Political prisoners remain in DETENTION | |||
| At least eight political leaders remain in the custody of the Iranian Authorities, two of whom are being supervised in hospital. Ebrahim Yazdi has been released. They are all prisoners of conscience held solely on account of the peaceful expression of their views, including regarding the outcome of the election. | |||
| Seven of the eight political leaders arrested in Tehran on 16 June 2009, in connection with their perceived views on Iran’s disputed presidential election or their links with former president, Mohammad Khatami remain detained. In addition to the individuals featured in the UA (listed below) Mohsen Mirdamadi, a former senior member of parliament and of the Islamic Iran Participation Front (Jebhe-ye Mosharekat-e Iran-e Eslami) was also arrested on 13 June. Ebrahim Yazdi was released on 19 June, and was returned to a hospital in Tehran from where he had been arrested whilst undergoing tests. Former Tehran city counsellor, advisor to former president Mohammad Khatami and investigative journalist, Said Hajjarian was transferred from Evin Prison to hospital under the control of the security forces, around on 3 July. Said Hajjarian is confined to a wheelchair following an attempted assassination in 2000. His wife was able to visit him once in prison. During her visit, Said Hajjarian told her that he had been given the medication that she had delivered to the prison two days after his arrest. On the day of the visit his blood pressure was high, for which he received no treatment, he was also in a poor psychological state. He requires, on a daily basis, specialized medicines and physiotherapy, which appears to have been denied. Mohsen Aminzadeh was also transferred to a hospital in Tehran on 4 July, for reasons unknown to Amnesty International. Both men remain incustody. On 4 July, the lawyer representing Mohammad Ali Abtahi, Mohsen Aminzadeh, Behzad Nabavi, Abdollah Ramazanzadeh, Mostafa Tajzadeh and Mohsen Mirdamadi, said that he had not been allowed to visit any of his clients. He added that pending formal charges, they are accused of acting against ‘national security’ and that their cases would be referred to the Revolutionary Court. None of their families have been allowed to meet them. There is no new information about Mohammad Tavassoli. | |||
| PLEASE WRITE IMMEDIATELY in Persian, Arabic, English, French or your own language: n calling on the authorities to immediately and unconditionally release the political leaders and activists (please name them) and all others arrested solely on account of their peaceful views, including about the outcome of the elections, as they are prisoners of conscience; n urging the authorities to ensure they are allowed immediate access to their family members, lawyers of their choice and any medical treatment they may require, and that they are not subjected to torture or other ill-treatment; | |||
| PLEASE SEND APPEALS BEFORE 19 August 2009: | |||
| 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: www.leader.ir/langs/en/index. www.leader.ir/langs/fa/index. Salutation: Your Excellency, Ayatollah | Head of the Judiciary Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi 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 (subject - FAO Ayatollah Shahroudi) Salutation: Your Excellency | And copies to: Minister of the Interior Sadegh Mahsouli Ministry of the Interior Dr Fatemi Avenue Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran Fax: +98 21 8 896 203 +98 21 8 899 547 +98 21 6 650 203 | |
| Also send copies to diplomatic representatives accredited to your country. Please check with your section office if sending appeals after the above date. | This is the 1st update of UA 159/09, MDE 13/058/2009
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| POLITICAL PRISONERS REMAIN IN DETENTION |
ADditional Information |
| In the days following 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. Security forces, including the paramilitary Basij have been widely deployed in the streets; access to the internet and mobile phone use have been intermittently 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, 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, at least 2277 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 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, MDE 13/059/2009, 19 June 2009: http://www.amnesty.org/en/ In custody: Mohammad Ali Abtahi, Mohsen Aminzadeh, Behzad Nabavi, Abdollah Ramazanzadeh, Mostafa Tajzadeh and Mohsen Mirdamadi, Mohammad Tavassoli, Said Hajjarian. |
| Further Information on UA: 159/09, Index: MDE 13/068/09, Issue Date: 08 July 2009 |
