example, Abdolkarim Soroush8 and Mostafa Malekian have been accused of trying to “secularise society” and of encouraging youths to follow new spiritual and false mystical paths.9 In this respect, pro-government authors like Sharifzadeh are categorising Coelho and reformist religious intellectuals as one and the same, when the only thing that links them is a tendency towards more democratic ideals. It seems likely that these restrictions will increase in the future and the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance will continue to ban literature written by authors who the authorities accuse of ‘religious subversion’ and ‘promoting false mysticism.’ Last winter, Paulo Coelho wrote in his weblog that Arash Hejazi, the translator and publisher of all of his works in Iran, had advised him that his books had been removed from the shelves. Coelho asked the Brazilian authorities to get involved, but this was at the time when Brazil was negotiating a nuclear triangulation between themselves, Iran and Turkey, and had developed a good working relationship with Tehran, demonstrating tactical support towards their proliferation of nuclear technology for civilian purposes.10 The Brazilian authorities remained silent and Coelho, in an attempt at subverting the censorship of the Iranian government, began publishing the translations of his work online.11 On January 13, 2011 Coelho updated his blog thanking the Brazilian authorities for their eventual involvement and stating 8. Abdolkarim Soroush, Abdolkarim Soroush’s Official Website, http://www. drsoroush.com/English.htm. 9. Bahman Sharifzadeh, "Religious Intellectuals› Thoughts are Leading Us to False Mysticism," Interview by Fars, Fars News Agency, November 22, 2010, http://www.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=8909010537. 10. BBC, "Brazilian President Urges Iranian Nuclear Solution," BBC News, November 23, 2009, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8373822.stm. 11. Paulo Coelho, "Pirate Coelho Fights for Persian People," Paulo Coelho’s Blog, http://paulocoelhoblog.com/pirate-coelho-fights-for-persian-people/.
Cultural Censorship in Iran
11