Hatef Mokhtar
Hatef Mokhtar | |
|---|---|
| Hatef Mokhtar | |
| Born | Hatef Mokhtar 11 May 1962 Mazar-i-Sharif, Balkh, Afghanistan |
| Occupation | Editor-in-chief at The Oslo Times, human-rights activist |
| Language | English, Norwegian, Hindi, Pashto, Dari, Persian, Urdu |
| Nationality | Norwegian |
| Education | Degree in political science, Balkh University |
| Alma mater | Balkh University |
| Subject | Human rights, freedom of speech, Afghanistan |
| Notable works | A Yoik for Anna, The Red Wrath |
| Notable awards | 2013 Readers' Favorite Bronze Medal |
| Website | |
| http://hatef-mokhtar.com[dead link] | |
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Hatef Mokhtar (Persian:هاتف مختار) is an Afghan author currently living in Norway and is a Norwegian citizen. He is the founder and chief editor of The Oslo Times and a human-rights activist. He writes for several newspapers and magazines such as KL-Today, Euractiv,[1] Daily Sun,[2] Malaysia Today, Khama Press,[3] Haama Daily, groruddalen.no,[4] and Burma Digest. He works towards freedom of the press and speech, and for the promotion of peace. He is a public speaker and a political analyst. Although a political analyst on Afghanistan, he also specialises in global human rights issues and freedom of expression in particular. Mokhtar belongs to the Durrani clan of the Pashtun. He is the founder and chairman of Armed for the Quill Archived 2 May 2013 at the Wayback Machine (AFTQ) and the organisation Global Peace.[5]
Early life and education
Mokhtar was born on 11 May 1962 in Mazar-i-Sharif in the Balkh province of Afghanistan to a Pashtun family from the Durrani clan. His father, Maulawi Gul Mohammad Khan, was a religious scholar. As he was a critic of the Communist regime, Khan was arrested by the police under the rule of Noor Mohammad Taraki. Imprisoned at the Pul-e-Charkhi prison in Kabul, he was executed during the reign of the next Communist president, Hafizullah Amin. Thereafter, Mokhtar and his family were forced to take refuge in Pakistan. He attended Balkh University in Afghanistan where he received a degree in political science. He speaks Norwegian and is fluent in English, Hindi, Pashto, Dari, Persian, and Urdu.
Organizations and associations
In 2007, Mokhtar founded an organisation called Global Peace. Its mission is to create awareness of dictatorial regimes on a global platform. In 2010, he founded Armed for the Quill (AFTQ) to support freedom of the press and speech. AFTQ coordinates with over 100 journalists in its work towards the promotion of human rights[6] and democracy, and to spread awareness against extremism[7] and dictatorial regimes. In 2011, he founded The Oslo Times, an online newspaper available in English. He has also been a regular participant at global forums and conferences such as the Oslo Freedom Forum and the Universal Peace Federation.[citation needed]
Books and writings
Mokhtar has translated a biography of the Pashto poet Kabir Stori into English. He also contributes articles to magazines and newspapers such as KL-Today, Malaysia Today, Haama Daily and Burma Digest. He regularly writes for 5 blogs that focus on human rights and freedom of speech. He has authored two books: A Yoik for Anna and The Red Wrath.
The Red Wrath[8] is his second book, published in the US, Australia and the UK. Hatef Mokhtar has dedicated the book to the people of Afghanistan. ‘A Bird Called Destiny’ is the underlying theme behind The Red Wrath by Hatef Mokhtar. In Norway, Asif, the protagonist, looks back at his experiences in Afghanistan. Although he was born and raised there, he was forced to leave the country as a result of its tumultuous political situation. Not only that, he was personally affected; his father died in prison after being arrested, never to see his family again. Thus began the trials and tribulations of a boy walking into adolescence and moving on.
Asif believes that destiny has a role to play in the life of an individual, as the narration begins, "Certain experiences in life unfold leaving deep imprints on one’s mind, body, and soul. There’s not much scope for forgetting there, unless one’s memory is numbed by a memory that one’s heart finds difficult to accept and accept." Therefore, it sets the pace for a tale of a boy's attempt to remain hardy despite being a victim of mayhem. This book encapsulates the need for human rights, equality for women, and democracy. The Red Wrath was recently added to the National Library of Australia (Trove).[9]
Present life
In 2001, Mokhtar migrated to Norway as a political asylum seeker in the wake of the Afghan civil war followed by Taliban rule. It was in Norway that he freely expressed his views via his writings. He works towards human-rights concerns such as freedom of the press and speech, education for women, the promotion of peace, democracy, multiculturalism and poetry, the eradication of discrimination, and genocide prevention. A regular public speaker, he has opposed dictatorship and communism.
Awards and honors
Hatef Mokhtar is the recipient of the 2013 Readers' Favorite Bronze Medal,[10] a contest hosted by Readers' Favorite, which authors pay to enter.[11]
Controversies
Mokhtar has been vocal about his stance on human-rights abuse in different parts of the globe. As a result, he has been barred from travelling to countries such as Syria and North Korea by their respective regimes.[citation needed]
References
- ↑ Hatef, Mokhtar. "Rise of Golden Dawn: A presage of doom?". EurActiv. EurActive.com. Retrieved 5 February 2013.
- ↑ "The motive behind producing ‘Innocence of Muslims’ was not innocent". Article on Daily Sun, DHAKA, Monday, 1 October 2012
- ↑ Hatef, Mokhtar. "Iran threatening peace prospects for war-ravaged Afghanistan". Khaama Press (Afghan Online Newspaper). Khaama Press. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
- ↑ "Internettavis med lesere fra hele verden". Article on groruddalen.no, 6 May 2012
- ↑ "UFP Day of Peace Events Related to Disarmament - Universal Peace Federation". Upf.org. 2009-09-21. Retrieved 2016-01-08.
- ↑ "Genocide of Myanmar’s Muslims: Why is most of the world silent?", Daily Sun, 6 August 2012.
- ↑ "The UN shamefully sanctioned the result - says Benny Wenda Global Leader of West Papua independence". Article, Free West Papua, Thursday, 17 May 2012
- ↑ Mokhtar, Hatef (2012). The Red Wrath. US: Strategic Book Publishing. p. 474. ISBN 9781618974594. Search this book on
- ↑ Mokhtar, Hatef. "The Red Wrath". National Library of Australia. Zeus Publications. Retrieved 2012. Check date values in:
|accessdate=(help) - ↑ "Book review of The Red Wrath - Readers' Favorite: Book Reviews and Award Contest". Readersfavorite.com. Retrieved 2016-01-08.
- ↑ "Annual Book Award Contest - Readers' Favorite: Book Reviews and Award Contest". Readersfavorite.com. Retrieved 2016-01-08.
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