Imagine a state ruled by a theocratic, pseudo-dictatorship that silences its press, arrests its opposition and trounces the rights and freedoms of its own people.

Akbar Ganji, a pro-democracy dissident, journalist and writer, lives under such an oppressive regime in Iran.
Ganji has won Right’s & Democracy’s 2007 John Humphrey award and spoke yesterday at UBC in a 3-week tour of Canada to promote peaceful means of democratizing Iran.

“Iran has the social prerequisite to be a democracy,” said Ganji. “It is like a plant that is trying to grow in a certain field. It of course needs a prosperous soil. Iran’s field is prepared for growing the fruit of democracy.”

Ganji feels that dissent over democracy and human rights in Iran is widespread, but international pressures may jeopardize the movement – especially the United State’s aggressive stance on Iran’s nuclear program.

“It’s not just the soil. Other elements like oxygen and light are important too. They’re external,” Ganji continued. “The environment, especially internationally, should be ready for [a democratic Iran] as well. A militaristic approach, environmentally, is killing the plant. That should be removed from the equation and all the pressure should be focused on democracy.”

Ganji urged Canadians to be vocal about avoiding any military action against Iran, and to petition the Canadian government to do the same.

“I’m fighting for a peaceful transition to democracy for Iran, therefore I’m asking the international community’s help for this regard. Simultaneously, we keep reminding people that even talking about a military strike is making our life very difficult,” Ganji said.

After exposing rights abuses by the fundamentalist regime in Iran in 2000, he was sentenced to six years in prison for “propaganda against the regime and its institutions.”

He protested his imprisonment with a hunger strike in 2005, and continued to write political manifestos while imprisoned – many of which were smuggled out and published on the Internet.

University of California Press will publish a collection of these pieces in English.

Originally Published in 24 Hours Vancouver. Print version available upon request.