Spokesperson for the Swedish Christian-Democratic Party, urges President Ahmadinejad to immediately release Mr. Abbas Lisani

In a letter dated 31 of January 2007 and addressed to President Ahmadinejad, Holger Gustafsson, a member of the Swedish Parliament and spokesperson in foreign affairs questions for

Sweden

’s Christian-democratic party, writes to the Iranian President that he fears for the life of Mr. Abbas Lisani.

Mr. Gustafsson raises his concerns over the conditions in which Mr. Lisani is imprisoned under and points out that the Iranian regime is directly responsible for Mr. Lisani´s life and therefore urges the prison authorities to immediately provide Mr. Lisani with any medical treatment he requires.

Furthermore Mr. Gustafsson acknowledges that Mr. Lisani is a prisoner of conscience who is guilty of nothing but to peacefully advocate for the cultural rights of 30 million Azerbaijanis in

Iran

. He also condemns the harassment and intimidation of Mr. Lisani´s family members and affiliates himself with the demands of Amnesty International that Abbas Lisani in await of his release should be guaranteed to be allowed to have access to his lawyer, and continued and regular access to his family

Mr. Gustafsson also ensures the Iranian regime that he will continue to carefully follow the situation of Mr. Abbas Lisani and the rights of the Azerbaijanis in

Iran

in the future.

You’re Excellency President Ahmadinejad
The Presidency, Palestine Avenue ,

It is with great concern I have received information about the critical health situation of the Azerbaijani political activist Mr. Abbas Lisani.

Since the first of January Mr. Lisani is hunger striking as a protest against the refusal to grant him short-term leave and for the harassment of his family.

As a result of torture during his previous prison stays, Mr. Lisani´s body has already taken great physical damage. According to Amnesty International he suffers from kidney and stomach problems and needs medical treatment for his injuries. Despite of his need for medical treatment Mr. Lisani has not been granted any prison leave, apparently because his family has not obeyed the authority’s demands, which are that they should stop publishing his case.

In addition, Mr. Lisani was on January 16 transferred from solitary confinement to Section one of Ardabil prison where he was forced to share a cell with non-political prisoners, some of whom are drug addicts. It is believed that previously Abbas Lisani has been harassed and threatened by cell mates and may have been subjected to this treatment again. To detain political prisoners with non-political prisoners is a common way for the authorities to increase the pressure on the political prisoners. On 18 January, Abbas Lisani was transferred back to solitary confinement where he is currently being held in a very small cell without any heating and where the temperatures reach -10 degrees during the nights. [1]

All of the above mentioned gives me strong reasons to fear for the life of Mr. Lisani and for me to strongly urge the Iranian regime -which is directly responsible for Mr. Lisani´s life- to take all actions necessary to immediately stop Mr. Lisani from starving him self to death. Mr. Lisani must immediately receive any medical treatment he requires and be allowed to have access to his lawyer, and continued and regular access to his family.

I also condemn the harassment and intimidation of his family members and affiliate myself to Amnesty International’s demand that Abbas Lisani immediately and unconditionally shall be released since he is a prisoner of conscience solely held because of his peaceful activities for the cultural rights of the Azerbaijanis in

Iran

. The United Nations estimates the amounts of Azerbaijanis in

Iran

to 30 million, yet there is not a single school teaching in the Azerbaijani language in

Iran

.[2]

I would also like to ensure the regime that I will continue to carefully follow the situation of Mr. Abbas Lisani and the rights of the Azerbaijanis in

Iran

in the future.

[1] http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGMDE130042007 (Urgent Action from Amnesty International. Released the 19^th of January 2007 )

[2] http://www.unhchr.ch/huridocda/huridoca.nsf/0/40FC68CD8A9A97F9C1256B8100525F97/$File/G0210126.pdf?OpenElement (UN-report published January 16 2002 )