Mojtaba Pourmohsen

Mojtaba Pourmohsen, an award-winning Iranian journalist, poet, and translator was born in Rasht in 1979. Pourmohsen worked for the daily Shargh newspaper, a popular reformist newspaper in Iran until the paper was shut down by the Iranian government as a result of an article he wrote.cite news | first=Saeed | last=Kamali Dehghan | coauthors= | title=Saeed Kamali Dehgan on censorship in Iran | date=2008-01-06 | publisher=Guardian News and Media Limited | url =http://books.guardian.co.uk/departments/generalfiction/story/0,,2235903,00.html | work =The Guardian | pages = | accessdate = 2008-06-07 | language = ]

Pourmohsen's interview with Saghi Ghahraman

The daily Shargh newspaper has been shut down by the government 3 times, most recently as a result of an interview written by Motjaba Pourmohsen. Pourmohsen was poetry editor of the Shargh when he interviewed the Iranian lesbian poet Saghi Ghahraman who lives in Canadacite web|url=http://www.canada.com/topics/news/world/story.html?id=11bccbe7-4274-40e9-8f15-45df4476f0f3&k=39534|title=Canada West News Service article|accessdate=2008-06-18] . The interview caused such outrage that the government closed down the paper.cite news | first=Saeed | last=Kamali Dehghan | coauthors= | title=Saeed Kamali Dehgan on censorship in Iran | date=2008-01-06 | publisher=Guardian News and Media Limited | url =http://books.guardian.co.uk/departments/generalfiction/story/0,,2235903,00.html | work =The Guardian | pages = | accessdate = 2008-06-07 | language = ] cite web|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/08/world/middleeast/08briefs-newspaper.html?ex=1344225600&en=877c6f0bbcc81a75&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss|title=New York Times article about the closing down of the newspaper|accessdate=2008-06-18] cite web|url=http://www.humannaturemag.com/editions/1_07/youngiranians2.html|title=Human Nature Magazine article on the closing of the Shargh newspaper|accessdate=2008-06-18]

The French-based international journalists' rights group "Reporters Without Borders" condemned the Iranian government for suspending the daily Shargh simply because it published Pourmohsen's interview with Ghahraman "in which she defended homosexuals". Homosexuality is illegal in the Islamic republic.cite web|url=http://www.canada.com/topics/news/world/story.html?id=11bccbe7-4274-40e9-8f15-45df4476f0f3&k=39534|title=Canada West News Service article|accessdate=2008-06-18]

The daily Kayhan, a conservative newspaper in Iran, explained the official view in its statement: "Media observers believe that Shargh has interviewed this homosexual while aware of her sick sexual identity, dissident views and porno-personality."cite web|url=http://www.canada.com/topics/news/world/story.html?id=11bccbe7-4274-40e9-8f15-45df4476f0f3&k=39534|title=Canada West News Service article|accessdate=2008-06-18]

Of her interview with Pourmohsen for Shargh, Ghahraman told CanWest News Service, "They wanted to talk to me about poetry and literature. I talked about poetry, and when they asked me about ethics, I gave my opinion regarding ethics, about motherhood belonging to both men and women. They've shut down the newspaper because they don't like having a moderate newspaper at the time of elections."cite web|url=http://www.canada.com/topics/news/world/story.html?id=11bccbe7-4274-40e9-8f15-45df4476f0f3&k=39534|title=Canada West News Service article|accessdate=2008-06-18]

Writing

Pourmohsen began writing in 2000, working as a critic for the popular newspapers: Hamshahri, Sedaaye Edaalat, Roozegaar, Hambastegi and Etemaad. cite web|url=http://www.radiozamaneh.org/pourmohsen/|title=Radio Zamaneh page for Mojtaba Pourmohsen (in Arabic)|accessdate=2008-06-18]

From 2002 to 2003 he wrote regularly for Etemaad and Hambastegi newspapers before joining the daily Shargh. As well as being literary critic for the Shargh newspaper Pourmohsen worked with the literary magazines: Asre Panjshanbeh, Karnaameh, Naafeh, Naameh, Simiaa, Khaanesh and Kelk.cite web|url=http://www.pourmohsen.com/|title=Pourmohsen's website and blog|accessdate=2008-06-18]

Two collections of poems by Pourmohsen have been published. "I want myself to meet an accident, Mrs Nurse" was published in 2000 by Namjoo Fard publications, and "Sevens" was published in 2006 by Hezareye Sevome Andisheh publications.cite web|url=http://www.pourmohsen.com/|title=Pourmohsen's website and blog|accessdate=2008-06-18]

4 books by Pourmohsen are with Iran's censor, waiting to get official approval.cite news | first=Saeed | last=Kamali Dehghan | coauthors= | title=Saeed Kamali Dehgan on censorship in Iran | date=2008-01-06 | publisher=Guardian News and Media Limited | url =http://books.guardian.co.uk/departments/generalfiction/story/0,,2235903,00.html | work =The Guardian | pages = | accessdate = 2008-06-07 | language = ] Three of them are translation and one is his own collection of poems:cite news | first=Saeed | last=Kamali Dehghan | coauthors= | title=Saeed Kamali Dehgan on censorship in Iran | date=2008-01-06 | publisher=Guardian News and Media Limited | url =http://books.guardian.co.uk/departments/generalfiction/story/0,,2235903,00.html | work =The Guardian | pages = | accessdate = 2008-06-07 | language = ]

*"A Man Without a Country" by Kurt Vonnegut, translated by Pourmohsen.
*"Writing is my fate" a collection of interviews with important poets, writers and playwrights, translated by Pourmohsen.
*"Foot’s fingers" a selection of poems by Raymond Carver, translated by Pourmohsen.
*"One Man Tango" a collection of poems by Pourmohsen.

Present work

Since December 2006, Pourmohsen has worked with [http://www.radiozamaneh.org/ Radio Zamaneh] . He is a critic and broadcaster with Radio Zamaneh.cite web|url=http://www.radiozamaneh.org/pourmohsen/|title=Radio Zamaneh page for Mojtaba Pourmohsen (in Arabic)|accessdate=2008-06-18] Pourmohsen also works as a editor for Gilan Today.cite web|url=http://www.pourmohsen.com/|title=Pourmohsen's website and blog|accessdate=2008-06-18]

Awards

*Pourmohsen won "Best Journalist" award at the National Journalism Festival in Iran in 2005.cite web|url=http://www.pourmohsen.com/|title=Pourmohsen's website and blog|accessdate=2008-06-18]
* He was selected as a "Best Journalist" 4 times in Provincial Iranian Journalism Festivals.cite web|url=http://www.pourmohsen.com/|title=Pourmohsen's website and blog|accessdate=2008-06-18]

References