Mehdi Mousavi

Mehdi Mousavi, also Mehdi Moosavi, (Farsi: مهدی موسوی)(born 1974, 1975, or 1976) is an Iranian poet. He is known for poems on social issues. Mousavi was arrested in 2013, along with poet Fatemeh Ekhtesari.  Mousavi was sentenced to nine years in prison plus 99 lashes. A group of poets signed a petition asking for his release.  Mousavi escaped from Iran in January 2016.

 Arrest 

On December 6, 2013, Fatemeh Ekhtesari and Mehdi Moosavi had planned to travel to Turkey for a literary workshop, but they were stopped at the airport.  They were told they were under a travel ban, and their passports were confiscated.  A few hours later they disappeared and did not appear again until December 24, 2014, when it was known they were in Section 2A of Evin Prison.  Torture and other abuse of prisoners is common in the prison, which is controlled by the Intelligence Division of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps.  On January 14, 2014, Ekhtesari and Mousavi were released on bail. Their lawyer said Moosavi was sentenced to six years in prison for "insulting the holy sanctities", three years for "storing tear gas", and 99 lashes for "illicit relations". The amount of the bail was 200 million tomans, or about US$60,000.

 Work 

Mehdi Mousavi is known for his collections of poetry, and as a leader in the "Postmodern Ghazal" movement, a radical poetry movement that challenges religious traditions.  Many of his works were banned in Iran and distributed underground. The authorities refused publication of two of his collections, "Suddenly" and "Beeping for the Sheep". Some of Mousavi's lyrics have been performed by Shahin Najafi, an Iranian singer in exile. 

Published works include:
The Angels Have Committed Suicide (2002)
I Only Publish These for You (2005)
The Little Bird Was Neither a Bird nor Little (2010)

 Other websites 
 Four Poems by Mehdi Mousavi 

 References  

Category:Iranian poets
Category:Living people
Category:1976 births