Quick Facts
Biography
Marjan Davari (b. April 24, 1966; Tehran, Iran) (Persian: مرجان داوری) is an Iranian 50-year-old researcher, translator and writer who has been studying, teaching, translating and researching philosophical texts for more than 20 years.
Marjan has been arrested at her father’s home on September 23, 2015 in Karaj and currently has been held in women’s prison located in Qarchak (زندان قرچک).
Education and work
She finished elementary school in UK and after returning to Iran, in an international Partian school. She received English translation diploma when she was 13 and continued her studies in Alzahra University in graphic and painting, in addition to research and translation in inner-science, eastern and western ontology.
Her published translated works include Talons of Time of Paul Twitchell, The Seeker of Phil Morimitsu and The Spiritual Exercises of ECK of Harold Klemp.
She concentrated solely on inner-science and eastern ontology and worked as a researcher and teacher of Metaphysics at the Rah-e Ma’refat (Road of Wisdom) institute. She was also a teacher at Rah-e Ma’refat institute which was officially registered. In addition, she started publishing translation of books in Eshraghi school of thought in 2010.
Her collected works and writings were kept in an archive to be available for her fans for free but have been confiscated by the security forces. She considers herself a free researcher in the field of esoteric science and metaphysics.
Arrest and trial
Timeline:
- September 2015:
- Arrested at her father’s home in Mehr Shahr in Karaj, west of Tehran.
- Held in solitary confinement in Evin Prison’s Ward 209 for three months which is controlled by the Intelligence Ministry.
- No access to a lawyer or any kind of legal consultancy.
- Eventually transferred to the Women’s Ward.
- March & October 2016:
- Interrogation and hearings session held in Branch 15 of the Islamic Revolutionary Court.
- Presided over by Judge Abolqasem Salavati.
- February 2017:
- Transferred to the women’s prison located in Qarchak (زندان قرچک).
- 12th March 2017:
- Sentenced to death by the 15th branch of the Islamic Revolutionary Court in Tehran.
- Presided over by Judge Abolqasem Salavati.
The Charges
- Conspiracy against the Islamic Regime.
- Being a member of Eckankar.
- Spreading corruption on earth.
- Having a love affair.
International Response
On March 2017, Red Ta nonprofit organization dedicated to the protection of translators and interpreters published an open letter to Mr. Ali Khamenei with this subject : "No Death for Content - Free Translator Marjan Davari".
Petition
On 16 March 2017, Some of Marjan's supporters started an online petition at Change.org to raise awareness about her condition and urging Amnesty International to take appropriate action to stop the execution of Marjan Davari. This petition is available in most common languages, such as English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Japanese, Chinese, Dutch and Persian.
This petition has been signed by over 20,000 supporters in many countries.