PUBLIC
AI Index: MDE 13/101/2006
12 September 2006
UA
246/06
Fear for safety/ Unfair trial/ Possible prisoner of
conscience
IRAN
Reza Abbasi (m), human rights defender
Human
rights defender Reza Abbasi, a member of the Azeri Turkish minority in Iran (who
sometimes refer to themselves as Iranian Azerbaijanis), has been detained in the
city of Zenjan in northwestern Iran since 27 June, and is at risk of torture or
ill-treatment. His trial, which does not appear to comply with international
fair trial standards, is in progress. He may be a prisoner of conscience,
detained solely on account of the peaceful exercise of his right to freedom of
expression, including his human rights work.
Reza
Abbasi is a member of ASMEK (Association for the Defence of Azerbaijani
Political Prisoners) and of the Alumni Association of Iran (Sazman-e Danesh
Amukhtegan-e Iran-e Eslami [Advar-e Tahkim-e Vahdat]), an organization which
has been active in promoting democracy and human rights. He
was reportedly arrested on 27 June, after he
refused to comply with a verbal summons to attend an Intelligence Ministry
facility for interrogation. He is believed to be held in the Central Prison in
Zenjan. According to reports, the Zenjan office of the Ministry of
Intelligence has been harassing Reza Abbasi’s family, including by repeatedly
summoning his elderly parents for interrogation.
On
5 September, Reza Abbasi reportedly appeared before Branch One of the
Revolutionary Court in Zenjan, in a closed session without the presence of his
defence lawyer or his family. A
second closed session was held on 11 September, this time in the presence of his
lawyer, who afterwards reportedly stated that Reza Abbasi had been questioned
about his activities in various student organizations and for ASMEK.
The charges against him reportedly include “insulting the Leader [of
the Islamic Republic of Iran] “ and “propaganda against the system”. The
Court is expected to deliver its verdict during the next week.
Reza
Abbasi's arrest followed widespread demonstrations in predominantly Azeri
Turkish areas in May 2006 in protest at a cartoon published on 12 May by the
state-owned daily newspaper Iran, which many Azeri Turks found offensive.
The arrest was in advance of the annual Babek Castle gathering on
30 June, at which thousands of Azeri Turks gather to celebrate the birthday of
Babek Khorramdin, who lived in the ninth century and is regarded as a hero by
Iranian Azeri Turks. These gatherings have frequently met with repression on the
part of the Iranian authorities,
and this year the security forces were reported
to have carried out arrests prior to the event, possibly to prevent certain
people attending (for further information see AI Public Statement: http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGMDE130742006?open&of=ENG-IRN).
BACKGROUND
INFORMATION
Hundreds
of people were reportedly arrested during or following the May 2006
demonstrations (see UA 151/06, MDE 13/055/2006, 26 May 2006 and UA 163/06, MDE
13/063/2006, 8 June 2006). Some of those detained have allegedly been tortured,
with some requiring hospital treatment. Publication
of the newspaper was suspended on 23 May and the editor-in-chief and the
cartoonist were arrested. Azeri sources have claimed that dozens were killed and
hundreds injured by the security forces. The security forces have generally
denied that anyone was killed, although on 29 May a police official acknowledged
that four people had been killed and 43 injured in the town of Naqada.
ASMEK
was reportedly founded in 2002. Four
of its founding members, including Reza Abbasi, are said to have been
detained in April 2004 in connection with their activities.
RECOMMENDED
ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible, in Persian, Arabic,
English, French or your own language:
-
expressing concern that Reza Abbasi may have been detained solely in connection
with his work as a human rights defender;
-
calling on the authorities to ensure that he is not tortured or ill-treated, and
to allow him immediate access to a lawyer of his own choosing, and to any
medical treatment he may require;
-
calling on the authorities to release him immediately and unconditionally unless
he is to be promptly charged with a recognizably criminal offence and given a
prompt and fair trial.
-
asking the authorities for information about the reasons for his arrest,
including any charges brought against him;
-
expressing concern for the safety of his family, who have reportedly been
harassed and intimidated by the authorities, and calling for them to be given
all necessary protection to ensure their safety.
APPEALS
TO:
Leader
of the Islamic Republic
His
Excellency Ayatollah Sayed Ali Khamenei
The
Office of the Supreme Leader, Shoahada Street, Qom, Islamic Republic of Iran
Fax:
+ 98 251 774 2228 (mark "FAO the office of His Excellency, Ayatollah
al Udhma Khameni’’)
Email:
Info@leader.ir
istiftaa@wilayah.org
Salutation:
Your Excellency
Head
of the Judiciary
His
Excellency Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi
Ministry
of Justice, Park-e Shahr, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Email:
Please send emails via the
feedback form on the Persian site of the website
http://www.iranjudiciary.org/contactus-feedback-fa.html
The text of the feedback form translates as:
1st
Iine: name, 2nd line: email address, 3rd line: subject
heading
then enter your email into the text box
Salutation:
Your Excellency
Ministry
of Intelligence
Gholam
Hossein Mohseni Ejeie
Ministry
of Intelligence, Second Negarestan Street
Pasdaran
Avenue, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Email:
iranprobe@iranprobe.com
Salutation:
Your Excellency
COPIES
TO:
President
His
Excellency Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
The
Presidency, Palestine Avenue, Azerbaijan Intersection, Tehran, Islamic Republic
of Iran
Email:
dr-ahmadinejad@president.ir
via
website: www.president.ir/email
Speaker
of Parliament
His
Excellency Gholamali Haddad Adel
Majles-e
Shoura-ye Eslami, Imam Khomeini Avenue, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Fax:
+ 98 21 6 646 1746
and
to diplomatic representatives of Iran accredited to your country.
PLEASE
SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY. Check with the
International Secretariat, or your section office, if sending appeals after 24
October 2006.