Masih Alinejad

Activist

• Born: September 11, 1976
• Birthplace: Quomi, Babol, Iran

Also known as: Masoumeh Alinejad-Ghomi

Significance: Masih Alinejad was raised in an oppressive theocratic regime. Despite great risks to her personal safety, Alinejad spoke out against the oppression of women by the government of Iran. She worked to raise awareness of the struggles women face under Iran’s theocracy and opposed mandatory hijab laws. Alinejad’s actions have earned her both international fame and retaliatory action from Iran’s government.

Background

Masih Alinejad, also known as Masoumeh Alinejad-Ghomi, was born on September 11, 1976, in Quomi Babol, Iran. She was raised in a small village near the Caspian Sea. Her father, Ali Alinejad, was a sharecropper. As a youth, Alinejad developed a reputation for criticizing the Iranian government. In 1994, the future activist was arrested for distributing literature that criticized the Iranian government.

Alinejad remained critical of the Iranian government’s treatment of women. To help produce changes that would benefit the people of Iran, Alinejad pursued a career in journalism. In 2001, she began writing for the Iranian daily newspaper Hambastegi. She went on to write for the Iranian Labour News Agency, then began working as a parliamentary reporter. Alinejad was dismissed from this role after publishing an article alleging that government officials had falsely claimed they were receiving pay cuts.

Despite her dismissal, Alinejad continued her journalistic pursuits. In 2008, Alinejad published “Song of the Dolphins,” an article that was exceptionally critical of the followers of then-President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. The article drew significant criticism from the government, eventually leading to a public apology from the newspaper. In 2009, the activist spent time in the United States, where she attended several protests against the Iranian government. That same year, Alinejad published her novel A Green Date.

Life’s Work

Throughout her career, Alinejad vocally opposed the lack of freedoms afforded to Iranian women. In 2014, she created the Facebook page My Stealthy Freedom. This page encouraged Iranian women to post pictures of themselves without a hijab, something that was forbidden in Iran. Women who appeared in public without a hijab risked arrest, fines, and imprisonment. In 2015, Alinejad was awarded the women’s rights prize at the Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy for her continued resistance to Iran’s oppressive laws.

Alinejad continued to use her skills as a journalist to attack mandatory hijab legislation across the Middle East. In 2016, it was decided that the women’s chess world championships would be held in Tehran, Iran. According to Iranian law, women who competed in the tournament would be forced to wear a hijab. Alinejad led an international boycott of the tournament.

Alinejad published her memoir, The Wind in My Hair, in 2018. The autobiography details Alinejad’s journey from rural village in northern Iran to the leader of international protest movements. It was praised by critics for its honest portrayal of the daily lives of Iranian women. Alinejad has also published numerous books in Persian, including Tahasson and Taj-e KIhar.

Impact

Alinejad’s vocal opposition to Iranian law earned her criticism and retaliation from the Iranian government. Though Alinejad moved to the United States, her family remained in Iran. They faced arrests and harassment from Iranian police and military forces. In 2018, the Iranian government forced Alinejad’s sister and niece to publicly disavow Alinejad and her activism. Her brother, Alireza, was sentenced to eight years in prison for his refusal to participate.

Despite these attacks, Alinejad remained staunch in her opposition to oppression. She earned her place as an online leader of Iran’s peaceful protest movement, encouraging many others to stand in solidarity with women protesting against widespread injustice. Alinejad helped inspire the women’s revolution in Iran, in which more than fourteen thousand protestors took to the streets to oppose the administration of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Though the protests were met with violent attacks from the government, many remained hopeful that the continuing movement marked the beginning of a new political era for Iran.

Personal Life

Despite moving to the United States, Alinejad continued to face retaliation attempts by Iranian religious zealots and representatives of the Iranian government. In July 2021, United States law enforcement agencies revealed that Iranian intelligence agents had infiltrated the United States to attempt to kidnap Alinejad. The plot was stopped by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

In 2022, a man named Khalid Mehdiyev attempted to enter Alinejad’s home. When police officers searched his car, they found a suitcase containing a rifle and ammunition. In January 2023, the US Department of Justice charged Mehdiyev and two co-conspirators with plotting to assassinate Alinejad. That same year, Nilou Bahadorifar was convicted of assisting Iranian intelligence agents with their plans to kidnap Alinejad. Despite these attempts on her life, Alinejad continued to speak for the women of Iran.

Bibliography

“3 Charge in Plot to Kill Iranian-American Author Masih Alinejad in New York City,” CBS New York, 27 Jan. 2023, www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/masih-alinejad-murder-plot-new-york-city-charges/. Accessed 28 July, 2023.

“Iranian Activist and VOA Host Masih Alinejad Among Time’s Women of the Year.” VOA News on Iran, 2 Mar. 2023, www.voanews.com/a/iranian-activist-and-voa-host-masih-alinejad-among-time-women-of-the-year/6987281.html. Accessed 28 July, 2023.

McClintock, Adriana. “Activist Masih Alinejad, One of Time’s 2023 Women of the Year, to Speak at CSU.” Colorado State University, Mar. 2023, source.colostate.edu/masih-alinejad-csu/. Accessed 28 July, 2023.

“Masih Alinejad – 2023 Time Women of the Year and Iranian Freedom Fighter.” George W. Bush Presidential Center, 12 May, 2023, www.bushcenter.org/publications/masih-alinejad-2023-time-woman-of-the-year-and-iranian-freedom-fighter. Accessed 28 July, 2023.

Platt, Bill. “Activist Masih Alinejad to Address First Democracy Summit.” Dartmouth, 2023, home.dartmouth.edu/news/2023/02/activist-masih-alinejad-address-first-democracy-summit. Accessed 28 July, 2023.

Rajvanshi, Astha. “Iranian Dissident Masih Alinejad Won’t Be Silenced.” TIME, 2023, time.com/6259111/masih-alinejad/. Accessed 28 July, 2023.

Wintour, Patrick. “Iranian Dissident Put Under 24-Hour Police Protection in UK After Threats to Life.” The Guardian, 11 May, 2023, www.theguardian.com/world/2023/may/11/iranian-dissident-masih-alinejad-24-hour-police-protection-uk-threats-to-life. Accessed 28 July, 2023.

Wood, Graeme. “Who’s Afraid of Masih Alinejad?” The Atlantic, 23 Nov. 2022, www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2022/11/masih-alinejad-iran-hijab-protests/672204/. Accessed 28 July, 2023.