In Iran, a student named Mahmoud Vahidnia was heralded as an unlikely hero last week, for a stunning act of bravery that shook the country’s youth to the core. His action? Speaking truth to power, in person.

That’s right: he’s being lauded for his bravery for speaking up and dissenting with the supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei at a public forum event. According to a report by the Huffington Post, openly criticizing the Ayatollah is a crime in Iran, punishable by imprisonment. Vahidnia openly lambasted the state-run media’s perspectives on the Ayatollah as well as the Ayatollah’s history of violence against youth protesters.

He faced significant resistance at the event:

“Vahidnia, a gold medalist at the country’s National Math Olympics two years ago, told the pro-opposition Alef Web site that officials at first barred him from speaking, but Khamenei apparently allowed him to go ahead. He said he was interrupted several times by the event’s moderator who insisted they were out of time.”

In the echo-chamber of critique that is the political blogosphere, it’s easy to lose the plot and forget how valuable our right to speak truth to power is. Vahidnia is definitely an inspirational figure and we hope that he stands in no danger after his heroic act. Check out more about this incredible story over at The Huffington Post.

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