son remains in prison at this time I hope someday he will be able to receive his prize in person. With greetings to all free people of the world.”

In March 2013, faced with a 5-year prison sentence in exile in the remote city of Zabol, constant pressures, harassment and threats from the authorities, Kouhyar Goudarzi fled Iran to ensure his safety. He continues his human rights work from outside the country.

Goudarzi's mother was said to be used as an example to the family members of other incarcerated activists. She had been very active in discussing the plight of her son during his previous incarceration. Goudarzi later said in an interview that his mother had "in a way become a model for the families of other political prisoners on how to inform others about their [loved ones] and not allow their rights to be violated." In December 2011, after being held in the Kerman detention center of the Information Ministry and spending 8 months behind bars in Kerman prison, Goudarzi's mother Parvin Mokhtare was handed a 23-month prison sentence by the Kerman Revolutionary Court on the charges of “acting against national security” and “interviewing with foreign media.” On March 18, 2012, she was released from Kerman Prison, in the south- eastern province of Kerman after the Court of Appeals suspended her 23-month prison sentence. She also paid a fine for the charge of "insulting the martyrs" before being released on bail.

On April 12, 2012 after spending about 9 months behind bars, 3 months incommunicado with his whereabouts unknown, 2 months in solitary confinement under intense interrogations and torture, Goudarzi was released on bail pending his appeal.

On March 7, 2012 while in prison, the courts informed Goudarzi he had received a 5-year prison sentence in exile at the remote city of Zabol, handed down to him on charges of “spreading propaganda against the system” and “gathering and colluding against national security.”

With the insistence of the security apparatus, the sentence was upheld in September 2012 by Branch 54 of the Revolutionary Court.

On July 31, 2011 Goudarzi was violently arrested without warning by plainclothes officials. His flatmate and fellow blogger Behnam Ganji Khaibari was arrested as well.

Ganji was released a few weeks after the initial arrests. Friends described him as a "broken man" and stated that he and Goudarzi had been severely tortured. Following their release, Ganji and another friend of Goudarzi, Nahal Sahabi committed suicide on September 1, 2011 and September 28, 2011 respectively. The UK newspaper The Guardian reported following the suicides that "speculation is rife that the pair had been pressured while in jail to testify against Goudarzi". Amnesty International also reported that Ganji had been pressured to make a confession incriminating Goudarzi. It was reported that in the days following his detainment, a number of Kouhyar Goudarzi's friends and colleagues were summoned to present themselves at the offices of the Ministry of Intelligence for interrogation.

In August 2010, Goudarzi joined Majid Tavakoli and other imprisoned activists in a hunger strike to protest conditions in Evin prison, where they were detained. In retaliation Goudarzi, Tavakoli and other journalists who had launched a hunger strike were transferred to solitary confinement. Goudarzi and Tavakoli were among 17 political prisoners who went on hunger strike. After his transfer to solitary confinement in May 2010, Goudarzi's mother said that she was no longer allowed to see him.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in a statement on June 12, 2010 demanded the release of Goudarzi and other incarcerated activists in Iran stating, “The Iranian authorities responded to their citizens’ call for accountability and transparency with violence, arbitrary detentions, dubious trials, and intimidation.” She called for "the immediate release of all imprisoned human rights defenders," naming Goudarzi and six other jailed activists.

Goudarzi spent 10 months in Tehran’s Evin Prison with periods in solitary confinement, and was transferred to Rajai Shahr Prison in Karaj, where he served the remainder of his prison term before being released upon serving his one-year sentence on December 14, 2010.

In 2010 Goudarzi was presented the John Aubuchon Freedom of the Press Award from the National Press Club while he was behind bars. Alan Bjerga, the president of the club said at the award ceremony, “This award is meant to honor those who have done their utmost to advance the cause of press freedom and open government.” He said Goudarzi reminded "us of the importance of working for a free press in the United States and abroad."

Goudarzi was an aerospace engineering student at Sharif University of Technology before being expelled in November 2009 by order of government authorities and barred from continuing his education.

Goudarzi was detained a third time in the summer of 2009 during the street protests after the disputed presidential election results, and was released after a short period. He continued to take an active part in the 2009–2010 Iranian election protests, in which he joined other student activists in protesting the disputed victory of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad over opposition candidates Mir-Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi.

On December 20, 2009 Goudarzi was among a group that was detained by regime forces as they were travelling to the city of Qom to attend the funeral services of the senior dissident cleric Ayatollah Montazeri. Goudarzi had reportedly angered Iranian authorities due to his human rights work and contents in his blog specifically asking for the release of jailed members of Committee of Human Rights Reporters (CHRR).

He was detained twice in 2006 during peaceful rallies and three times after the events following the disputed presidential election results of 2009.

Goudarzi was first arrested in March 2006 on International Women's Day as he was taking pictures during a rally with Shiva Nazarahari and they were released soon after. He was detained again in May 2006 on International Workers' Day while attending a Tehran Bus Company rally. He had disclosed to the Associated Press that a political prisoner, Akbar Mohammadi had died in prison after going on hunger strike to protest the lack of proper medical care.

Kouhyar Goudarzi (Persian: کوهیار گودرزی ‎) is an Iranian human rights activist, journalist and blogger who was imprisoned several times by the government of Iran. He previously served as an editor of Radio Zamane. He is a member of Committee of Human Rights Reporters (CHRR), serving as the head from 2005-2009.