URGENT ACTION APPEAL
- From Amnesty International USA
To read the current Urgent Action newsletter, go to
http://www.amnestyusa.org/urgent/newslett.html
----------------------------------
For a print-friendly version of this Urgent Action (PDF):
http://www.amnestyusa.org/actioncenter/actions/uaa18809.pdf
15 July 2009
UA 188/09 - Arbitrary detention/Prisoner of Conscience
IRAN Clotilde Reiss (f), student
On 1 July, 24-year-old French national Clotilde Reiss was detained at Tehran airport in Iran, on her way home to France. She is accused of espionage in connection with photographs she took during a demonstration in June, which she emailed to a friend. Clotilde Reiss is believed to be a prisoner of conscience, held solely for peacefully exercising her right to receive and impart information and ideas.
Clotilde Reiss, a graduate politics student from the city of Lille in France, traveled to Iran after receiving a scholarship for her studies on Iran. She was about to return home via Lebanon, after five months working as an assistant teacher in Esfahan University in central Iran. Clotilde Reiss is held in Evin Prison in Tehran. She was allowed to phone a French diplomat and said that she was being interrogated daily, though she was not being ill-treated. Clotilde Reiss does not yet have a lawyer.
Last month, she took photographs of a demonstration in which she participated, against the announcement of the re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, which many Iranians have disputed. She emailed the photographs to a friend in Tehran.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
In the days following the announcement on 13 June 2009 that President Ahmadinejad had won the previous day's presidential election, which hundreds of thousands of Iranians dispute, the Iranian authorities imposed draconian restrictions on freedom of expression, association and assembly. Security forces, including the paramilitary Basij, have been widely deployed in the streets; communications have been significantly disrupted. Iranian publications have been banned from publishing information about the nationwide unrest since the result was declared. Foreign journalists have been banned from the streets, their visas not renewed and some foreign reporters have been arrested or expelled from the country.
According to statements by officials recorded by Amnesty International, over 2,000 people have been arrested since 12 June by the police and Basij forces across the country during demonstrations or their aftermath. These include prominent political figures close to either presidential candidates Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi, or former President Khatami, who supported Mir Hossein Mousavi’s campaign. Some human rights defenders, as well as journalists have also been detained. On 16 June lawyer and human rights defender Abdolfattah Soltani, was also arrested and detained (see UA 160/09, 19 June 2009: http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/MDE13/059/2009/en). Journalist Issa Saharkhiz was arrested on 4 July and taken away to an undisclosed location (please see UA 181/09, 6 July 2009: http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/MDE13/067/2009/en)
On 24 June, 70 academics met Mir Hossein Mousavi, and were arrested as they left his office. All but four were later released. Those still detained include the head of Mir Hossein Mousavi's election campaign Dr Ghorban Behzadian, and Ardeshir Amir Arjomand, who is a professor of law at Shahid Beheshti University. Hundreds of others have been arrested during demonstrations against the outcome of the election which have been met with excessive use of force. Officials acknowledge at least 21 killed although the true number is likely to be higher.
Following the 2005 presidential election, Iranian intelligence agencies have increased pressure on journalists, academics, human rights defenders and others perceived as having links with foreign countries or having been involved in initiatives to build Iran's civil society. Those with links to the USA have been particularly targeted as the Iranian authorities have frequently accused the US of attempting to foment a "soft overthrow" of the Iranian government. On 19 January 2009, an Intelligence Ministry official, commenting on the case of two detained doctors (see UA 216/08, 6 August 2008, and follow ups: http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/MDE13/108/2008/en), said that Iran had discovered and dismantled a "soft overthrow" project against the government. And on 31 January 2009, Roxana Saberi, a journalist was arrested and held in Evin Prison. She was released on 11 May (see UA 77/09, 16 March 2009 and follow ups: http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/MDE13/022/2009/en).
Iran is a state party to the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights and as such must uphold Article 19 which guarantees the right to freedom of expression and includes the freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible:
- calling on the Iranian authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Clotilde Reiss, as she is believed to be a prisoner of conscience detained solely for peacefully exercising her right to receive and impart information and ideas;
- urging the Iranian authorities to allow Clotilde Reiss immediate access to consular assistance, a lawyer of her choice and to any medical treatment she may require, and that she be protected from all forms of torture or ill-treatment;
- urging the authorities to stop unlawfully restricting exercise of the rights to freedom of association, assembly and expression, including the right to receive and impart information and ideas.
APPEALS TO:
Leader of the Islamic Republic
Ayatollah Sayed ‘Ali Khamenei
The Office of the Supreme Leader
Islamic Republic Street – End of Shahid Keshvar Doust
Street, Tehran,
ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN
Email: info_leader@leader.ir
via website:
http://www.leader.ir/langs/en/index.php?p=letter (English)
http://www.leader.ir/langs/fa/index.php?p=letter (Persian)
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: shahroudi@dadgostary-tehran.ir
(In subject line write: FAO Ayatollah Shahroudi)
Salutation: Your Excellency
COPIES TO:
Minister of Intelligence
His Excellency Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejeie
Ministry of Information
Second Negarestan Street
Pasdaran Avenue
Tehran, ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN
Salutation: Your Excellency
Iran does not presently have an embassy in the United States. Instead, please send copies to:
Iranian Interests Section
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 26 August 2009.
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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/urgent/
Phone: 202.544.0200
Fax: 202.675.8566
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END OF URGENT ACTION APPEAL
----------------------------------
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Urgent Action 7-2-09
URGENT ACTION APPEAL
- From Amnesty International USA
To read the current Urgent Action newsletter, go to
http://www.amnestyusa.org/urgent/newslett.html
----------------------------------
For a print-friendly version of this Urgent Action (PDF):
http://www.amnestyusa.org/actioncenter/actions/uaa17509.pdf
Note: Please write on behalf of these persons even though you may not have received the original UA when issued on June 29, 2009. Thanks!
2 July 2009
Further Information on UA 108/09 (29 June 2009) – Fear of torture
IRAN Mohammad Mostafaei (m), human rights lawyer
Mohammad Mostafaei, an Iranian lawyer and human rights defender, has been released on bail. He is accused of “conspiring against state security” and “propaganda against the system”. Mohammad Mostafaei is likely to face prosecution and if imprisoned he would be a prisoner of conscience, detained solely for his human rights activities and the peaceful exercise of his right to freedom of expression and association.
Mohammad Mosatafaei was released from section 209 of Evin prison in the Iranian capital, Tehran on 1 July after the payment of one billion Iranian rials (approximately US$ 102,000). Mohammad Mostafaei was arrested in Tehran on 25 June by plainclothes security officials. He was told he is
accused of “conspiring against state security” and “propaganda against the system”. Following his release Mohammad Mostafaei expressed his gratitude and thanked all those who campaigned for his release, stating: “My imprisonment made me more determined than ever to stand firmly for human rights”.
Mohammad Mostafaei is a human rights lawyer who is known for his campaigning against the execution in Iran of people convicted of crimes committed when they were under the age of 18. He is representing at least 25 juveniles sentenced to death for such crimes.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Since the announcement on 13 June that President Ahmadinejad had won the previous day’s presidential election, which hundreds of thousands of Iranians dispute, the Iranian authorities have imposed draconian restrictions on freedom of expression, association and assembly. Access to the internet has been blocked or significantly interrupted. Iranian publications have been banned from publishing information about the nationwide unrest since the result was declared. Foreign journalists have been banned from the streets, and some foreign reporters have been expelled from the country.
Scores of people are reported to have been arrested across the country, including prominent political figures close to either Mir Hossein Mousavi, fellow presidential candidate Mehdi Karroubi or former President Khatami, who supported Mir Hossein Mousavi’s campaign. Some human rights defenders, as well as journalists have also been detained. On 16 June lawyer and human rights defender Abdolfattah Soltani, was also arrested and detained (please see UA 160/09, 19 June 2009: http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/MDE13/059/2009/en). On 24 June, 70 academics met leading opposition candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi, and were arrested as they left his office. All but four were later released. Those still detained include the head of Mir Hossein Mousavi’s election campaign, Dr Ghorban Behzadian and Ardeshir Amir Arjomand who is a professor of law at Shahid Beheshti University. Hundreds of others have been arrested during demonstrations against the outcome of the election which have been met with excessive use of force. Many have been beaten and, according to the authorities, up to 21 have been killed, although the true number is likely to be higher.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible:
- welcoming the release of Mohammad Mostafaei;
- seeking specific details of the reasons for his arrest and any legal proceedings he might be facing;
- calling on the authorities to end the harassment of human rights defenders in Iran;
- stating that if he is again detained solely in connection with the peaceful exercise of his right to freedom of expression and association and his human rights activities, Amnesty International will consider him to be a prisoner of conscience.
APPEALS TO:
Leader of the Islamic Republic
Ayatollah Sayed ‘Ali Khamenei
The Office of the Supreme Leader
Islamic Republic Street – End of Shahid Keshvar Doust
Street, Tehran, ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN
Email: info_leader@leader.ir
via website: http://www.leader.ir/langs/en/index.php?p=letter (English) OR
http://www.leader.ir/langs/fa/index.php?p=letter (Persian)
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: shahroudi@dadgostary-tehran.ir (In the subject line write: FAO Ayatollah Shahroudi)
Salutation: Your Excellency
COPIES TO:
Iranian Bar Association
No. 3, Zagros St.,
Argentina Sq.,
Tehran,
ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN
Fax: 011 98 21 8771340 OR 011 98 21 888 6425 OR 011 98 21 888 6426
Email: tamas@iranbar.org OR mail@iranbar.org
Iran does not presently have an embassy in the United States. Instead, please send copies to:
Iranian Interests Section
2209 Wisconsin Ave NW
Washington DC 20007
Fax: 1 202 965 1073
Email: requests@daftar.org
PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY.
Check with the AIUSA Urgent Action office if sending appeals after 13 August 2009.
----------------------------------
Tip of the Month:
Write as soon as you can. Try to write as close as possible to the date a case is issued.
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$0.79 - Postcards
$0.79 - Airmail Letters and Cards (up to 1 oz.)
To all other destination countries:
$0.98 - Postcards
$0.98 - Airmail Letters and Cards (up to 1 oz.)
Amnesty International is a worldwide grassroots movement that promotes and defends human rights.
This Urgent Action may be reposted if kept intact, including contact information and stop action date (if applicable). Thank you for your help with this appeal.
Urgent Action Network
Amnesty International USA
600 Pennsylvania Ave SE 5th fl
Washington DC 20003
Email: uan@aiusa.org
http://www.amnestyusa.org/urgent/
Phone: 202.544.0200
Fax: 202.675.8566
----------------------------------
END OF URGENT ACTION APPEAL
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You are receiving this email because you registered to participate in the Urgent Action Network. If you wish to unsubscribe from this list, reply to this email (please keep the full text) and write ‘unsubscribe’ in the subject heading.
- From Amnesty International USA
To read the current Urgent Action newsletter, go to
http://www.amnestyusa.org/urgent/newslett.html
----------------------------------
For a print-friendly version of this Urgent Action (PDF):
http://www.amnestyusa.org/actioncenter/actions/uaa17509.pdf
Note: Please write on behalf of these persons even though you may not have received the original UA when issued on June 29, 2009. Thanks!
2 July 2009
Further Information on UA 108/09 (29 June 2009) – Fear of torture
IRAN Mohammad Mostafaei (m), human rights lawyer
Mohammad Mostafaei, an Iranian lawyer and human rights defender, has been released on bail. He is accused of “conspiring against state security” and “propaganda against the system”. Mohammad Mostafaei is likely to face prosecution and if imprisoned he would be a prisoner of conscience, detained solely for his human rights activities and the peaceful exercise of his right to freedom of expression and association.
Mohammad Mosatafaei was released from section 209 of Evin prison in the Iranian capital, Tehran on 1 July after the payment of one billion Iranian rials (approximately US$ 102,000). Mohammad Mostafaei was arrested in Tehran on 25 June by plainclothes security officials. He was told he is
accused of “conspiring against state security” and “propaganda against the system”. Following his release Mohammad Mostafaei expressed his gratitude and thanked all those who campaigned for his release, stating: “My imprisonment made me more determined than ever to stand firmly for human rights”.
Mohammad Mostafaei is a human rights lawyer who is known for his campaigning against the execution in Iran of people convicted of crimes committed when they were under the age of 18. He is representing at least 25 juveniles sentenced to death for such crimes.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Since the announcement on 13 June that President Ahmadinejad had won the previous day’s presidential election, which hundreds of thousands of Iranians dispute, the Iranian authorities have imposed draconian restrictions on freedom of expression, association and assembly. Access to the internet has been blocked or significantly interrupted. Iranian publications have been banned from publishing information about the nationwide unrest since the result was declared. Foreign journalists have been banned from the streets, and some foreign reporters have been expelled from the country.
Scores of people are reported to have been arrested across the country, including prominent political figures close to either Mir Hossein Mousavi, fellow presidential candidate Mehdi Karroubi or former President Khatami, who supported Mir Hossein Mousavi’s campaign. Some human rights defenders, as well as journalists have also been detained. On 16 June lawyer and human rights defender Abdolfattah Soltani, was also arrested and detained (please see UA 160/09, 19 June 2009: http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/MDE13/059/2009/en). On 24 June, 70 academics met leading opposition candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi, and were arrested as they left his office. All but four were later released. Those still detained include the head of Mir Hossein Mousavi’s election campaign, Dr Ghorban Behzadian and Ardeshir Amir Arjomand who is a professor of law at Shahid Beheshti University. Hundreds of others have been arrested during demonstrations against the outcome of the election which have been met with excessive use of force. Many have been beaten and, according to the authorities, up to 21 have been killed, although the true number is likely to be higher.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible:
- welcoming the release of Mohammad Mostafaei;
- seeking specific details of the reasons for his arrest and any legal proceedings he might be facing;
- calling on the authorities to end the harassment of human rights defenders in Iran;
- stating that if he is again detained solely in connection with the peaceful exercise of his right to freedom of expression and association and his human rights activities, Amnesty International will consider him to be a prisoner of conscience.
APPEALS TO:
Leader of the Islamic Republic
Ayatollah Sayed ‘Ali Khamenei
The Office of the Supreme Leader
Islamic Republic Street – End of Shahid Keshvar Doust
Street, Tehran, ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN
Email: info_leader@leader.ir
via website: http://www.leader.ir/langs/en/index.php?p=letter (English) OR
http://www.leader.ir/langs/fa/index.php?p=letter (Persian)
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: shahroudi@dadgostary-tehran.ir (In the subject line write: FAO Ayatollah Shahroudi)
Salutation: Your Excellency
COPIES TO:
Iranian Bar Association
No. 3, Zagros St.,
Argentina Sq.,
Tehran,
ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN
Fax: 011 98 21 8771340 OR 011 98 21 888 6425 OR 011 98 21 888 6426
Email: tamas@iranbar.org OR mail@iranbar.org
Iran does not presently have an embassy in the United States. Instead, please send copies to:
Iranian Interests Section
2209 Wisconsin Ave NW
Washington DC 20007
Fax: 1 202 965 1073
Email: requests@daftar.org
PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY.
Check with the AIUSA Urgent Action office if sending appeals after 13 August 2009.
----------------------------------
Tip of the Month:
Write as soon as you can. Try to write as close as possible to the date a case is issued.
** POSTAGE RATES **
Within the United States:
$0.28 - Postcards
$0.44 - Letters and Cards (up to 1 oz.)
To Canada:
$0.75 - Postcards
$0.75 - Airmail Letters and Cards (up to 1 oz.)
To Mexico:
$0.79 - Postcards
$0.79 - Airmail Letters and Cards (up to 1 oz.)
To all other destination countries:
$0.98 - Postcards
$0.98 - Airmail Letters and Cards (up to 1 oz.)
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/urgent/
Phone: 202.544.0200
Fax: 202.675.8566
----------------------------------
END OF URGENT ACTION APPEAL
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You are receiving this email because you registered to participate in the Urgent Action Network. If you wish to unsubscribe from this list, reply to this email (please keep the full text) and write ‘unsubscribe’ in the subject heading.
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