Banafsheh Zand-Bonazzi

Banafsheh Zand-Bonazzi (born 1961) is an Iranian writer, film producer and human rights activist.[1]

Life

Zand-Bonazzi was born in Tehran to journalist parents. She attended the American University of Paris as well as at the IDHEC, the Institute for the Advanced Cinematographic Studies. In 1982, she went to the United States and continued studies at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. She studied film and art history as well as linguistics and semiotics.[2]

In 1993, Banafsheh returned to the world of TV production, as a freelance line producer of documentary films.

In 2001, her father, Siamak Pourzand, became a political prisoner in Iran.[3] He committed suicide in 2011, in what Zand said was a protest against the government.[4]

Banafsheh regularly writes for National Review,[5] Defense & Foreign Affairs and FrontPage Magazine. She is a regular commentator on Iranian politics on the John Batchelor Show and has appeared on C-SPAN's Washington Journal and Voice of America TV, and Fox TV with Eric Shawn.[6]

Banafsheh is also the editor of the English department of the website Iran Press News. She also edits Iranian news service, Planet-Iran.com.

Activism

Zand-Bonazzi is a member of the board of advisers of the International Free Press Society.[7] In 2007 she helped organize in the St Petersburg (Florida) Secular Islam Summit, which she addressed along with other thinkers and reformers of Islam such as Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Wafa Sultan and Irshad Manji.[8] The group released the St Petersburg Declaration which urges world governments to, among other things, reject Sharia law, fatwa courts, clerical rule, and state-sanctioned religion in all their forms; oppose all penalties for blasphemy and apostasy, which the signers believe to be in accordance with Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.[9][10][11]

Works/Publications
  • Hassan Rouhani, In His Own Words
  • From Bogota to Tehran
  • Who Is Hassan Rouhani?
  • Laundering Khatemi
  • The Iran Regime's Tehran-DC Fantasy Flight
  • Hassan Rouhani to Again Take Over as Nuclear Negotiator
  • Iran & Russia to Hold Joint Naval Maneuvers in Caspian Sea
  • Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences Champions Iranian Dissident Filmmaker Jafar Panahi

Litigation against Iran in the United States

In 2019, Banafsheh Zand and Mr. Pourzand's wife Mehrangiz Kar, and his U.S. citizen daughter, Azadeh Pourzand filed a complaint against Islamic Republic of Iran and IRGC for torturing, hostage taking, and extrajudicial killing of Mr. Pourzand under FSIA.[12] On September 30, 2022, Judge John Bates ordered that Iran is liable for torturing and hostage taking of Mr. Pourzand. The Court awarded compensatory damages totaling, with prejudgment interest, $17,403,063.01 for Plaintiffs. The Court will also award punitive damages of $17,403,063.01. Plaintiffs’ total award is $34,806,126.02.[13] Ali Herischi was the attorney for Plaintiffs.

References
  1. "Iran: Banafsheh Zand-Bonazzi". Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRAI). Retrieved 2023-07-17.
  2. "Banafsheh Zand Journalist, Iran Analyst, and Human Right Activist". Gatestone Institue International Policy Council.
  3. Wilson, Reid (20 June 2009). "Iranian groups lack lobbying power, cohesion". Thehill.com. Retrieved 15 June 2016.
  4. Eli Lake (1 May 2011). "Longtime Iranian dissident kills self 'to prove his disgust for regime'". The Washington Times. Retrieved 6 May 2011.
  5. "The Iranian Street by Jason Lee Steorts - National Review Online". Archived from the original on October 1, 2009. Retrieved August 18, 2010.
  6. "Iranian Activist Says Regime Change Could Resolve Nuclear Standoff". haaretz.com.
  7. "Board of Advisors :: International Free Press Society". Archived from the original on July 26, 2011. Retrieved April 20, 2012.
  8. "First "Secular Islam Summit" to convene early next month in Florida - Religion - 27/02/2007". Kuna.net.kw. 2007-02-27. Retrieved 2016-06-15.
  9. "Fighting for the Soul of Islam - U.S. News & World Report". Archived from the original on October 8, 2012. Retrieved April 20, 2012.
  10. "Gutting Iran". Mackenzie Institute.
  11. "Iranian Activist Says Regime Change Could Resolve Nuclear Standoff". Haaretz. Retrieved 2023-07-17.
  12. "Banafsheh Zand vs. Islamic Republic of Iran | Ali Herischi". Herischi & Associates. Retrieved 2022-10-18.
  13. "Iran Must Pay $34.8 Million to Family of Slain Journalist". Bloomberg News. Retrieved 2022-10-18.
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