Ali Kalaei

Ali Kalaei is a well-known Iranian journalist, blogger and human rights activist.

Since 2005, Kalaei has written numerous articles and reports for a variety of news media, particularly for RoozOnline, Mellimazhabi and Gooya News, as well as his blogs Navaney1 and Navaney2.

In his writings, Kalaei deals with social and political issues in Iran, particularly about human rights violations. As a member of the Committee of Human Rights Reporters (CHRR), the Human Rights Activists News Agency and as a pro-democracy activist, Kalaei wrote critical pieces regarding the Iranian system of government and other political and social matters. Kalaei participated in the production of a documentary about the general elections from the Islamic Republic era to the February 2012 election.

Despite leaving Iran for Malaysia, Kalaei has continued writing and giving interviews regarding the present situation in Iran. Since March 2014 he has been an active member of the Peace Mark Magazine, an online human rights, social and legal magazine.

Due to his writings and human rights activism, Ali Kalaei was arrested by the security forces in Iran on several occasions. In 2011, the Tehran Revolutionary Court sentenced Kalaei to six years in prison – one year for ‘spreading propaganda against the system’ by way of  publishing false reports about prisoners and giving interviews, and five years for ‘gathering and colluding with intent to commit crimes against national security’ through membership of CHRR. His earlier suspended sentence was also implemented, bringing his total prison term to seven years.