URGENT ACTION APPEAL
- From Amnesty International USA
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For a print-friendly version of this Urgent Action (PDF):
http://www.amnestyusa.org/actioncenter/actions/uaa10610.pdf
5 May 2010
UA 106/10 Fear for safety
LITHUANIA LGBT rights activists
Following a court decision to suspend the 2010 Baltic Pride, hundreds of lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender (LGBT) rights activists, including over 50 Amnesty International members from over 20 countries, risk being prevented from marching in Lithuania’s first ever Pride march, scheduled to take place on Saturday 8 May.
The Vilnius City Administrative Court today temporarily suspended the 2010 Baltic Pride march, following an application by the Lithuanian Attorney General to withdraw its authorization on account of the risk of clashes with counter-demonstrators. The Vilnius City Police insists that it has made the necessary security arrangements to guarantee the marchers’ security.
International human rights law places a positive obligation on states to ensure that individuals and groups are able to exercise their rights to freedom of expression and assembly free from the threat of violence or disruption. Security threats emanating from counter-protesters should be policed effectively, rather than used as a pretext to ban public events.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible:
- Calling on the Lithuanian President to ensure that the Baltic Pride March goes ahead as authorized and ensure that the rights to freedom of expression and assembly of LGBT rights activists are respected.
APPEALS TO:
President of Lithuania
Dalia GRYBAUSKAITE
President of the Republic of Lithuania
Office of the President
Simono Daukanto a. 3,
LT 01122 Vilnius
Vilnius,
REPUBLIC OF LITHUANIA
Fax: 011 370 5 266 4145
Email: info@president.lt
Salutation: Dear President
COPIES TO:
Ambassador Audrius Bruzga
Embassy of the Republic of Lithuania
2622 16th St NW
Washington, DC 20009
Fax: 202 328 0466
Phone: 202 234 5860
Email: info@ltembassyus.org
audrius.bruzga@ltembassyus.org
egle.janeliunaite@ltembassyus.org
PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY.
Check with the AIUSA Urgent Action office if sending appeals after 8 MAY 2010.
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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
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URGENT ACTION APPEAL
- From Amnesty International USA
----------------------------------
For a print-friendly version of this Urgent Action (PDF):
http://www.amnestyusa.org/actioncenter/actions/uaa10710.pdf
5 May 2010
UA 107/10 Prisoners of Conscience/Arbitrary detention
IRAN Mohammad Ali Shirzadi (m)
Ja’far Panahi (m)
Two Iranian filmmakers – Mohammad Ali Shirzadi and Ja’far Panahi – are detained without charge or trial in Evin Prison, Tehran after their arrest in January and March 2010 respectively. Amnesty International is calling for their immediate and unconditional release as they are held solely for the peaceful exercise of their right to freedom of expression and are considered to be prisoners of conscience.
Mohammad Ali Shirzadi, aged 39, was arrested by five unidentified men on 4 January 2010 outside his home in Tehran. He was forced to re-enter his house which was then searched without a warrant and his computer, personal notebook and other items were confiscated. His family had no news about his whereabouts for 40 days, after which he telephoned them to say he was all right, but did not reveal his location. They later learned that he was being held in Evin Prison. He has so far been allowed two family visits, at which a security official was present, and he was unable to tell them the reasons for his arrest. However, his family believes his arrest may be linked to an interview he filmed around two years ago, between prominent human rights defender Emadeddin Baghi and Grand Ayatollah Montazeri. The film was shown after Grand Ayatollah Montazeri died in December 2009 and shortly afterwards, Emadeddin Baghi was arrested and has been in detention since (see UA: 05/10).
Award-winning filmmaker Ja’far Panahi, aged 49, was arrested on 1 March 2010 at his home in Tehran with several other people, including his wife and daughter. All have since been released except for Ja’far Panahi. His wife, Tahereh Saeedi, was allowed to meet him for the first time on 30 March. On 14 April 2010, the Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance said that Ja’far Panahi had been arrested because he was making an anti-government film about the disputed presidential election of 2009.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Ja’far Panahi is a well-known film director who has made internationally-acclaimed films such as “The White Balloon” and “The Circle”. He is also a peace activist who is a member of the National Peace Council in Iran, a group set up in July 2008 on the initiative of the Centre for Human Rights Defenders, an NGO established by Nobel Peace Laureate Shirin Ebadi and other prominent lawyers. The National Peace Council has 85 representatives from different social and,ethnic groups and professions. Its aims are “creating and strengthening the basis for peace; preventing a military attack; abolishing the imposed sanctions and preventing any additional sanctions; ending the situation of Neither war, Nor Peace”.
Ja’far Panahi was briefly arrested in July 2009 during a gathering at a cemetery in Tehran of people mourning the death of Neda Agha Soltan, a young woman apparently killed by a member of the Basij militia during a protest at the outcome of the 2009 presidential election. He was later released, but subsequently banned from traveling abroad, including to the 2009 Berlin Film Festival in which he was due to participate. He has been invited to participate on the jury of the Cannes Film Festival between 12 and 23 May
2010.
Mohammad Ali Shirzadi is a member of the now-banned Association in Defense of Prisoners’ Rights, founded by Emadeddin Baghi.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible:
- Calling for the immediate and unconditional release of Mohammad Ali Shirzadi and Ja’far Panahi as they are held solely for the peaceful exercise of their right to freedom of expression and are prisoners of conscience;
- Expressing concern that Mohammad Ali Shirzadi was held incommunicado for 40 days and urging that family members of all detainees are informed promptly of their relatives’ whereabouts and allowed to visit them regularly;
- Reminding the Iranian authorities that freedom of expression is guaranteed under Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to which Iran is a state party and that the right to freedom of expression includes freedom to seek, receive and impart information, either orally, in writing or in print, in the form of art, or through any other media
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, IRAN
Email: info_leader@leader.ir
Via website: http://www.leader.ir/langs/en/index.php?p=letter (English)
Salutation: Your Excellence
Head of Tehran Judiciary
Mr. Ali Reza Avaei
Karimkhan Zand Avenue
Sana’i Avenue, Corner of Alley 17, No 152
Tehran, IRAN
Email: avaei@Dadgostary-tehran.ir
Salutation: Dear Mr Avaei
COPIES TO:
Secretary General
High Council for Human Rights
Mohammad Javad Larijani
Howzeh Riassat-e Ghoveh Ghazaiyeh
Pasteur St, Vali Asr Ave., south of Serah-e Jomhuri
Tehran 1316814737, IRAN
Fax: 011 98 21 3390 4986
Email: bia.judi@yahoo.com (In subject line: FAO Mohammad Javad Larijani)
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 16 June 2010.
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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
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END OF URGENT ACTION APPEAL
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