The foundation was launched in April 2013, in memory of the late Siamak Pourzand, an Iranian journalist and former prisoner of conscience, who took his own life under house arrest in 2011.
The Siamak Pourzand Foundation (SPF) promotes freedom of expression for artists, writers, journalists and creative minds in contexts where the censorship apparatus is hard at work. It aims to provide a collaborative platform for creative minds struggling against censorship and repression.
The Siamak Pourzand Foundation (SPF) aims to: Provide a collaborative space for education, knowledge-sharing and dialogue about the concept and practices of freedom of expression; Promote freedom of expression, rule of law, civil and human rights; Defend the rights of creative professionals and amateurs in their struggles against censorship.
The launch of SPF and its first project, “Shiva: Struggles against Censorship in Iran”, were made possible with the support of the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), a private, non-profit foundation dedicated to the growth and strengthening of democratic institutions around the world.