Ehsan Jami

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."{{in lang|nl}} [http://www.voorburg.pvda.nl/download.do/id/100026941/cd/true/ Ehsan Jami: “I'm a social democrat to the bone”] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090112181007/http://www.voorburg.pvda.nl/download.do/id/100026941/cd/true/ |date=2009-01-12 }}, De Rode Reiger, 2004. Yet in a different interview made two years earlier, he had described his father as Muslim.{{in lang|nl}} [http://www.trouw.nl/deverdieping/dossiers/article735774.ece "I don't want evolution, I want revolution"], Dagblad Trouw, 2007. 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,{{in lang|nl}} [http://www.ehsanjami.pvda.nl/renderer.do/clearState/true/menuId/393001/returnPage/393076/ Wie is Ehsan?] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070907203629/http://www.ehsanjami.pvda.nl/renderer.do/clearState/true/menuId/393001/returnPage/393076/ |date=2007-09-07 }}. www.pvda.nl. Retrieved August 17, 2007. later obtaining Dutch nationality.

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".{{in lang|nl}} [http://www.elsevier.nl/nieuws/politiek/artikel.asp?artnr=158085 Labour party Ex-Muslim: "Muhammad was a criminal"] Elsevier, 23 June 2007. 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.{{in lang|nl}} [http://www.spitsnet.nl/nieuws.php/1/3259/online Ehsan Jami fights for freedom of religion], Sp!ts, 6 May 2007. 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".{{in lang|nl}} [http://www.depers.nl/binnenland/71475/Oprichtster-stapt-voorlopig-uit-comit%C3%A9-ex-moslims.html Founder leaves committee] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081214144858/http://www.depers.nl/binnenland/71475/Oprichtster-stapt-voorlopig-uit-comit%C3%A9-ex-moslims.html |date=December 14, 2008 }}, De Pers, 12 June 2007.

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.[http://www.expatica.com/actual/article.asp?subchannel_id=1&story_id=42621 Extra security for Ehsan Jami] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071103222749/http://www.expatica.com/actual/article.asp?subchannel_id=1&story_id=42621 |date=2007-11-03 }}, Expatica.com, 7 August 2007.

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.{{cite news | title = Jami writes opinion piece with Wilders | url = http://www.expatica.com/actual/article.asp?subchannel_id=1&story_id=44322 | publisher = Expatica | date = 2007-09-27 }}{{Dead link|date=December 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} 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.{{cite news | title = Concern about anti-Islam comments | url = http://www.expatica.com/actual/article.asp?subchannel_id=1&story_id=44186 | publisher = Expatica | date = 2007-09-27 }}{{Dead link|date=December 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

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.{{cite news | title = Yoeri Albrecht en Joost Eerdmans in een spraakmakend gesprek met Ehsan Jami | url = http://www.hetgesprek.nl/archief/17/ | publisher = Het Gesprek | date = 2007-10-04 | language = nl | access-date = 2007-10-05 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150111034947/http://www.hetgesprek.nl/archief/17/ | archive-date = 2015-01-11 | url-status = dead }} 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.{{Cite web |url=http://www.volkskrant.nl/binnenland/article521586.ece/Jami_ziet_af_van_animatiefilm_tegen_islam |title=Jami ziet af van animatiefilm tegen islam - Binnenland - de Volkskrant |access-date=2008-03-31 |archive-date=2008-12-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081215132806/http://www.volkskrant.nl/binnenland/article521586.ece/Jami_ziet_af_van_animatiefilm_tegen_islam |url-status=dead }}

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.{{cite news | title = 'Boycot Nederlandse producten om film Jami' | url = http://www.trouw.nl/nieuws/nederland/article1909934.ece/_Boycot_Nederlandse_producten_om_film_Jami_.html | publisher = de Verdieping Trouw | date = 2008-11-26|language=nl}}. Translated by [http://islamineurope.blogspot.com/2008/11/netherlands-new-mohammad-movie.html Islam in Europe] Dutch Premier Jan Peter Balkenende issued an apology for Jami's film.

After expressing strong opinions against Islam, strong criticism of the PvdA,{{cite web|url=http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2007/08/jami_attacks_labour_leader.php|title=Jami attacks Labour leader - DutchNews.nl|date=17 August 2007|publisher=}} and comparing the Islamic Prophet Muhammad with Adolf Hitler, he was asked to give up his council membership as part of the PvdA.{{Cite web |url=http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2007/10/exmuslim_jami_asked_to_quit_co.php |title=Ex-Muslim Jami asked to quit council seat |access-date=2008-04-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120207000223/http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2007/10/exmuslim_jami_asked_to_quit_co.php |archive-date=2012-02-07 |url-status=dead }} 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.{{Cite web |url=http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2011/07/norway_shooter_made_many_refer_1.php |title=DutchNews.nl - Norway shooter made many references to the Netherlands |access-date=2012-01-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120104025127/http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2011/07/norway_shooter_made_many_refer_1.php |archive-date=2012-01-04 |url-status=dead }}

Jami has been on the Advisory Board of the International Free Press Society, a key component of the international counter-jihad network.{{cite web|url=https://hopenothate.org.uk/2018/01/11/what-is-counter-jihadism/|title=International counter-jihad organisations|date=11 January 2018|work=Hope not hate}}

In 2009, Geert Wilders announced that Jami had become part of the Party for Freedom.[http://www.volkskrant.nl/vk/nl/2686/Binnenland/article/detail/366513/2009/10/01/Ehsan-Jami-actief-bij-PVV.dhtml "Ehsan Jami actief bij PVV"] Volkskrant, 1 oktober 2009 During the 2018 Dutch municipal elections, Jami was elected to Rotterdam council as a member of the Livable Rotterdam party.[https://www.ad.nl/rotterdam/ex-moslim-hoogste-nieuweling-op-lijst-leefbaar~a5ef015f/ Ex-moslim hoogste nieuweling op lijst Leefbaar] Algemeen Dagblad, 19 December 2017

• List of former Muslims

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• {{official|http://www.ehsanjami.nl//}}
• "[https://web.archive.org/web/20070928140124/http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2007/08/extra_protection_for_exmuslim.php Extra protection for ex-Muslim Jami]", [http://www.dutchnews.nl/ DutchNews.nl], August 7, 2007
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20110613083607/http://tundratabloids.com/2008/12/ehsan-jamis-interview-with-muhammed.html 'An Interview With Muhammed'] - movie clip by Ehsan Jami

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Category:1985 births

Category:Living people

Category:Counter-jihad activists

Category:Dutch critics of Islam

Category:Dutch deists

Category:Dutch former Shia Muslims

Category:Dutch politicians of Iranian descent

Category:Former Muslim critics of Islam

Category:Iranian deists

Category:Iranian emigrants to the Netherlands

Category:Iranian former Shia Muslims

Category:Iranian socialists

Category:Labour Party (Netherlands) politicians

Category:Livable Rotterdam politicians

Category:Party for Freedom politicians

Category:People from Mashhad