Dear sir/madam,

Re       UPDATE NO 1: THE COMMUNICATION ON MR. ESGER EKBERZADE

Further to our Communication Ref.: 415/2006 on 22 November 2006, please find enclosed Update No. 1 regarding the case of Mr. Esger Ekberzade, arbitrarily detained by Iranian authorities.

According to our information, this university student, reading chemistry, was released after approximately 50 days of detention on 21 December 2006 on bail. He was indicted by Judge Elai at Branch 14 of the Revolutionary Court in Erdebil by meeting a 70 million Riyal guarantee. This was reported in the various Southern Azerbaijani websites, e.g.: http://asmek-yeni.blogspot.com/2006/12/blog-post_2588.html and http://haqqimiz.blogfa.com/post-299.aspx.

The emerging pattern is that, when an Iranian authority is releasing a Southern Azerbaijani activist, they summon the victim to a trial just before a significant protest season, as a punishment to the victim and as a deterrent to the other. It may be that Mr. Ekberzade enjoys his liberty but he is gagged and his human rights are infringed. So our Communication for safeguarding his human rights stands until he is full cleared. We trust that you will carry on defending his human rights and thank you in advance for your care.

Yours faithfully,

Boyuk Resuloglu

The Committee for the Defence of the Rights of World Azerbaijanis