Tayfour Bathaii

Tayfour Bathaii (born March 8, 1947), writer, film director, activist, was born in Sanandaj, Iran. After finishing high school in Sanandaj, he started his 2-year mandatory military services as a teacher. From 1969 to 1972, he attended the Tehran School of Television and Cinema to become a TV cameraman. In the 70's, due to his leftist tendencies and alleged affiliation with the "Group of 12" accused of plotting to kidnap Farah Pahlavi, the Queen of Iran, and the crown prince, he was tried and sentenced to life in prison. During the revolution of 1979 in Iran, along with other political prisoners, he was released and returned to Sanandaj, a province of Kurdistan, Iran. He joined the Democratic Party of Kurdistan and was a member of this party until 1985. He has continued his life in Sweden since then as a political activist, writer, sculptor, and film director. He also teaches cinema and documentary cinematography.