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Fateme Ekhtesari

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Fateme Ekhtesari
Ekhtesari in 2018
Ekhtesari in 2018
Native name
فاطمه اختصاری
BornFateme Ekhtesari
1986 (age 38–39)
Kashmar, Iran
Occupation
  • Poet
  • songwriter
  • criticism
  • writer
LanguagePersian
NationalityIranian, Norwegian
EducationMidwifery
GenrePostmodern Ghazal
Website
www.ekhtesari.com
Literature portal

Fateme Ekhtesari, also Fatemeh Ekhtesari, (born 1986) is an Iranian poet.[1][2] Ekhtesari lived in Karaj and she writes in Persian.[3] In 2013, she appeared at the poetry festival in Gothenburg (Göteborgs poesifestival). After she arrived back in Iran she was imprisoned and later released on bail. Her verdict came in 2015 when she was sentenced to 99 lashes and 11.5 years imprisonment for crimes against the Iranian government, for immoral behaviour and blasphemy.[4]

Early Life and Education

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Fatemeh Ekhtesari was born in Iran and initially trained as a midwife, a profession that influences much of her literary work. She frequently writes about labour, pregnancy, and abortion, reflecting on the intersection of gender, bodily autonomy, and societal expectations in Iran.[5]

Literary Career in Iran

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Ekhtesari is known for her work in postmodern ghazal poetry, which modernises traditional Persian verse with fragmented structures and contemporary themes. Her poetry challenges gender norms, censorship, and political oppression, and she has been recognised as a leading feminist voice in contemporary Iranian literature.

Her first collection of poems, A Feminist Discourse Before Cooking Potatoes (یک بحث فمینیستی قبل از پختن سیب‌زمینی‌ها), was published in 2010[2] and is recognised for its exploration of feminist themes, challenging traditional gender roles, and critiquing societal norms in Iran.[6] However, the book was later retracted, and its publication was halted when it was discovered that she had filled in censored words by hand before its release.[2]

Her second book, Rakhs roye sime khardar (Rakhs roye sime khardar), was still awaiting approval for publication by the Iranian government as of October 2015.[7]

She was also the chief editor of the postmodern literary magazine It Was Just Tomorrow (همین فردا بود, Hamin Farad Bud)[8], which was later cancelled by Iranian authorities.[9]

Ekhtesari also participated in a literary project called "En motståndsrörelse på mitt skrivbord" (*A Resistance Movement on My Desk*), where six Persian and six Swedish poets collaborated. This was documented by the Swedish literary magazine Kritiker in 2013.[10]

The Iranian rapper Shahin Najafi, whose music has been banned in Iran, has used some of Ekhtesari’s poems in his songs.[11]

Censorship and Persecution in Iran

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Evin prison

In 2013, Ekhtesari was invited to participate in the Gothenburg Poetry Festival in Sweden.[12] However, upon her return to Iran, she was arrested at the airport while attempting to travel to Turkey with fellow poet Mehdi Moosavi. She was subsequently imprisoned at Evin Prison in Tehran.[13][14] During her imprisonment, her Facebook account was hacked, and her blog was shut down.[15]

On 12 October 2015, she was sentenced to 99 lashes and 11.5 years in prison on multiple charges, including: - Seven years for "insulting the sacred" - Three years for allegedly publishing "indecent photos online" - Eighteen months for spreading "propaganda critical of the Iranian government" - 99 lashes for "illicit relations"[16]

In response to Ekhtesari's sentencing, more than 100 poets, including Robert Pinsky, Claudia Rankine, Billy Collins, John Ashbery, and Tracy K. Smith, signed an open letter urging Iranian authorities to overturn the conviction. The letter was part of a broader international effort to advocate for the release of persecuted poets in Iran.[17]

PEN International playing a key role in campaigning for her freedom. In 2015, PEN International publicly condemned her sentencing and called for her release, highlighting her case as an example of severe literary censorship in Iran.[18]

In January 2016, she fled Iran to escape her sentence, though she declined to disclose further details about her escape.[19]

Exile and Life in Norway

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She sought asylum in Norway, where she has continued her literary career in exile. Upon her arrival in Norway, Ekhtesari became an ICORN writer under the International Cities of Refuge Network (ICORN), which provides safe residency for persecuted writers.[20] She is also a member of PEN Norway (PEN Norsk) and has continued to advocate for freedom of expression through her work with international literary organisations.

While in Norway, Ekhtesari has become an active figure in the country's literary circles. She has participated in major literary festivals, collaborated with Norwegian publishers, and published poetry collections in bilingual editions. Her works have been translated into Norwegian and English, broadening her international audience. The themes of exile, censorship, and displacement have become increasingly central to her poetry, reflecting her personal experiences and the struggles of persecuted Iranian artists.

Ekhtesari has also engaged with Norwegian schools through Den kulturelle skolesekken (DKS), a cultural outreach program that introduces students to diverse literary traditions and global human rights issues.[21]

Advocacy for Human Rights

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Ekhtesari has been an outspoken advocate for freedom of expression and the protection of writers and artists facing persecution. She has used her platform to raise awareness about the repression of Iranian poets and has spoken at international forums on human rights.

  • United Nations Human Rights Council – 56th Session (2024) – Ekhtesari spoke at a panel discussion titled Based on a True Story during the **56th session of the UN Human Rights Council** in Geneva. The event, organised by **PEN America, PEN International**, and the **Permanent Missions of Poland and Estonia to the UN**, focused on the protection of writers at risk. Ekhtesari addressed the challenges faced by Iranian artists and activists and advocated for stronger international policies to defend freedom of expression in Iran.[22]
  • PEN America and PEN International – She has collaborated with **PEN America** and **PEN International**, two organisations that support freedom of expression for writers worldwide. Through these platforms, she has highlighted the dangers faced by Iranian poets and has called for greater international solidarity in defending artistic freedom.[23]
  • Advocacy for Iranian Artists in Exile – Ekhtesari continues to advocate for exiled Iranian artists, using her poetry and public appearances to shed light on censorship, imprisonment, and the challenges of exile.

Literary and Cultural Engagements

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Ekhtesari has been an active participant in international literary festivals and cultural events, where she has shared her experiences as an exiled writer and discussed issues of censorship, gender, and freedom of speech in Iran.

  • International Literature Festival Berlin (ILB) – She participated in the festival, where she shared her work and discussed themes of human rights and exile.[24]
  • Norwegian Festival of Literature – Ekhtesari has been featured at the Norwegian Literature Festival in Lillehammer, the largest literary festival in the Nordic region.[25]
  • Bergen International Literary Festival – She was listed among the featured authors for the 2024 festival, marking her growing influence in Norway's literary scene.[26]
  • Nobel Peace Prize Centre – Ekhtesari has spoken at events at the Nobel Peace Prize Centre, discussing the importance of literary activism and human rights.[27]
  • Poetry Night at the 24th International Literature Festival Berlin – Ekhtesari performed at a special poetry night during the festival.[28]
  • Den kulturelle skolesekken (DKS) – Cultural Outreach in Schools – As part of Norway's cultural school program, Ekhtesari has conducted workshops and lectures in schools, introducing students to poetry and themes of exile, literature, and resistance.[29]

Bibliography

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Poetry Collections

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  • A Feminist Discourse Before Cooking Potatoes (یک بحث فمینیستی قبل از پختن سیب‌زمینی‌ها) (2010)
  • Beside the Tracks (کنار جاده‌ی فرعی) (2013)
  • A Selection of Cheerful Poems with Some Memorable Pictures (منتخبی از شعرهای شاد به همراه چند عکس یادگاری) (2015)
  • We Do Not Survive (Vi overlever ikke) (2020) – Bilingual Norwegian-Persian edition[30]
  • She Is Not a Woman (Hun er ikke kvinne) (2022) – Bilingual Norwegian-Persian edition[31]

Short Story Collections

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  • Swimming in the Acid Pool (شنا کردن در حوضچه‌ی اسید) (2017)[32]
  • Axe (تبر) (2018)[33]

Multi-Genre Works (Memoir & Literary Essays)

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  • The Dead Who Took a Deep Breath: 38 Days in Evin’s Solitary Confinement (مرده‌ای که مرده بود یک نفس عمیق کشید: ۳۸ روز انفرادی اوین) (2017) – Memoir
  • Closeness (نزدیکی) (2020)

Anthology Contributions

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  • To Kiss a Desert, To Kiss a Bog (Å kysse en ørken, å kysse en myr) (2019) – Includes selections of Ekhtesari’s poetry in Norwegian translation
  • The Mirror of My Heart – A Thousand Years of Persian Poetry by Women (2020) – Translated by Dick Davis, published by Penguin Classics[34]


References

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  1. ^ "Poeter fängslade". Aftonbladet. 26 December 2013. Archived from the original on 13 August 2015. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  2. ^ a b c Sveriges Radio (6 September 2013). "Ung persisk poesi gör motstånd". Sveriges Radio. Archived from the original on 22 November 2015. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  3. ^ Kritiker, Medverkande, 2013, En motståndsrörelse på mitt skrivborg, page 185
  4. ^ "Iranska poeter ska ha släppts". SVT. 15 January 2014. Archived from the original on 22 November 2015. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  5. ^ Kritiker, Fateme Ekhtesari and Simin Behbahani, En era i föruttnelse. Ett samtal. 2013. edition 28/29
  6. ^ Fatemeh Ekhtesari (2010). "A Feminist Discourse Before Cooking Potatoes" (PDF). Ekhtesari.com. Fatemeh Ekhtesari. Retrieved 16 February 2025.
  7. ^ Kritiker "En motståndsrörelse på mitt skrivbord" (28/29): page. 185. 2013.
  8. ^ "Fatemeh Ekhtesari". aschehoug.no. Aschehoug. Retrieved 16 February 2025.
  9. ^ "Iran: PEN International welcomes the release on bail of poets and lyricists Fatemeh Ekhtesari and Mehdi Moosavi". Archived from the original on 13 July 2015. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  10. ^ "Persiska poeter dömda till långa straff". Aftonbladet. 13 October 2015. Archived from the original on 16 October 2015. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  11. ^ "Poesi som skakar pelarna". Sydsvenskan. Archived from the original on 18 January 2014. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  12. ^ "Medverkande". Kritiker "En motståndsrörelse på mitt skrivbord" (28/29): page. 185. 2013.
  13. ^ Sveriges Radio (27 December 2013). "Poet fängslad efter Sverigebesök". Sveriges Radio. Archived from the original on 22 November 2015. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  14. ^ "Iranska poeter dömda till 99 piskrapp och fängelse". Archived from the original on 21 October 2015. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  15. ^ Hallhagen, Erika (15 January 2014). "Persiska poeter släppta från fängelse". Svenska Dagbladet. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  16. ^ Jethro Mullen (28 October 2015). "Rights groups: Iranian poets face flogging, prison – CNN". CNN. Archived from the original on 8 November 2015. Retrieved 13 November 2015.
  17. ^ Alison Flood (4 November 2015). "Poets lobby Iran to pardon pair convicted of insulting religion". The Guardian. Retrieved 16 February 2025.
  18. ^ "Iran: Fatemeh Ekhtesari and Mehdi Moosavi Sentenced". englishpen.org. PEN International. 14 October 2015. Retrieved 16 February 2025.
  19. ^ "2 Iranian poets, facing lashings and prison, escape country". Associated Press News. 18 January 2017. Retrieved 30 December 2017.
  20. ^ "Fatemeh Ekhtesari – ICORN". icorn.org. Retrieved 16 February 2025.
  21. ^ "Den kulturelle skolesekken". denkulturelleskolesekken.no. Retrieved 16 February 2025.
  22. ^ "PEN America at the UN Human Rights Council". pen.org. PEN America. 1 July 2024. Retrieved 16 February 2025.
  23. ^ "PEN America". pen.org. Retrieved 16 February 2025.
  24. ^ Fatemeh Ekhtesari. "Internationales Literaturfestival Berlin". en.ekhtesari.com. Retrieved 16 February 2025.
  25. ^ "The Norwegian Festival of Literature". litteraturfestival.no. Retrieved 16 February 2025.
  26. ^ "Bergen International Literary Festival 2024". litfestbergen.no. Retrieved 16 February 2025.
  27. ^ "Nobel Peace Prize Centre". nobelpeacecenter.org. Retrieved 16 February 2025.
  28. ^ "Poetry Night at ILB 2024 – Fatemeh Ekhtesari". YouTube. Retrieved 16 February 2025.
  29. ^ "Den kulturelle skolesekken". denkulturelleskolesekken.no. Retrieved 16 February 2025.
  30. ^ "Vi overlever ikke – We Do Not Survive". tforlag.net (in Norwegian). Tiden Norsk Forlag. Retrieved 16 February 2025.
  31. ^ "Hun er ikke kvinne – She Is Not a Woman". aschehoug.no (in Norwegian). Aschehoug. Retrieved 16 February 2025.
  32. ^ Fatemeh Ekhtesari. "Swimming in the Acid Pool". en.ekhtesari.com. Fatemeh Ekhtesari. Retrieved 16 February 2025.
  33. ^ Fatemeh Ekhtesari. "Axe". en.ekhtesari.com. Fatemeh Ekhtesari. Retrieved 16 February 2025.
  34. ^ "The Mirror of My Heart – A Thousand Years of Persian Poetry by Women". penguinrandomhouse.com. Translated by Dick Davis. Penguin Random House. Retrieved 16 February 2025.
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