Thursday, July 31, 2008
URGENT ACTION APPEAL From Amnesty International USA (IRAN PROBLEM)
http://www.amnestyusa.org/
For a print-friendly version of this Urgent Action (PDF):
http://www.amnestyusa.org/
31 July 2008
UA 212/08 - Arbitrary arrests/Fear of torture or ill-treatment/Prisoners of conscience
IRAN
Mehdi Khoda’i (m)]
students at Azad University, Shahre-Ray
Salman Sima (m)] Farzad Hassanzadeh (m)]
students at Mashad University
Mohamad Zerati (m)]Bahareh Hedayat (f)]
students at Tehran University
Mohammad Hashemi (m)]Majid Asadi (m)]
student at Alahmeh University, Tehran
Arash Rayji (m)]
students at Zanjan University
Hassan Joneydi (m)]Payam Shakiba (m)]Only known as ‘Anbaraki’]
students at Bushehr University
Only known as ‘Khoeyni’]
The 12 university students named above were arrested at various locations across Iran in July and remain in detention. They were arrested around the eighth anniversary of student demonstrations held in Iran on 9 July 1999 that were violently suppressed by the security forces. The 12 are facing various charges, such as “acting against national security”, “propaganda against the regime”, “propagating lies”, “promoting anti-religious attitudes”, and “disturbing public opinion”. They are prisoners of conscience, held on account of their conscientiously held beliefs and should be released immediately and unconditionally.
Mohamad Zerati and Farzad Hassanzadeh, were both arrested on 3 or 4 July, have had their bail set at 30 million rial ($3,229.9742 USD). Their place of detention remains unknown.
Mohammad Hashemi and Bahareh Hedayat were arrested by the security forces at their homes on 13 July; they are accused of having links with “illegal and anti-revolutionary groups abroad”. Both are members of the Office for Consolidating Unity, the central council of a pro-reform student group.
They are being detained in Evin Prison in Tehran.
Payam Shakiba, Arash Rayji and Hassan Joneydi, students at Zanjan University, were arrested on 8 July; their place of detention remains unknown. At least 12 other students who were arrested in July have now been released without charge.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
On 8 July 1999, plainclothes police forces and paramilitary units calling themselves Ansar-e Hezbollah stormed a Tehran university dormitory at night in order to suppress student unrest that had lasted for 5 days. A number of students were injured, and at least one person, a visitor at the university, was killed. This fuelled further protests and members of the general public joined the students’ demonstrations, which the security forces suppressed by force.
Student groups have been at the forefront of demands for greater human rights in Iran. Since the election of President Ahmadinejad in 2005, there have been increasing restrictions on civil society. In April 2007, Minister of Intelligence Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejeie publicly accused student activists and campaigners for the rights of women, of being part of an “enemy conspiracy” – a claim they strongly deny.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible:
- expressing concern about the arrest and continuing detention of the named students;
- urging the authorities to promptly charge the students with recognizably criminal offenses or release them immediately and unconditionally;
- calling on the authorities to ensure that they are protected against torture or other ill-treatment and are allowed immediate access to their family, legal representation and any medical attention that they may require.
APPEALS TO:
Leader of the Islamic Republic
His Excellency Ayatollah Sayed ‘Ali Khamenei
The Office of the Supreme Leader,
Islamic Republic Street –
Shahid Keshvar Doust Street
Tehran, ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN
Email: info@leader.ir
Salutation: Your Excellency
Head of the Judiciary
Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi
Howzeh Riyasat-e Qoveh Qazaiyeh
Office of the Head of the Judiciary
Pasteur St., Vali Asr Ave., south of Serah-e Jomhouri,
Tehran 1316814737,
ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN
Email: info@dadgostary-tehran.ir
(In subject line : FAO Ayatollah Shahroudi)
Salutation: Your Excellency
Minister of Intelligence
Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejeie
Ministry of Intelligence, Second Negarestan Street,
Pasdaran Avenue, Tehran,
ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN
Email: iranprobe@iranprobe.com
Salutation: Your Excellency
COPIES TO:
President
His Excellency Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
The Presidency, Palestine Avenue,
Azerbaijan Intersection, Tehran,
ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN
Email: dr-ahmadinejad@president.ir
via website: www.president.ir/email
Speaker of Parliament
His Excellency Gholamali Haddad Adel
Majles-e Shoura-ye Eslami, Baharestan Square, Tehran,
ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN
Fax: 011 98 21 3355 6408
Email: hadadadel@majlis.ir
(mark: forward to the Article 90 Commission)
Iran does not presently have an embassy in the United States. Instead, please send copies to:
Iranian Interests Section
Embassy of Pakistan
2209 Wisconsin Ave NW
Washington DC 20007
Phone: 202 965 4990
Fax: 202 965 1073
Email: requests@daftar.org
PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY.
Check with the AIUSA Urgent Action office if sending appeals after 11 September 2008.
Tip of the Month:
Use shortcuts: Do whatever is necessary to make your letter writing as quick and easy as possible. This way, letters will not be put off and they can be sent out sooner. Start
by making a generic file for each type of concern; paragraphs on torture, the death penalty, disappearances, denial of medical care and so on, can be copied into your
working file and edited as needed.
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Amnesty International is a worldwide grassroots movement that promotes and defends human rights.This Urgent Action may be reposted if kept intact, including contact information and stop action date (if applicable). Thank you for your help with this appeal.
Urgent Action Network
Amnesty International USA
600 Pennsylvania Ave SE 5th fl
Washington DC 20003
Email: uan@aiusa.org
http://www.amnestyusa.org/
Phone: 202.544.0200
Fax: 202.675.8566
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