Say (No.): 331 / 2006

                                                                                       Tarix (Date): 1 June 2006

Amnesty International, London

CC                High Commiserate of Human Rights, Geneva

Reputable Mass Media on Human Rights

Dear Mrs. Harrison

Re                 DAVUD MEQAMI ON THE BRINK OF DEATH DUE TO TORTURE

A short while ago, we came to learn from our reliable sources that Mr. Davud MEQAMI is on the brink of death. He is from the Mugham region of Southern Azerbaijan and was arrested in this region while taking part in the ongoing mass protests encompassing Southern Azerbaijan . Subsequently, he was subjected to torture and as a result, some of his internal organs punctured bringing him to the brink of death.         

Out of despair, I am begging you to act while it is not too late for saving the life of this young man who will almost certainly be crippled for the rest of his life. I insist in requesting you to do what you are always best at – to be relentless in pressurising the Iranian government with your statements on this matter. You can also engage the Red Crescent organisation to intervene on the matter, as a gesture of your duty of care. Mr. Meqami is in a secure unit in Khomeyni Hospital in the city of Parsabad in the Mughan region.

Almost certainly you are keenly monitoring the events and you know that tens of our youths have already paid the ultimate price for the cause of freedom. Southern Azerbaijan is now resolved to mark the 40^th commemoration day of their heroes during the Babek Assembly on the 29^th and 30^th of June 2006. (A note of translation: it is a cultural tradition in Azerbaijan for the folk to commemorate the loss of loved ones on the 3^rd, 7^th 40^th day of the death, as well as on the anniversary. The authorities are denying these traditions to our heroes and understandably the people are taking this tradition to Babek Castle .) Activists from inside Southern Azerbaijan plea your organisation and all those safeguarding human rights to send your envoys to the Babek Assembly this year. It is just possible that the presence of human rights watchmen will restrain Iranian authorities from their cowardly acts of intimidation and stop harassing our people.

Let us add that according to our authentic information, 1075 persons were rounded up in Erdebil and arrested them, of which 40 were women. Of these, 102 persons have been set free so far.

Yours Sincerely,

Boyuk Resuloglu

For and on behalf of

The Committee for the Defence of the Rights of the World Azerbaijanis