{"id":3901,"date":"2020-12-25T20:09:42","date_gmt":"2020-12-25T20:09:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.radiofree.org\/?p=143625"},"modified":"2020-12-25T20:09:42","modified_gmt":"2020-12-25T20:09:42","slug":"irans-zam-and-other-sons-of-the-islamic-republic-who-rebelled-against-the-clerical-regime","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/2020\/12\/25\/irans-zam-and-other-sons-of-the-islamic-republic-who-rebelled-against-the-clerical-regime\/","title":{"rendered":"Iran’s Zam And Other Sons Of The Islamic Republic Who Rebelled Against The Clerical Regime"},"content":{"rendered":"
Ruhollah Zam’s father, a cleric who served as the head of Iran’s state propaganda agency in the 1980s, named him after the leader of the 1979 revolution and the founder of the Islamic republic, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.<\/p>\n
But as an adult, Zam turned against the clerical establishment that was created by his infamous namesake.<\/p>\n
Zam’s opposition activities — including his popular Amadnews Telegram channel with its more than 1 million followers — cost him his life as Iranian officials accused the channel of fomenting violence during the December 2017-January 2018 mass protests.<\/p>\n
Zam, who chose for himself the name Nima instead of Ruhollah, was hanged on December 12 after being convicted on the vague charge of “corruption on Earth.” The criminal charge is used against dissidents, spies, and for those who attempt to overthrow the Islamic establishment.<\/p>\n
Zam was 42 years old.<\/p>\n
In 2019, Zam was reportedly lured — under unclear circumstances — to Iraq from Paris, where he was living in exile. He was believed to have been captured by members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) and taken to Iran where he was put on a trial and sentenced to death.<\/p>\n
Zam is just one of a number of sons and daughters of the Islamic republic who have rebelled against the system that was created by their fathers.<\/p>\n
Zam, who openly said he was working to take down the Islamic establishment that he accused of “robbing the country,” is believed to be the only one of those offspring who has been executed recently.<\/p>\n
His father, Mohammad Ali Zam, was not successful in protecting him from authorities or preventing his execution. The cleric wrote on Instagram<\/a><\/strong> that his son was even unaware that his death sentence had been upheld<\/a><\/strong> on appeal when the father and son met one day before he was hanged.<\/p>\n Other prominent “rebels” include Khomeini’s oldest grandson, Hossein Khomeini, who used to be a vocal critic of what he considered the repressive system founded by his grandfather.<\/p>\n In media interviews<\/a><\/strong>, he accused Iranian leaders of oppressing the people and violating human rights.<\/p>\n Khomeini traveled to the U.S. in 2003 where he announced that Iranians want democracy<\/a><\/strong> and freedom while adding they have realized that religion should be kept separate from the state.<\/p>\n He returned to Iran with his family in 2005 and was put under temporary house arrest in the holy city of Qom, according to some reports, but was not prosecuted.<\/p>\n Media reports<\/a><\/strong> later suggested the restrictions had been lifted after his prominent relatives mediated on his behalf. In 2018, a Tehran University professor posted a photo<\/a><\/strong> with Hossein Khomeini writing the Islamic republic founder’s grandson was “busy teaching and discussing” in Qom.<\/p>\n No Chip Off The Old Block<\/strong><\/big><\/p>\n The eldest son of former IRGC commander Mohsen Rezai was also critical of the Iranian establishment. Ahmad Rezaei moved to the United States in 1988 where he blasted the clerical establishment in media interviews<\/a><\/strong>, accusing it of carrying out “terrorist attacks.”<\/p>\n