Ali Keshtkar
Ali Keshtkar is an Iranian-Australian writer and political activist based in Melbourne, who has lived in exile for over three decades. A former political prisoner and survivor of a death sentence in Iran, he brings both lived experience and critical insight to his work. His brother was executed by the Iranian regime in 1982.
He has been actively involved in labour rights, refugee advocacy, and international campaigns against capital punishment, including organizing efforts against stoning. He is a former member of the Central Committee and Political Bureau of the Worker-Communist Party.
His work spans politics, philosophy, and literature, with a particular focus on war, state violence, and the ethical responsibilities of political movements. His current literary project, a memoir reflecting on imprisonment and the final hours before execution, was shortlisted for the 2026 Hazel Rowley Literary Fellowship.
Drawing on both lived experience and critical analysis, his recent writings explore the strategic dilemmas within the anti-war movement, particularly in the context of escalating tensions between the United States and Iran.
