Seyyed Ali-Asghar Gharavi (Persian: سید علی‌اصغر غروی) is an Iranian scholar of religion and political activist affiliated with the Freedom Movement of Iran.[2]

Ali-Asghar Gharavi
Bornc. 1943 or 1944 (age 80–81)[1]
NationalityIranian
Alma materSaint Joseph University
Political partyFreedom Movement of Iran

According to the American magazine In These Times, he is "one of Iran's most prominent pro-democracy activists and political thinkers".[3]

In 1998, he was arrested and summoned to the Special Clerical Court for criticizing the regime, despite the fact he is not a cleric.[2] In 2013, Bahar newspaper was banned for publishing an article written by Gharavi, titled “Imam Ali, a Political Leader or a Religious Model?”.[4][5] He was accused of "blasphemy" for implicitly challenging Iran's Supreme Leader.[6]

References

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  1. ^ "Iran's Intelligence Ministry Pressures Family Members to Cut Ties with Religious Scholar Who Criticized Supreme Leader". Center for Human Rights in Iran. 30 October 2019. Retrieved 23 February 2014 – via Payvand.
  2. ^ a b Said Amir Arjomand; Nathan J. Brown (2013). The Rule of Law, Islam, and Constitutional Politics in Egypt and Iran. SUNY Press. p. 77, 97. ISBN 978-1-4384-4597-7.
  3. ^ Pocha, Jehangir (17 January 2003), "Interview with Ali Asghar Gharavi, a member of the Iran Freedom Movement", In These Times, retrieved 1 January 2020
  4. ^ "Iran's closure of reformist newspaper raises concerns about press freedom". The Guardian. 4 November 2013. Retrieved 23 February 2014.
  5. ^ "Reformist Newspaper in Iran Shut Down Over Imam Ali Article". Al-Monitor. 30 October 2013. Retrieved 23 February 2014.
  6. ^ Article 19, Beyond Blasphemy: Why Two Iranian Newspapers Were Closed Down, 30 January 2015, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/54cf850e4.html [accessed 2 January 2020]
Party political offices
Preceded by
Unknown
Head of the Freedom Movement of Iran Branch in Isfahan
Unknown–present
Incumbent