Israel issues entry permit for exiled Iranian poet

Interior Minister Silvan Shalom has approved entry into Israel for exiled Iranian poet Payam Feili, Israel Radio reported Tuesday.

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Feili’s visit coincides with the Tel Aviv premier of the play “Three Reasons”, which is based in part on his poetry.

The openly gay 30-year-old has been living in Turkey for over a year, having been forced into exile from Iran after numerous arrests, threats, censorship and run-ins with the Iran’s conservative Revolutionary Guards.

Feili’s final arrest before his departure from Iran consisted of him being forced to sit in a shipping container for 44 days, according to the PEN American Center, a group working to advance free expression and defend writers.

The poet has been known for his support of Israel’s people and society, including the country’s relative openness to homosexuality in a region where gays are frequently persecuted.

http://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-issues-entry-permit-for-exiled-iranian-poet/