URGENT ACTION APPEAL
- From Amnesty International USA
To learn about recent Urgent Action successes and updates, go to
http://www.amnestyusa.org/iar/success
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For a print-friendly version of this Urgent Action (PDF):
http://www.amnestyusa.org/actioncenter/actions/uaa13010.pdf
Note: Please write on behalf of these persons even though you may not have received the original UA when issued on June 14, 2010. Thanks!
10 December 2010
Further information on UA 130/10 (14 June 2010) - Risk of torture/Prisoner of conscience
IRAN
Reza Shahabi
Gholamreza Gholamhosseini
Morteza Komsari
Ali Akbar Nazari
Mansour Ossanlu
Ebrahim Maddadi
Reza Shahabi, a leading member of an independent but unrecognized trade union in Iran, remains detained in Evin Prison, Tehran, where he has begun a hunger strike. Although Saeed Torabian, another leading member, was released on 20 July, other union members have since been arrested, bringing the total in prison to six.
Reza Shahabi, the Treasurer of the Union of Workers of the Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company (Sherkat-e Vahed), was arrested on 12 June, three days after the arrest of Saeed Torabian, the union’s spokesperson. Held incommunicado detention for some weeks, he later contacted his family and told them he was being held in Evin Prison, Tehran. He began a hunger strike on 4 December in protest at his continued detention.
Union members Gholamreza Gholamhosseini, Morteza Komsari and Ali Akbar Nazari have all been arrested since the beginning of November. Amnesty International believes that all four men are probably prisoners of conscience, held solely on account of their peaceful trade union activities, in which case they should be released immediately and unconditionally. Mansour Ossanlu and Ebrahim Maddadi, respectively head and deputy head of the union, are currently serving prison sentences; both are prisoners of conscience. Amnesty International is calling for their immediate and unconditional release.
Iran is a state party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Article 22 (1) of which states: "Everyone shall have the right to freedom of association with others, including the right to form and join trade unions for the protection of his interests," and to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, Article 8 of which guarantees the "right of everyone to form trade unions and join the trade union of his choice"
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The Union (or Syndicate) of Workers of the Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company (Sherkat-e Vahed) was banned after the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Workers resumed the union's activities in 2004, although it is not legally recognized. On 22 December 2005, police arrested 12 of the union’s leaders at their homes but quickly released four of them. Other members were arrested on 25 December 2005 after they went on strike to call for the release of their colleagues. Saeed Torabian was among those arrested, and spent one month in custody. Hundreds more were arrested during a further strike in January 2006 (see http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/MDE13/002/2006/en and http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/MDE13/008/2006/en)
Mansour Ossanlu and Ebrahim Madadi, the Head and Deputy Head of the union respectively, are currently serving prison sentences for their peaceful trade union activities. Mansour Ossanlu is serving a five-year prison sentence and is currently held in poor conditions in Reja’i Shahr Prison, in Karaj near Tehran. He was tried on fresh charges in August 2010 and received another year’s prison sentence, to be added to the five years he is already serving. Ebrahim Madadi has been held in Evin Prison, Tehran, since December 2008, serving a three and a half year prison term imposed in 2007. Both are prisoners of conscience.
Saeed Torabian and Reza Shahabi were suspended from work, without pay, for approximately four years following the strikes in 2005. They were eventually reinstated after the Court of Administrative Justice investigated their case. This Court is empowered to investigate complaints against government employees.
Other trade unionists have been arrested or harassed recently, including members of the Haft Tapeh Sugar Cane Company (HTSCC) Trade Union, also not recognized by the government. The union’s Leader, Reza Rakhshan, was recently sentenced to six month’s imprisonment by an appeals court for "spreading lies", after he had been acquitted of this charge by a lower court, apparently in connection with an article he wrote entitle "We are One Family", condemning arrests and harassment of his fellow workers.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible:
- Urging the Iranian authorities to release Reza Shahabi and other recently detained members of the same union (naming them) if, as appears, they are held solely for their peaceful trade union activities, or else to bring them to trial promptly and fairly on recognizable criminal charges;
- Calling on the authorities to ensure that those held are protected from torture or other ill-treatment, and are granted immediate access to their families, to lawyers of their choice, and to adequate medical care.
- Urging authorities to release Mansour Ossanlu and Ebrahim Maddadi immediately and unconditionally;
- Calling on the authorities to uphold their obligations to allow the right to form and join independent trade unions.
APPEALS TO:
Head of the Judiciary
Ayatollah Sadegh Larijani
[care of] Public relations Office
Number 4, 2 Azizi Street
Vali Asr Ave., above Pasteur Street intersection
Tehran,
ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN
Email: Via website:http://www.bia-judiciary.ir/tabid/62/Default.aspx ; 2nd box (starred)=first name, 3rd box(starred)=family name, 5th box (starred)=email address, last box=substance of message
Salutation: Your Excellency
Head of the Provincial Judiciary in Tehran
Ali Reza Avaei
Karimkhan Zand Avenue
Sana’i Avenue, Corner of Alley 17, No. 152
Tehran,
ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF 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
ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN
Email: info@humanrights-iran.ir : (In subject line: FAO Mohammad Javad Larijani)
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 17 January 2011.
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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: 202.509.8193
Fax:202.675.8566
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END OF URGENT ACTION APPEAL
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URGENT ACTION APPEAL
- From Amnesty International USA
To learn about recent Urgent Action successes and updates, go to
http://www.amnestyusa.org/iar/success
----------------------------------
For a print-friendly version of this Urgent Action (PDF):
http://www.amnestyusa.org/actioncenter/actions/uaa25210.pdf
9 December 2010
UA 252/10 Death Penalty
IRAQ 39 untried detainees
According to recent public statements by the Iraqi Minister of Interior, 39 untried detainees may face the death sentence in Iraq by the end of 2010, possibly without trial or fair trials.
The 39 detainees are alleged members of armed groups in Iraq. They have not yet been charged and tried. The group were paraded on 2 December before journalists, while handcuffed and clad in orange jumpsuits, at a press conference convened by the Ministry of Interior. At the press conference, the Iraqi Interior Minister, Jawad al-Bolani, ignored the presumption of innocence of the 39 suspects and declared: "Today, we will send these criminals and the investigation results to the courts that will sentence them to death. Our demand is not to delay the carrying out of the executions against these criminals [in order] to deter terrorist and criminal elements." He added that the 39 had confessed to committing criminal offences but gave no details of how those confessions were obtained.
According to media reports Jawad al-Bolani said most of the 39 suspects had rejoined al-Qa’ida linked groups after being released from Iraqi prisons administered by the USA. Three of the suspects were named as: Hazim al-Zawi, reportedly the third-highest leader in the Islamic State of Iraq (ISI), Iraq’s al-Qa’ida branch; Ahmed Hussein ‘Ali, known as the "Mufti of Anbar"; and ‘AbdulRazzaq, the organization's alleged media chief.
Amnesty International fears that the confessions the 39 suspects are said to have made under interrogation may have been obtained under torture and, despite this, may be used as evidence against them at trial. Amnesty International has urged the Iraqi government to ensure that these and other detainees receive fair trials that conform to recognized international standards, and that "confessions" obtained under torture are not used in their trials.
The security situation in Iraq remains precarious and Amnesty International recognizes that the government has a duty to protect the population, including members of religious and ethnic minorities and others who have been targeted for attack by al-Qa’ida and other armed groups; however, this must be done in full conformity with human rights and the rule of law. Amnesty International has on numerous occasions strongly condemned human rights abuses committed by armed groups in Iraq. Amnesty International opposes the death penalty unconditionally as a violation of the right to life and the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment and continues to call on the Iraq government to end executions as a step toward complete abolition of the death penalty.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible:
- Calling on the Iraqi government to ensure that Hazim al-Zawi, Ahmed Hussein Ali, Abdul Razzaq and the other 36 detainees receive a fair trial without recourse to the death penalty;
- Calling on the Iraqi authorities to ensure that no statements obtained under torture or duress are submitted as evidence against the 39 or those who may be accused in other trials;
- Calling on the Iraqi authorities to introduce immediately a moratorium on executions, in accordance with the recent UN General Assembly resolution calling for a worldwide moratorium on executions.
APPEALS TO:
Minister of Interior
Jawad al-Bolani
In care of: Embassy of the Republic of Iraq
3421 Massachusetts Ave NW
Washington DC 20007
Phone: 202 742 1600 EXT 136
Fax: 1 202 333 1129
Email: amboffice@iraqiembassy.org
Salutation: His Excellency
Prime Minister
His Excellency Nuri Kamil al-Maliki Prime Minister
In care of: Embassy of the Republic of Iraq
3421 Massachusetts Ave NW
Washington DC 20007
Phone: 202 742 1600 EXT 136
Fax: 1 202 333 1129
Email: amboffice@iraqiembassy.org
Salutation: His Excellency
COPIES TO:
Minister of Justice
Judge Dara Noureddin
In care of: Embassy of the Republic of Iraq
3421 Massachusetts Ave NW
Washington DC 20007
Phone: 202 742 1600 EXT 136
Fax: 1 202 333 1129
Email: amboffice@iraqiembassy.org
Minister of Human Rights
Wajdan Mikhail Salam
In care of: Embassy of the Republic of Iraq
3421 Massachusetts Ave NW
Washington DC 20007
Phone: 202 742 1600 EXT 136
Fax: 1 202 333 1129
Email: amboffice@iraqiembassy.org
Ambassador Samir Shakir Mahmood Sumaida'ie
Embassy of the Republic of Iraq
3421 Massachusetts Ave NW
Washington DC 20007
Phone: 202 742 1600 EXT 136
Fax: 1 202 333 1129
Email: amboffice@iraqiembassy.org
PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY.
Check with the AIUSA Urgent Action office if sending appeals after 20 January 2011.
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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: 202.509.8193
Fax: 202.675.8566
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END OF URGENT ACTION APPEAL
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