Iran seen from Norway: About being an exiled author and activist

When the poet and feminist activist Asieh Amini had to flee Iran in 2009, she was invited to Trondheim as part of the City of Refuge scheme. She has established herself as a writer in Nor­way, but follows developments in her homeland closely. In September last year big demon­­­strations broke out in Iran. Asieh Amini has done what she can to support the revolt from a distance in the hope that the regime will finally fall.

What is the situation in Iran now, and what is it like to engage in activism from exile? What happened when Amini herself had to flee, and how has it been to start a new life in Norway?

Ingeborg Kværne works at Norwegian PEN as a City Of Refuge Coordinator, and talks about how Norwegian PEN works to help the City of Refuge authors to be presented and heard so they can continue their work from Norway. The two meet the editor of the journal Prosa, Merete Røsvik, for a conversation.