Ruhollah Zam
Ruhollah Zam | |
|---|---|
| File:Ruhollah Zam.jpg | |
| Born | 27 July 1978 |
| Occupation | Journalist |
| Known for | Operating Telegram channel Amadnews |
| Spouse | Mahsā Rāzāni |
Ruhollah Zam (Persian: روحالله زم, also Romanized as "Rouhollah Zam"; born 27 July 1978) is an incarcerated[1] Iranian former exiled activist and former journalist.[2] He is best known for operating a Telegram channel named 'Amadnews' (or 'Sedaiemardom', lit. 'Voice of the People'), which he founded in 2015. Zam played a high-profile role in the 2017–18 Iranian protests, during which he devoted special coverage.[3] Voice of America's Persian service frequently invited Zam on its broadcasts.[4][5] In June 2020 an Iran court found him guilty of "corruption on earth" for running a popular anti-government forum, which officials said to have incited the 2017–2018 Iranian protests. He has been sentenced to death by Iranian officials.[6]
Biography
He was born into a clerical family in Tehran in 1978.[4] His father, Mohammad-Ali Zam, is a reformist who served in senior government positions in the 1980s and 1990s.[3] Ruhollah Zam turned against the establishment after the 2009 Iranian presidential election protests, and he was imprisoned in Evin Prison for some time. Zam fled Iran to reside in France.[7]
Highest security team
According to Ruhollah Zam, he himself had the heaviest security team in France (after the President of France).[8] At first, he used to be imperceptibly protected, but afterwards, the government of France prepared him with a tangible security team. It has been mentioned as the highest security team in France after the security team of Macron.[9]
Arrest
On 14 October 2019, Iran's Revolutionary Guards announced they had lured Zam back to Iran and arrested him. The guards posted the news of his arrest on Zam's Telegram channel with a following of over a million users, effectively taking over the administration of the popular channel.[10]
Court
The court hearing was held at the branch 15 of Tehran's Revolution Court, presided over by Judge Abolqasem Salavati.[11] Ruhollah Zam is sentenced to death according to the judiciary spokesman Gholamhossein Esmaili.[12]
See also
References
- ^ "Ruhollah Zam: Iran 'arrests exiled journalist' for fanning unrest". BBC. 14 October 2019.
- ^ Najibullah, Farangis (5 January 2018). "Controversial Exile Using Social Media To Try To Bring Down Iranian Government". Radio Free Europe. Retrieved 8 January 2018.
- ^ a b Gambrell, Jon. "Protests in Iran fanned by exiled journalist, messaging app". AP News. Retrieved 31 December 2017.
- ^ a b Alfoneh, Ali. "Tehran's campaign against the opposition raises questions". The Arab Weekly. Retrieved 17 March 2019.
- ^ "The App Powering the Uprising in Iran, Where Some Channels Pushed for Violence". The Daily Beast. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
- ^ "Ruhollah Zam: Iran sentences journalist to death for fanning unrest". BBC.
- ^ Abri, Ehsan. "With highspeed internet, the regime would be gone in a month". Bild. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
- ^ How did the heaviest French security team kneel before the IRGC's intelligence? Retrieved 6 July 2020
- ^ Ruhollah Zam: After Macron, I had the heaviest security team in France donya-e-eqtesad.com Retrieved 6 July 2020
- ^ "ایستگاه خبر؛ دوشنبه ۲۲ مهر ماه ۱۳۹۸ - BBC Persian". BBC News فارسی (in Persian). Retrieved 14 October 2019.
- ^ "First Trial Session of Ruhollah Zam Held in Tehran - Politics news". Tasnim News Agency. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
- ^ Karimi, Nasser (30 June 2020). "Iran journalist who fueled 2017 protests sentenced to death". CTV News.