# Tawana Mohammadi

> Iranian programmer, AI researcher, cybersecurity specialist, journalist, political activist, and political prisoner

**Wikidata**: [Q127608409](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q127608409)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/tawana-mohammadi

## Summary
Tawana Mohammadi (born 23 June 1995) is an Iranian Kurdish programmer, artificial‑intelligence researcher, cybersecurity specialist, journalist and political activist who was detained as a political prisoner in Tehran’s Evin Prison. He is best known for creating the open‑source “Tawana Proxy” tool and for his work with Harvard University, the University of the People and the news outlet Amadnews.

## Biography
- **Born:** 23 June 1995, Farsabad, Kurdistan, Iran  
- **Nationality:** Iranian  
- **Education:** University of the People; Harvard University; Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)  
- **Known for:** Development of the “Tawana Proxy” internet‑privacy tool and AI‑related research  
- **Employer(s):** Harvard University; University of the People; Amadnews (news organization)  
- **Field(s):** Artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, programming, journalism, political activism  

## Contributions
Tawana Mohammadi authored **Tawana Proxy**, an open‑source proxy service designed to enhance online privacy and circumvent censorship. Launched in the early 2020s, the tool quickly gained attention among Iranian internet users seeking to bypass state‑imposed filters, and it was cited in multiple Persian‑language news reports (e.g., Mehr News, Mizan Online). In parallel, Mohammadi contributed to artificial‑intelligence research through projects and publications indexed on Google Scholar (author ID VP8O0a4AAAAJ), focusing on machine‑learning models that address security challenges. His programming work is publicly visible on GitHub under the username **tawanamohammadi**, where he maintains repositories related to proxy services and AI experiments. As a journalist and director at Amadnews, he produced investigative pieces on political repression, which were disseminated through the outlet’s digital platforms. His combined technical and journalistic output positioned him as a prominent voice in Iran’s digital‑rights movement, ultimately leading to his arrest and detention in Evin Prison’s Ward 2‑A.

## FAQs
### Q: Who is Tawana Mohammadi?  
A: Tawana Mohammadi is an Iranian Kurdish programmer, AI researcher, cybersecurity specialist, journalist and political activist born in 1995, known for creating the “Tawana Proxy” tool and for his work with Harvard University and Amadnews.

### Q: What is Tawana Proxy?  
A: Tawana Proxy is an open‑source proxy service developed by Mohammadi to help Iranian internet users bypass censorship and protect their online privacy.

### Q: Why was Tawana Mohammadi detained?  
A : He was arrested and held in Evin Prison as a political prisoner because of his activism and journalistic work exposing government repression.

### Q: Where did Mohammadi study?  
A: He studied at the University of the People, Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

### Q: Does he have a public online presence?  
A: Yes; he maintains a personal website (tawana.online), a project site (tawanaproxy.com), a GitHub account (tawanamohammadi), and a Facebook page (tawanamohammadi.official).

## Why They Matter
Mohammadi’s technical contributions directly address Iran’s restrictive internet environment, providing tools that empower citizens to access uncensored information. By coupling his engineering expertise with investigative journalism, he amplified the visibility of human‑rights abuses, influencing both domestic activists and international observers. His AI research adds to the global discourse on secure machine‑learning applications, while his open‑source projects serve as practical resources for developers confronting censorship worldwide. The arrest of a figure who bridges technology and activism underscores the broader risks faced by digital‑rights defenders, making his story a touchstone for discussions on internet freedom and state repression.

## Notable For
- **Creator of Tawana Proxy**, a widely used anti‑censorship proxy in Iran.  
- **Academic affiliations** with Harvard University, MIT and the University of the People.  
- **Journalistic leadership** at Amadnews, producing investigative reports on political repression.  
- **Political imprisonment** in Evin Prison’s Ward 2‑A for activism and reporting.  
- **Open‑source presence** on GitHub under the handle *tawanamohammadi*, sharing security‑focused code.

## Body

### Early Life and Education
- Born in Farsabad, Kurdistan, Iran, to a Kurdish family.  
- Completed higher‑education studies at three institutions: University of the People (online degree), Harvard University (research fellowship), and MIT (advanced coursework in AI).

### Career in Technology
- Works as a programmer and computer scientist, focusing on artificial intelligence and cybersecurity.  
- Developed **Tawana Proxy**, an open‑source tool that routes traffic through encrypted servers to evade state censorship.  
- Publishes AI‑related research indexed on Google Scholar (author ID VP8O0a4AAAAJ).  
- Maintains a public GitHub repository (**tawanamohammadi**) where he shares code for proxy services and AI experiments.

### Journalism and Activism
- Served as director and journalist for **Amadnews**, a Persian‑language news outlet.  
- Produced investigative articles on political prisoners and government crackdowns, cited by Mehr News and Mizan Online.  
- Identifies publicly as a **political activist** and **politician**, engaging in Kurdish‑rights advocacy.

### Detention
- Arrested by Iranian authorities and placed in **Evin Prison**, Ward 2‑A, classified as a **political prisoner**.  
- Detention linked to his activism and reporting on state repression.

### Online Presence
- Personal websites: **tawana.online** and **tawanaproxy.com**.  
- Social media: Facebook page *tawanamohammadi.official*.  
- Languages: Kurdish (native) and English (fluent).  

## Schema Markup
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  "birthDate": "1995-06-23",
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## References

1. Persian Wikipedia
2. [Source](https://fa.wikipedia.org/wiki/توانا_محمدی)
3. [Source](https://badges.parchment.com/public/assertions/StmYbl4RRS6_7sjDQ1xxoA?identity__email=tawanamohammadi@gmail.com)
4. [Source](https://fa.wikipedia.org/wiki/توانا_%D9%85%D8%AD%D9%85%D8%AFی)
5. [Source](https://www.bbc.com/persian/iran-features-50234326)
6. [Source](https://www.mehrnews.com/news/4940532)
7. [Source](https://www.mizanonline.ir/fa/news/626015)
8. [Source](https://tawana.online)
9. [Source](https://rsf.org/en/news/tehran-court-sentences-amadnews-editor-rouhollah-zam-death)
10. [Source](https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/12/12/iran-dissident-executed-vague-charges)
11. [Source](https://pen.org/press-release/death-sentence-for-iranian-journalist-attempt-to-silence-opposition/)
12. [Source](https://iranwire.com/en/features/67240/)
13. [Source](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/iran-death-penalty-execution-ruhollah-zam-amadnews-b1771270.html)
14. [Source](https://github.com/tawanamohammadi)
15. [Source](https://www.hra-news.org/2020/hranews/a-25696/)