Ehsan Jami

Last updated
Ehsan Jami
Ehsan Jami.jpg
Born (1985-04-20) April 20, 1985 (age 39)
Mashhad, Iran
Occupation(s)Politician, activist
Known for Central Committee for Ex-Muslims
Political party PVV (2009–present)
Livable Rotterdam (2018–present)
Other political
affiliations		 Dutch Labour Party (2006–2007)
Ehsan Jami's voice
Recorded June 2015
Website www.ehsanjami.nl (unofficial)

Ehsan Jami (born April 20, 1985) is an Iranian-born Dutch politician, activist and author who co-founded the former Central Committee for Ex-Muslims. [1] He was previously a member of the Partij van de Arbeid (PvdA) before becoming active in the PVV founded by Geert Wilders.

Contents

Early life

Jami was born and raised on April 20, 1985, in Mashhad, Iran. His father is a doctor. His mother converted, later in her life, to Christianity. As son of a doctor, Jami enjoyed substantial privileges in Iran. In an interview, Jami stated: "My grandparents were Muslim, but my father was non-religious." [2] Yet in a different interview made two years earlier, he had described his father as Muslim. [3] Political engagement by Jami's father forced the family to leave the country. Together with his parents and his older sister, the then nine-year-old Jami arrived in the Netherlands in 1994, [4] later obtaining Dutch nationality.

Career

Jami studied Management Science for one and a half year in the Netherlands and joined the Partij van de Arbeid as member in 2003. He was elected to the city council of Leidschendam-Voorburg in the local elections of March 2006.

After the September 11 attacks in 2001, Jami started reading the Qur'an and Hadith, after which he decided he didn't identify with either. Jami criticized Islamic prophet Muhammad, describing him as a "criminal". [5] Together with Loubna Berrada (founder of the Advisory Committee for Integration, part of the right-wing Liberal party), Jami founded the Central Committee for Ex-Muslims in 2007. [6] The organisation, supported by Afshin Ellian, aims to support apostates of Islam. Berrada left the committee shortly after it was founded because she felt Jami challenged Islam itself too much, saying: "I don't wish to confront Islam itself. I only want to spread the message that Muslims should be allowed to leave Islam behind without being threatened". [7]

From March 7, 2006, until November 6, 2007, he was member of the city council of Leidschendam-Voorburg on behalf of the Dutch Labour Party (PvdA). From that date until 2010 he continued to be a member of the city council as independent member 'fraction Jami'

On 4 August 2007, Jami was attacked in his hometown Voorburg by three men. The attack is widely believed to be linked to his activities for the committee. The national anti-terrorism coordinator's office, the public prosecution department and the police decided during a meeting on 6 August that "additional measures" were necessary for the protection of Jami who has subsequently received extra security. [8]

In September 2007, he penned an op-ed together with PVV politician Geert Wilders for the Dutch daily Volkskrant, likening the threat of Islam to the rise of Adolf Hitler's National Socialism in the 1930s. [9] It was a response to National Antiterrorism Coordinator Tjibbe Joustra's remarks in Algemeen Dagblad , who criticized the tone used by some people in the discussion about Islam. [10]

On October 4, 2007, Jami announced that he was working on a film project due to be released in February 2008 which he felt could be comparable in terms of controversy to the Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy. [11] On 31 March 2008 he cancelled this project after being urged to do so by Dutch Minister of Justice Ernst Hirsch Ballin and threats from Iran. [12]

However, after months of deliberation, Jami again decided to release the film. The short film was released on 9 December 2008. The announcement was followed by calls from European Islamic organizations for boycott of Dutch products. [13] Dutch Premier Jan Peter Balkenende issued an apology for Jami's film.

After expressing strong opinions against Islam, strong criticism of the PvdA, [14] and comparing the Islamic Prophet Muhammad with Adolf Hitler, he was asked to give up his council membership as part of the PvdA. [15] By refusing to resign and continuing as an independent member, he lost his membership of PvdA.

Jami was allegedly cited in the writings of Anders Behring Breivik. [16]

Jami has been on the Advisory Board of the International Free Press Society, a key component of the international counter-jihad network. [17]

In 2009, Geert Wilders announced that Jami had become part of the Party for Freedom. [18] During the 2018 Dutch municipal elections, Jami was elected to Rotterdam council as a member of the Livable Rotterdam party. [19]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Geert Wilders</span> Dutch politician (born 1963)

Geert Wilders is a Dutch politician who has led the right-wing to far-right Party for Freedom (PVV) since he founded it in 2006. He is also the party's leader in the House of Representatives, having held a parliamentary seat since 1998. In the 2010 formation of the first Rutte cabinet, a minority government of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) – which he left in 2004 – and Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA), Wilders actively participated in the negotiations, resulting in a "tolerance agreement" between the PVV and these parties. He withdrew his party's parliamentary support in 2012, citing disagreements with the cabinet over proposed budget cuts. Wilders is best known for his right-wing populism, anti-immigration, opposition to Islam and Euroscepticism, and for his relations with Russia. His views have made him a controversial figure in the Netherlands and abroad. Since 2004, he has been protected at all times by armed police.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Party for the Animals</span> Dutch political party

The Party for the Animals is a political party in the Netherlands. Among its main goals are animal rights and animal welfare. The PvdD was founded in 2002 as a single-issue party for animal rights, opposing animal cruelty and the treatment of animals in agriculture. The party then developed into a left-wing, ecological party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Voorburg</span> Town in South Holland, the Netherlands

Voorburg is a town and former municipality in the west part of the province of South Holland, Netherlands. Together with the town Leidschendam and the village Stompwijk, it merged into the municipality of Leidschendam-Voorburg in 2002. Situated adjacent to the city of The Hague, it is often regarded as one of its suburbs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2006 Dutch general election</span>

General elections were held in the Netherlands on 22 November 2006, following the fall of the Second Balkenende cabinet. The election proved relatively successful for the governing Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) which remained the largest party with 41 seats, a loss of only three seats. The largest increase in seats was for the Socialist Party (SP), which went from nine to 25 seats. The main opposition party, the social democratic Labour Party (PvdA) lost nine of its 42 seats, while the right-liberal People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) and the progressive liberal Democrats 66 lost a considerable portion of their seats, six of 28 and three of six, respectively. New parties, such as the right-wing Party for Freedom (PVV) of former VVD MP Geert Wilders and the animal rights party Party for the Animals (PvdD) were also successful, with the PVV winning nine seats and the PvdD winning two, thereby becoming the first animal rights group to enter a European parliament.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diederik Samsom</span> Dutch environmentalist and retired politician

Diederik Maarten Samsom is a Dutch environmentalist and retired politician who was the leader of the Labour Party from 2012 to 2016. He was the first leader in the 70-year history of the PvdA to have been voted out of his position by party members. He later served as head of cabinet for First Vice-President of the European Commission Frans Timmermans and his successor Wopke Hoekstra.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ahmed Aboutaleb</span> Dutch politician (born 1961)

Ahmed Aboutaleb is a Dutch politician of Moroccan origin. A member of the Labour Party (PvdA), he has served as Mayor of Rotterdam since 2009. In January 2024, he announced he would resign the post later in the year.

The Central Committee for Ex-Muslims was a Dutch committee that aimed to aid Muslims who wish to leave Islam through the constitutional right of freedom of religion. In addition, the committee fought to break the taboo on apostasy in the Muslim world as well as start a debate on women's rights in Islamic societies.

The international reaction to Fitna consisted of condemnation from Muslims, several fatwa against Geert Wilders, and attempts by many Islamic countries to censor the film. The Dutch government immediately distanced itself from the film. Several Muslim organizations and political parties organized boycotts against Dutch products.

Iranians in the Netherlands form one of the newer and larger populations of the Iranian diaspora in Europe.

The trial of Geert Wilders, a member of the House of Representatives of the Netherlands, took place in the Netherlands in 2010 and 2011. Wilders was accused of criminally insulting religious and ethnic groups and inciting hatred and discrimination. He was found not guilty in June 2011.

The Party for Freedom is a nationalist and right-wing populist political party in the Netherlands. In the 2023 general election, it became the largest party in the House of Representatives.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wim Kortenoeven</span> Dutch politician

Robert Frank Willem "Wim" Kortenoeven is a Dutch author, journalist and former politician.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joram van Klaveren</span> Dutch politician (born 1979)

Joram Jaron van Klaveren is a Dutch politician. As a member of the Party for Freedom he was an MP from 17 June 2010 until 21 March 2014. He subsequently was an independent until his term in office ended on 23 March 2017. He focused on matters of desegregation, employment-to-population ratio, egalitarianism and emancipation. From 24 March 2011 until 11 June 2014, he also was a member of the States-Provincial of Flevoland. He became well-known for anti-Muslim comments. In October 2018, he converted to Islam halfway through writing an anti-Islam book. After becoming a Muslim, he decided to rededicate his book to his search for religiosity and the subsequent conversion to Islam. His book titled Apostate: From Christianity to Islam in Times of Secularisation and Terror was published in both Dutch and English.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2017 Dutch general election</span>

General elections were held in the Netherlands on Wednesday 15 March 2017 to elect all 150 members of the House of Representatives.

Sharia4Holland was an Islamist movement, openly seeking to institute Sharia law in the Netherlands. The group was an offshoot of the Belgian extremist network Sharia4Belgium.

Arnoud van Doorn is a Dutch politician. He was a member of the Dutch political party, Dutch Freedom Party (PVV), before converting to Islam.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Republicanism in the Netherlands</span> Movement to abolish the countrys monarchy

Republicanism in the Netherlands is a movement that strives to abolish the Dutch monarchy and replace it with a republic. The popularity of the organised republican movement that seeks to abolish the monarchy in its entirety has been suggested to be a minority among the people of the Netherlands, according to opinion polls.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2023 Dutch general election</span>

Early general elections were held in the Netherlands on 22 November 2023 to elect the members of the House of Representatives. The elections had been expected to be held in 2025 but a snap election was called after the fourth Rutte cabinet collapsed on 7 July 2023 due to immigration policy disagreements between the coalition parties. The incumbent Prime Minister Mark Rutte announced that he would not lead his party into the election and that he would retire from politics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kim Putters</span> Dutch politician (born 1973)

Kim Putters is a Dutch public administrator, former politician and administrator. From 2003 to 15 June 2013 he was a Member of the Dutch Senate for the Labour Party. Since his retirement from the Dutch Senate, he was director of The Netherlands Institute for Social Research (SCP) until June 2022. Since September 16, 2022, he has been chairman of the Social and Economic Council (SER).

Following the Dutch general election of 22 November 2023, a process of cabinet formation was launched, resulting in the formation of the Schoof cabinet on 2 July 2024, comprising the Party for Freedom (PVV), the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD), New Social Contract (NSC) and the Farmer–Citizen Movement (BBB). Despite intentions to form an extra-parliamentary cabinet, the cabinet is generally considered a parliamentary cabinet.

References

  1. ↑ Charter, David (2007-09-11). "Young Muslims begin dangerous fight for the right to abandon faith". The Times. London. Archived from the original on September 12, 2007. Retrieved 2010-05-01.
  2. ↑ (in Dutch) Ehsan Jami: “I'm a social democrat to the bone” Archived 2009-01-12 at the Wayback Machine , De Rode Reiger, 2004.
  3. ↑ (in Dutch) "I don't want evolution, I want revolution", Dagblad Trouw, 2007.
  4. ↑ (in Dutch) Wie is Ehsan? Archived 2007-09-07 at the Wayback Machine . www.pvda.nl. Retrieved August 17, 2007.
  5. ↑ (in Dutch) Labour party Ex-Muslim: "Muhammad was a criminal" Elsevier, 23 June 2007.
  6. ↑ (in Dutch) Ehsan Jami fights for freedom of religion, Sp!ts, 6 May 2007.
  7. ↑ (in Dutch) Founder leaves committee Archived December 14, 2008, at the Wayback Machine , De Pers, 12 June 2007.
  8. ↑ Extra security for Ehsan Jami Archived 2007-11-03 at the Wayback Machine , Expatica.com, 7 August 2007.
  9. ↑ "Jami writes opinion piece with Wilders". Expatica. 2007-09-27.[ permanent dead link ]
  10. ↑ "Concern about anti-Islam comments". Expatica. 2007-09-27.[ permanent dead link ]
  11. ↑ "Yoeri Albrecht en Joost Eerdmans in een spraakmakend gesprek met Ehsan Jami" (in Dutch). Het Gesprek. 2007-10-04. Archived from the original on 2015-01-11. Retrieved 2007-10-05.
  12. ↑ "Jami ziet af van animatiefilm tegen islam - Binnenland - de Volkskrant". Archived from the original on 2008-12-15. Retrieved 2008-03-31.
  13. ↑ "'Boycot Nederlandse producten om film Jami'" (in Dutch). de Verdieping Trouw. 2008-11-26.. Translated by Islam in Europe
  14. ↑ "Jami attacks Labour leader - DutchNews.nl". 17 August 2007.
  15. ↑ "Ex-Muslim Jami asked to quit council seat". Archived from the original on 2012-02-07. Retrieved 2008-04-01.
  16. ↑ "DutchNews.nl - Norway shooter made many references to the Netherlands". Archived from the original on 2012-01-04. Retrieved 2012-01-02.
  17. ↑ "International counter-jihad organisations". Hope not hate. 11 January 2018.
  18. ↑ "Ehsan Jami actief bij PVV" Volkskrant, 1 oktober 2009
  19. ↑ Ex-moslim hoogste nieuweling op lijst Leefbaar Algemeen Dagblad, 19 December 2017

Commons-logo.svg Media related to Ehsan Jami at Wikimedia Commons

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.