Manouchehr Ganji
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Manouchehr Ganji (
Persian Persian may refer to: * People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language ** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples ** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...
: منوچهر گنجی) is a human rights activist and a former
Minister of Education An education minister (sometimes minister of education) is a position in the governments of some countries responsible for dealing with educational matters. Where known, the government department, ministry, or agency that develops policy and deli ...
of Iran from 1976 until 1979.


Life

Ganji was born in
Tehran Tehran (; , ''Tehrân'') is the capital and largest city of Iran. It is the capital of Tehran province, and the administrative center for Tehran County and its Central District (Tehran County), Central District. With a population of around 9. ...
, Iran. He received his B.A. and M.A. degrees in
political science Political science is the scientific study of politics. It is a social science dealing with systems of governance and Power (social and political), power, and the analysis of political activities, political philosophy, political thought, polit ...
and
international relations International relations (IR, and also referred to as international studies, international politics, or international affairs) is an academic discipline. In a broader sense, the study of IR, in addition to multilateral relations, concerns al ...
from the
University of Kentucky The University of Kentucky (UK, UKY, or U of K) is a Public University, public Land-grant University, land-grant research university in Lexington, Kentucky, United States. Founded in 1865 by John Bryan Bowman as the Agricultural and Mechanical ...
, his doctorate degree in international law – international protection of human rights – from the
Graduate Institute of International Studies Graduate may refer to: Education * The subject of a graduation, i.e. someone awarded an academic degree ** Alumni, a former student who has either attended or graduated from an institution * High school graduate, someone who has completed hi ...
,
University of Geneva The University of Geneva (French: ''Université de Genève'') is a public university, public research university located in Geneva, Switzerland. It was founded in 1559 by French theologian John Calvin as a Theology, theological seminary. It rema ...
, which then dedicated to him a place in it
Hall of Inspiring Stories
and his post doctorate degree from the
University of Cambridge The University of Cambridge is a Public university, public collegiate university, collegiate research university in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1209, the University of Cambridge is the List of oldest universities in continuous operation, wo ...
. Ganji was the Minister of Education of Iran between the years 1976 and 1978. He served as professor of international law and international organizations at
Tehran University The University of Tehran (UT) or Tehran University (, ) is a public collegiate university in Iran, and the oldest and most prominent Iranian university located in Tehran. Based on its historical, socio-cultural, and political pedigree, as well as ...
from 1966 to 1979. He was the founder and the first director of the university's Center for Graduate International Studies (1966–1971). He served as the dean of Faculty of Law and Political Science of Tehran University (1971–1974) and he acted as the advisor to the prime minister of Iran, Amir Abbas Hoveida, between 1974 and 1976. Ganji was also the founder of the Iranian Committee for Human Rights, 1967, and its first secretary-general, 1967–1970. He has written 27 books in
Persian Persian may refer to: * People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language ** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples ** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...
, English and French and many articles on the topics of international protection of human rights,
civil disobedience Civil disobedience is the active and professed refusal of a citizenship, citizen to obey certain laws, demands, orders, or commands of a government (or any other authority). By some definitions, civil disobedience has to be nonviolent to be cal ...
and international law.


Human rights activities

Ganji has been a human rights protagonist since his student days in the US, in the 1950s. The subject of his master's degree thesis was the United Nations and human rights, and his PhD dissertation was entitled "International Protection of Human Rights". Between 1961 and 1962 he served on the secretariat of the
International Labour Organization The International Labour Organization (ILO) is a United Nations agency whose mandate is to advance social and economic justice by setting international labour standards. Founded in October 1919 under the League of Nations, it is one of the firs ...
and the division on the Application of the ILO Conventions and Recommendations (in Geneva). From 1962 to 1965, he worked for the UN Division of Human Rights at the UN Headquarters in New York. At the time of Shah
Mohammad Reza Pahlavi Mohammad Reza Pahlavi (26 October 1919 – 27 July 1980) was the last List of monarchs of Iran, Shah of Iran, ruling from 1941 to 1979. He succeeded his father Reza Shah and ruled the Imperial State of Iran until he was overthrown by the ...
's reign, Ganji convinced the Shah to invite the International Committee of Red Cross to open up permanent offices in Iran, to visit and inspect Iranian prisons and guarantee that no torture was taking place there. The ICRC offices remained open and active until after the
Iranian Revolution The Iranian Revolution (, ), also known as the 1979 Revolution, or the Islamic Revolution of 1979 (, ) was a series of events that culminated in the overthrow of the Pahlavi dynasty in 1979. The revolution led to the replacement of the Impe ...
, when the ruling clerics closed them down in 1980. Since the Iranian Revolution, Ganji has been active in bringing violations of human rights in Iran by the ruling clerics to the world's attention. Ganji was the first Special Rapporteur for the
United Nations Commission on Human Rights The United Nations Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR) was a functional commission within the United Nations System, overall framework of the United Nations from 1946 until it was replaced by the United Nations Human Rights Council in 2006. It was a ...
on the question of
apartheid Apartheid ( , especially South African English:  , ; , ) was a system of institutionalised racial segregation that existed in South Africa and South West Africa (now Namibia) from 1948 to the early 1990s. It was characterised by an ...
and racial discrimination in southern Africa, including
South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...
, South West Africa (now known as
Namibia Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country on the west coast of Southern Africa. Its borders include the Atlantic Ocean to the west, Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south; in the no ...
) and
Southern Rhodesia Southern Rhodesia was a self-governing British Crown colony in Southern Africa, established in 1923 and consisting of British South Africa Company (BSAC) territories lying south of the Zambezi River. The region was informally known as South ...
(now known as
Zimbabwe file:Zimbabwe, relief map.jpg, upright=1.22, Zimbabwe, relief map Zimbabwe, officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, is a landlocked country in Southeast Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers, bordered by South Africa to the south, Bots ...
), during 1967–1969. Between 1969 and 1973 Ganji served as the U.N. Special Rapporteur in charge of the preparation of a comprehensive study on conditions of economic, social and cultural rights in all member countries of the United Nations. The U.N. published this global study in 1974 in all its official languages. In 1973 and 1976, Ganji was elected by the
UN Commission on Human Rights The United Nations Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR) was a functional commission within the overall framework of the United Nations from 1946 until it was replaced by the United Nations Human Rights Council in 2006. It was a subsidiary body of th ...
to serve, in his personal capacity, as a member of the UN Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities (each time for a 3-year term). In 1976 he was also elected by the Conference of States Parties to the United Nations Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to serve a three-year term in his personal capacity as a member of the Committee on Human Rights, responsible for overseeing the implementation of the covenant. To save his life, Ganji hid in Iran and six months after the
1979 revolution The Iranian Revolution (, ), also known as the 1979 Revolution, or the Islamic Revolution of 1979 (, ) was a series of events that culminated in the overthrow of the Pahlavi dynasty in 1979. The revolution led to the replacement of the Impe ...
escaped Iran on foot into
Turkey Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...
and from there to the
United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
. Ganji is the founder and secretary general of the 'Derafsh Kaviani' (the Flag of Freedom Organization of Iran "FFO"), a democratic non-violent opposition movement to the clerical regime. He is also founder and secretary general of the Organization for Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms for Iran whose aims and purposes are educating the Iranian people about their rights and freedoms, demanding their respect by the authorities, and through civil disobedience striving towards the establishment of a free and pluralistic society respectful of human rights, the rule of non-discrimination, separation of church and state and a parliamentary democracy in Iran. Through the Flag of Freedom Organization of Iran and the Organization for Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms for Iran, Ganji has been a leading advocate for freedom and human rights in Iran and has orchestrated a campaign of political defiance by advocating civil disobedience against the clerical regime in Iran since the revolution. During the past 30 years, seven attempts have been made against Ganji's life. Seven of his closest colleagues were assassinated in Europe and in the Middle East by the agents of the clerical regime. Many others are said to have been imprisoned, tortured and killed in Iran. Ganji is the author of many books and articles in Persian, English, and French. In addition to his 5 volumes of the United Nations Reports; these include university textbooks on international law and international organizations (four volumes in
Persian Persian may refer to: * People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language ** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples ** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...
), international protection of human rights, apartheid and racial discrimination in southern Africa, ''Etre Persan'' (a personal political memoir in French), a study of the developments of the past fifty years in Iran written in Persian, entitled ''Atash-e Nahofteh'' (The Hidden Fire ), and ''Defying the Iranian Revolution: From a Minister to the Shah to a Leader of Resistance''. 1


References

*1-Ganji, Manouchehr, Defying the Iranian Revolution (London and Westport, Connecticut: Praeger Publishers, 2002). *2-Ibid; and Ganji, Manouchehr, Etre Persan (Paris: Edition Michel Lafon, 1995). *3-Ganji, Manouchehr, International Protection of Human Rights (Geneva: Droz Publishers, 1962). *4-Ganji, Manouchehr, Defying the Iranian Revolution, op cit, p. 43; Ganji, Manouchehr Atash-e Nahofteh, Op Cit, PP. 112–117 and Ganji, Manouchehr, Etre Persan, Op Cit., pp. 36–40. *5-As examples see Ganji, Manouchehr, Defying the Iranian Revolution, Op Cit, and Ganji, Manouchehr, Etre Persan, Op.Cit. *6-See UN Documents E/CN,4/949 (22 November 1967 and UN Document E/CN.4/1108/Rev.1 and E/CN.4/1131/Rev.1 . *7-United Nations, The United Nations and Human Rights (New York: United Nations, 1984), pp. 92–93. *8-UN, The United Nations and Human Rights (New York: UN Publications, sales No. E.84.I.6), pp. 92–93; Dr. Ganji, Encyclopedia of Britanica, International Human Rights Prescriptions and Enforcement and the UN Document E/cn4/1108/Rev.1 and E/CN.4/1108/Rev.1 . Also E/CN.4/1131/Rev.1. *9-See derafsh.org. *10-See Time Magazine, The Connection: An Exclusive look at how Iran Hunts Down Its Opponents Abroad (March 21, 1994). *11-See: Paris Match, L'Homme Le Plus Menace de France, (6 Novembre 1994 ), pp. 19, 20, 22, 26, 99, 101, 102. {{DEFAULTSORT:Ganji, Manouchehr Government ministers of Iran Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies alumni Academic staff of the University of Tehran Exiles of the Iranian Revolution in the United States Living people Rastakhiz Party politicians People of Pahlavi Iran 1931 births Iranian monarchists