Appeal for Severe Political Pressure Against the Kleptocratic Theocracy of Iran
Re: Appeal for Severe Political Pressure Against the Kleptocratic Theocracy of Iran
Dear Secretary Pompeo:
In Iran, we are facing a silencing war waged by the Iranian regime against the freedom-seeking Iranian Citizens. Only the willingness of the international Community to take punitive actions against the Iranian government can help us defeat the regime and bring the Iranian citizens one step closer to a stable and free Democracy.
Your remarks at The Heritage Foundation in Washington, D.C. on May 21, 2018 demonstrates how well you understand the plight of Iranian people living under a kleptocratic theocracy. As you indicated, United States citizens and other foreigners are snatched by the Islamic Republic and held hostage as negotiating chips. However, Iranian citizens are arrested, imprisoned, tortured, raped, and killed by the regime with impunity; all for demanding their basic human rights.
You enumerated several goals that President Trump has asked you to achieve on Iran. The third goal promised “tireless advocacy for the Iranian people,” “demand that the regime improves treatment of its citizens,” “protect the human rights of every Iranian,” and “stop spending Iran’s wealth abroad.” While you followed with a long list of hardships and adversities facing Iranian people, these points were not included in your 12 demands from the Iranian regime.
Therefore, we respectfully request that the following become demand number 13 on your list:
“Iran must end its inequitable, unjust, unfair, and abusive behavior against the Iranian citizens” and “Let Iranian citizens hold free, fair and transparent election for a Constitutional Assembly” in accordance with article 21 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the criteria by the Inter-Parliamentary Union, of which Iran is a member, set forth at its 154th session on March 26th, 1994, under the supervision and monitoring of the United Nations.
We sincerely thank you and President Trump for your attention to, and consideration of, this urgent humanitarian matter.
UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Iran
Date: July 10, 2018
No: 2095-18
The Honorable Mr. Javid Rehman
UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Iran
Your Excellency,
On behalf of the Iran National Council for Free Elections, I wish to extend my sincere congratulations to you on your appointment as United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iran. Iran National Council for Free Elections is a nongovernment organization with our ultimate objective to create the preconditions for free, fair and transparent elections of a constituent assembly, for the purpose of drafting a new secular and democratic constitution.
The fundamental principles relating to periodic free and fair elections shall be based on the will of the people as expressed in periodic and genuine elections. The Iranian electoral system suffers from serious structural problems that undermine free and fair elections due in part to the influence of the hardline Guardian Council. Ultimate power which rests in the hands of the country’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and the unelected institutions under his control. These institutions, including the security forces and the judiciary, play a major role in the suppression of dissent and other restrictions on civil liberties.
The Iranian regime has used corruption as a tool to stay in power. Therefore, a powerful system of political patronage, nepotism and cronyism pervades in all sectors of the economy. Irregular payments and bribes are often exchanged to obtain services, permits, or public contracts. The Iranian economy is the victim of the rampant corruption. Sadly, the Iranian environment is a silent victim of this kleptocratic system.
Recently the late-year protests led to violent clashes with security forces across the country, leaving several people dead and thousands in detention. The Iran National Council acknowledges this corruption as fundamental and inalienable human right’s violations. In order to prioritize openness and transparency enforcement as a matter of policy needs to occur to put an end to the corruption and to create the preconditions for free, fair and transparent elections in Iran.
I look forward to working with you to communicate the human rights violations, in particular the corruption cases, on all levels in Iran.
International Campaign Against the Outrageous Violations of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the Kleptocratic Regime of Iran
Date: August 20, 2019
No: 2085-15
His Excellency António Guterres
Secretary General of United Nations
The United Nations
New York, NY 10017
Re: International Campaign Against the Outrageous Violations of the Universal Declaration
of Human Rights by the Kleptocratic Regime of Iran.
Your
Excellency,
On March 8th, the International Women’s Day, Ms. Maryam Mombeini[i], the widow of an Iranian-Canadian environmentalist, Kavous Seyed-Emami, who died in the notorious Evin prison has been barred from leaving Iran. Maryam Mombeini with her sons Ramin and Mehran Seyed-Emami decided to flee after facing harassment, threats and smear campaigns over their rejection of Iranian authorities’ claim that their husband and father Kavous Seyed-Emami, committed suicide in prison. Iranian authorities confiscated Ms. Mombeini’s Iranian passport at the airport. The two brothers left their mother behind.
Kavous Seyed-Emami, one of the founders of the Wildlife Heritage Foundation, an environmental activist and professor of sociology who fought for Iran’s environmental causes was arrested, after being accused of spying, by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) along with several other environmental activists, including Niloufar Bayani, Houman Jowkar, Sam Rajabi, Taher Ghadirian, Sepideh Kashani, Amir-Hossein Khaleghi, and Morad Tahbaz. These environmentalist detainees are some of the best and brightest elite of Iran who were just concerned about saving our planet.
The head of Tehran’s Justice department Gholamhossein Esmaili[ii] declared to ILNA news agency “A group of those who gathered strategic intelligence and handed it over to foreigners have been identified. Some of them were arrested and some others will be arrested soon”. Two weeks after Kavous Emami’s arrest, on February 9,2018, the news of his sudden death was released to his wife, Maryam Mombeini. His suspicious death was labelled as suicide by the prison officials. Until recently, we have no news of the whereabouts of the detainees or their health status.
Islamic Judiciary has announced the suicides of other political prisoners among those arrested during the nationwide anti-government protests in January. With such a background, Prosecutor General of Tehran, Abbas Jafari-Dolatabadi[iii], told ILNA news agency “Kavous Emami was one of the defendants in a spying case and unfortunately he committed suicide in prison since he knew that many had made statements against him and because of his own confession.”
The fates of detainees during anti-establishment protests[iv] and the unrest that erupted in late January 2018 still is unclear. Among thousands of detainees, Sina Ghanbari[v], a 22-year-old, died in custody in Tehran under unknown circumstances on January 6, 2018. Mostafa Mohebi, the head of Tehran’s prisons, claimed Sina hanged himself in the Evin Prison bathroom. Authorities have forbidden the families of those arrested from speaking to the media.
Mohammad Raji[vi], a war veteran, was one of more than 300 members of Iran’s Sufi Gonabadi who were detained following skirmishes with security forces in Tehran on February 19, 2018. He died from blows to his head in prison.
Currently, dozens of dual nationals are in jail in Iran, mostly on spying charges. Iranian physician and researcher, Ahmad Reza Djalali[vii], a resident of Sweden, has been sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court’s Judge Abolghassem Salavati[viii], on the charges of “Corruption on earth, espionage, and collaboration with a hostile government”. He has been kept behind bars at Tehran’s notorious Evin prison since April 2016.
Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe[ix], the British-Iranian charity worker, was on holiday visiting her family for Persian new year (Nowruz) in Iran. She was at the airport returning to the UK on the April 3, 2016 with her 22-month-old daughter Gabriella, when she was detained by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. She was sentenced to five years imprisonment after an unfair trial “for allegedly plotting to topple the Iranian regime.” Her daughter’s British passport was confiscated during the arrest, and the 3-year-old remains in Iran under the care of her maternal grandparents.
In the past, in June 2003, Zahra Kazemi[x], a Canadian-Iranian photojournalist, was beaten to death while in custody there. Iranian authorities arrested her as she was photographing the Evin prison. The Iranian authorities have not charged anyone in connection with her death. Since her death, the diplomatic relations between Iran and Canada have been tense.
Golrokh Iraee, a human rights prisoner exiled to Qarechak prison, is in dire condition on her 45th day of hunger strike. Atena Daemi and Golrokh Iraee[xi], were transferred from Evin to Qarechak prison in Varamin for supporting the uprising in January 2018 where they are at risk of developing hepatitis and other contagious diseases.
Soheil Arabi[xii], another blogger prisoner, is on day 33of his hunger strike. The lives of Ms. Golrokh Iraee and Mr. Soheil Arabi are in serious jeopardy.
Outside the walls of Iranian prisons there still are the sharia laws of the Islamic constitution as the barriers that oppose women’s rights and suppress other beliefs and political orientations since the Islamic revolution of 1979. Iranian constitution based on Sharia law stipulates that all women must be fully veiled in public at all times. Women are barred from attending sports events. On February 9, 2018, 35 women[xiii] were detained in front of Azadi Stadium for trying to attend a particularly significant football match. The women were trying to attract Mr. Gianni Infantino’s attention to the ban on women attending sporting events.
On March 8, 2018, there was a strong call, more emphatic than ever, for commemorating the struggle for women’s rights, and progress in gender equality worldwide. In contrast, Iran reportedly impeded Women’s Day gatherings and detained participants. Several women’s rights activists[xvi] have been jailed by security forces.
Maryam Mombeini, like many other
activists’ families, is hostage to the regime. The Islamic Republic’s
security agencies use the prisoners and their families
as bargaining
chips for money or influence. We are facing a
powerful kleptocratic system of political nepotism and familial surrogacy that uses corruption
as a tool to stay in power. The Iranian economy is suffering
from the rampant corruption. The judiciary is suffering from institutional
corruption, and there is no independent court to stop the corruption in other
parts of the government.
These are
some outrageous violations of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the Islamic regime of Iran.
Iran
National Council for Free Elections
appeals to your high office and the
international community to take immediate and effective action to save the lives of
detainees and their hostage families.
We are fearful that these innocent women
and men will not escape suspicious deaths without an international outcry and
firm diplomatic actions by the leaders of the Free World to force the Islamic
republic regime to comply with the following:
Give Maryam Mombeini,
a Canadian citizen, immediate freedom to safely return to Canada;
Take immediate and effective action to save the lives of two jailed
hunger striking prisoners, Mrs. Golrokh Iraee and Mr. Soheil Arabi, whose lives
are in jeopardy,
Immediately and unconditionally release all political prisoners;
Allow an independent investigation into the
suspicious deaths in the Islamic regime’s prisons;
End the persecution of women who speak out against compulsory veils and
for access to sports stadiums, and abolish “discriminatory and humiliating
practices” against women in the name of Sharia.
We sincerely thank you for your assistance and consideration to
this urgent humanitarian matter.
Les frères Rajabian et leur ami, Youssef Emadi étaient les directeurs et fondateurs de la plateforme « Barg Music » désormais interdite par le régime. Barg Music était un label indépendant de distribution de musique en ligne d’artistes underground iraniens.
A l’attention de Madame Françoise
Nyssen
Ministre de la Culture
Paris,
le 31 Mai 2017
2055-17
Madame la Ministre de la Culture,
Je me permets d’attirer votre
attention sur l’extrême urgence de la situation de trois artistes iraniens, les
frères Mehdi Rajabian, Hossein Rajabian et leurs collègue Mehdi Emadi qui sont
des prisonniers d’opinions dans la sinistre prison d’Evin de Téhéran, en Iran.
Les frères Rajabian et leur ami,
Youssef Emadi étaient les directeurs et fondateurs de la plateforme « Barg
Music » désormais interdite par le régime. Barg Music était un label
indépendant de distribution de musique en ligne d’artistes underground
iraniens.
Ils ont été condamnés, il y a un an,
lors d’un procès expéditif, à trois ans de prisons pour « insultes au
Sacré, propagandes contre le système » et pour avoir produit les disques
de plusieurs chanteuses solistes iraniennes. En effet, le régime islamique
interdit formellement aux femmes de chanter et de se produire seules sur scène !
Depuis plusieurs semaines, les
frères Rajabian sont en grève de la faim, sans aucun soin, pour protester
contre leurs conditions d’emprisonnement. Ces conditions ont provoqué une
infection pulmonaire chez Hossein Rajabian et une forte poussée de la sclérose
en plaques chez Mehdi Rajabian qui risque de perdre l’usage de ses jambes.
Récemment, les frères Rajabian ont
écrit : « Nous appelons tous les artistes du monde à
condamner les abus de pouvoirs dont nous souffrons. Ne nous oubliez pas, en ces
temps étouffants […] Il
n’y a pas de souffrance plus grande que d’être oublié de tous. »
Madame la Ministre, au nom des
valeurs de la République, des droits de l’homme et de la France haut lieu des
Arts et de la Culture, le Conseil National Iranien pour les Elections Libres
vous prie de bien vouloir prendre position en faveur des frères Rajabian et de
Mehdi Emadi. La remise exceptionnelle et rapide d’une distinction de l’ordre
des Arts et des Lettres permettrait certainement une conséquente amélioration
des conditions de détention de ces trois prisonniers d’opinion.
En vous remerciant d’avance de votre
soutien, je sollicite de votre haute bienveillance, l’octroi d’une audience
pour vous exposer plus amplement les conditions de vie et de travail des
artistes iraniennes et iraniens.
Je vous prie de bien vouloir agréer,
Madame la Ministre de la Culture, l’expression de ma haute considération.
Nazila Golestan
Envoyé Spécial pour la défense des
droits de l’Homme
Conseil National Iranien pour les
Elections Libres
International campaign for immediate release of prisoner of conscience Soheil Arabi on Hunger Strike in Tehran’s Evin Prison
Date: October 10, 2017
No: 2072-17
His Excellency António Guterres
Secretary General of United Nations
The United Nations
New York, NY 10017
Re: International campaign for immediate release of prisoner of conscience Soheil Arabi on Hunger
Strike in Tehran’s Evin Prison.
Your Excellency,
It is with utmost urgency that the Iran National Council for Free Elections appeals to the international
community to prevent the loss of Soheil Arabi who has started his hunger strike in Evin Prison to
protest the harassment of his family by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and to
facilitate his immediate release.
Soheil Arabi, a young Iranian blogger activist, has been initially arrested in November 2013 by the
IRGC’s Sarallah Headquarters, and subsequently placed in solitary confinement for posting messages
on social media. Soheil Arabi has been sentenced to death under the pretends of ‘insults to the
prophet’, and has been charged with ‘corruption on earth’ by the Revolutionary Court under Judge
Salavati. According to Farangis Mazloum, his only crime was to express his opinion.
IRGC did not just to abuse him in prison, they arrested also his wife, Nasrin Naimi, on the morning of
Monday, July 31. Soheil Arabi has started his hunger strike in prison to protest the harassment against
his wife. “I have forgiven all the injustices against myself but I can never stay silent in the face of
your constant and unjust harassment against my family” His letter from prison on August 24. He is
resuming his hunger strike after discovering that the IRGC was continuing to harass his wife and
relatives. On September 23, he began a dry hunger strike, and has not had any water or other
fluids. He has been suffering from bleeding in his stomach and has extremely low blood sugar and
blood pressure and his health is quickly deteriorating.
It is with a great sense of urgency that the Iran National Council for Free Elections appeals to your
high office to support Soheil Arabi and his family, through an immediate and firm diplomatic
response to ensure his immediate and unconditional release.
We sincerely thank you for your assistance and consideration to this urgent humanitarian matter.
Very truly yours,
Nazila Golestan
Special Envoy for Human Rights Iran National Council for Free Elections
_________________________________
Iran National Council for Free Elections
115 rue Saint-Dominique,
75007 Paris, France
www.irannc.org
CC:
His Excellency Trudeau Justine,
Prime Minister of Canada
His Excellency Emmanuel Macron,
The President of the French Republic
Her Excellency Chancellor, Angela Merkel
Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany
The Right Honourable Theresa May MP,
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Honorable Donald Trump
President of the United States of America
********************
Mr. Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein,
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Ms. Asma Jahangir,
UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in the Islamic
Republic of Iran
Mr. José Guevara
Chair-Rapporteur, The Working Group on Arbitrary Detention
Mr. David Kaye,
Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom
of opinion and expression
Mr. Salil Shetty, Secretary,
Secretary General of the Amnesty International
_________________________________
Iran National Council for Free Elections
115 rue Saint-Dominique,
75007 Paris, France
www.irannc.org
International campaign to prevent the execution of prisoner of conscience Mohammad Ali Taheri and his immediate release from incarceration
His Excellency António Guterres
Secretary General of United Nations
The United Nations
New York, NY 10017
Re: International campaign to prevent the execution of prisoner of conscience Mohammad Ali Taheri and
his immediate release from incarceration.
Your Excellency,
It is with utmost urgency that the Iran National Council for Free Elections appeals to the international
community to prevent the execution of Mohammad Ali Taheri in Iran, and to facilitate his immediate release.
We are extremely concerned about the continuous wave of executions and the declining health conditions of
several prisoners of conscience. We are fearful that these innocent men and women will not escape execution
without an outcry from the Free World.
On August 16th, the Islamic Republic summarily sentenced Mohammad Ali Taheri to death on the charge of
spreading ‘corruption on earth’. Mohammad Ali Taheri, the founder of the spiritual group ‘Erfan Halqeh’, a
pioneer of “holistic” complementary medicine and author in the field of Inter universalist alternative medicine,
was first arrested in 2010 on the spurious charge of acting against national security. After being released for a
brief period, he was arrested for a second time in May 2011, and convicted to five years for blasphemy, as well
as 74 lashes and monetary fines. Mr. Taheri has endured difficult conditions in solitary confinement, hunger
strike and deteriorating health conditions in the notorious Evin prison.
Ali Taheri’s sentencing to death has been condemned by Iranians around the world, international human rights
organizations, U.S. Department of State and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra’ad Al
Hussein. Despite all these mobilizations, his life is still in jeopardy.
According to IRANNC Human Rights Commission Report of 2017, the Iranian theocratic regime continues to
strongly oppress freedom of conscience, belief and expression. The regime’s security apparatus continues to
arrest religious and non-religious groups, particularly atheists, agnostics and Baha’is who are persecuted,
incarcerated, subjected to various forms of discrimination and apartheid, and even executed.
It is with a great sense of urgency that the Iran National Council for Free Elections appeals to your high office to
prevent the execution of Mohammad Ali Taheri, through an immediate and firm diplomatic response to ensure
his immediate and unconditional release.
We sincerely thank you for your assistance and consideration to this urgent humanitarian matter.
Very truly yours,
Nazila Golestan
Special Envoy for Human Rights
Iran National Council for Free Elections
_________________________________
Iran National Council for Free Elections
115 rue Saint-Dominique,
75007 Paris, France
www.irannc.org
Date : September 8, 2017
No: 2067-17
CC:
His Excellency Trudeau Justine,
Prime Minister of Canada
His Excellency Emmanuel Macron,
The President of the French Republic
Her Excellency Chancellor, Angela Merkel
Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany
The Right Honourable Theresa May MP,
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Honorable Donald Trump
President of the United States of America
********************
Mr. Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein,
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Ms. Asma Jahangir,
UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in the Islamic Republic
of Iran
Mr. José Guevara
Chair-Rapporteur, The Working Group on Arbitrary Detention
Mr. David Kaye,
Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of
opinion and expression
Mr. Salil Shetty, Secretary,
Secretary General of the Amnesty International
_________________________________
Iran National Council for Free Elections
115 rue Saint-Dominique,
75007 Paris, France
www.irannc.org
Freedom for Iranian Teachers’ Union Leader Esmail Abdi
The Honorable Ms. Asma Jilani Jahangir
UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights
In the Islamic Republic
of Iran,
OHCHR-Palais Wilson
52 rue des Pâquis
CH-1201 Geneva, Switzerland
Re: Freedom for Iranian Teachers’ Union Leader Esmail Abdi
Your
Excellency,
As you are fully aware and have reported accordingly,
many Iranians are frequently arrested merely for voicing their objections to everyday-life’s
difficulties and/or violations of their most basic human rights. According to
Human Rights Watch’s World Report of 2017, the Iranian government continues to strongly
restrict free speech and dissent; authorities continue to arrest journalists,
bloggers, and online media activists for exercising their right of expression;
and Iranian dual nationals and citizens returning from abroad have been
targeted for arbitrary arrests, interrogation and incarceration by the security
authorities.
Upon arrest, citizens
are often charged with false and
groundless allegations. Charges
have included “Western agents,” “warring against Islam,” “colluding national
security,” “propaganda against the regime,” “enmity against God,” “insulting
the Prophet,” and “insulting government officials.”
Next, they are tried in kangaroo tribunals and courts,
restricted from lawyer-access during investigation; convicted (possibly based on
confessions obtained under torture); imprisoned and, in some cases, executed. Human
rights organizations have reported as many as 437 executions in 2016—most of
which took place in the second half of the year; many classified as nonviolent
crimes[i].
While in the infamous
prisons of the Islamic Republic, prisoners face extremely cruel and inhumane conditions
including lack of adequate and timely medical care. As a last resort, said prisoners might attempt
to protest their confinement with the only means possible—a hunger strike—to acquire
the attention of human rights advocates and the international community.
Among the many thousands of political prisoners now
rotting away, is Esmail Abdi, an Iranian human rights activist and a member of
the teacher’s union board who has been imprisoned solely for protesting the
deplorable conditions with which the country’s teachers are confronted every
day. He was arrested under fabricated
charges of “assembly with intent to create public disturbance,” and “propaganda
against the regime.” He was sentenced by Judge Abbass Pir-Abbassi[ii]
to serve a six-year prison term.
In a recent letter, Esmail Abdi protested sentences
handed down against union activists,
guilds and syndicatesunder
the dubious charge of “national security,” which carries harsher sentences and penalties.
Further, he requested that his case be tried not as a “national security” but a
civic matter. On April 30, 2017, Mr. Abdi started a hunger strike, which he
aims to continue until his reasonable
and legitimate requests are granted.
In his letter, Esmail Abdi further indicated that
arresting teachers and/or labor representatives is a violation of the universal
standards as defined by the International Covenant on Civil and Political
Rights, and the International Labour
Organization that the Islamic Republic of Iran has either joined or to which it
is a signatory. Mr. Abdi has also noted that the arbitrary arrest of teachers
has even increased during the “reformist” presidency of Hassan Rohani.
According to the most recent statistics released by
the Statistical Center of Iran, the average monthly cost of living for an urban
family of four is $863.00 which is also the poverty line marker. A teacher’s
monthly salary is $431.00. Therefore, a teacher with a family of four is unable
to have acceptable living and housing conditions, let alone workers and welfare
benefits. Yet, Iranian teachers continue to be present in their classrooms to
serve the interests of their students.
Unfortunately, the future of education in Iran is unclear, as the
teachers’ pension trust has not been funded for many months. In an environment
where innocent activists of syndicates and labour unions, journalists, teachers and other civic dissidents
are routinely intimidated, harassed, arrested, interrogated, tortured and
incarcerated, corrupt regime officials and representatives raid their pension
and welfare benefit funds.
Years of mismanagement by corrupt political and
economic institutions and individuals have driven the Iranian people’s pension
funds to the brink of bankruptcy. According to Raja news, the treasurer of the
teacher’s retirement fund has embezzled $3.6 billion. These individuals who participate in institutional
embezzlement and international money laundering not only threaten not the
economic security of the people of Iran, but also pose an indisputable threat
to international security. The Free World must actively confront and address
these pressing issues.
It is with an emphasis on the principles of the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights and a nonviolent solution for the future
of Iran that we seek moral support from, and engagement of, the international
community in condemning Iran’s actions and demanding the immediate and
unconditional release of all prisoners of conscience.
We appeal to your high office and the international
community to join our campaign at #UnityforFreedom. Also, we invite you to
become the voice of Iranian teachers and support their rightful demands by joining
us at #FreeEsmailAbdi.
We sincerely thank you for your support and attention
to this urgent humanitarian matter.
[ii] Abbass Pir-Abbasi1 is a Judge for
the Tehran Revolutionary Court, branches 26 and 28 according to the Official
Journal of the European Union (https://goo.gl/zyX0wl). Pir-Abbassi oversees post-election
cases. He commonly issues long-termprison
sentences during the unfair trials against human rights activists and has
imposeddeath sentences in several
cases. In April 2011, the European Union named Abbass Pir-Abbassi as an
individual subject to sanctions for human rights violations.
Atena Daemi and Golrokh Iraee have endured arbitrary imprisonment since they were first arrested. It is with an emphasis on the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that we seek engagement of the international community demanding immediate and unconditional release of these women.
N° 2080-18
January 25, 2018
Re: Golrokh Iraee, Atena Daemi were severely beaten by Interrogators in Evin prison
Your Excellency,
On January 24th, Atena Daemi and Golrokh Iraee, imprisoned in the women’s ward of Evin Prison in Tehran, were
summoned to court. They had been transferred to Section 2-A for interrogation. Atena and Golrokh have avoided
separate interrogations.
Seven officers, including five men and two women, tried transferring them to another prison but they refused and
requested a transfer order. Golrokh and Atena, both political prisoners, were severely beaten under Haji Moradi’s
command. Haji Moradi is the magistrate of executions branch of Evin Prison. A few hours later, at 9:30 p.m., they were
transferred to Qarchak prison in Varamin by four armed guards.
Iran National Council for Free Elections strongly denounces this egregious violation against both of these women who
have been imprisoned solely for their political views. Atena Daemi and Golrokh Iraee have endured arbitrary
imprisonment since they were first arrested. It is with an emphasis on the principles of the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights that we seek engagement of the international community demanding immediate and unconditional
release of these women.
Once again, we appeal to your high office and the international community to aid our campaign for immediate and
unconditional release of all political prisoners. It is with reliance on the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights and a non-violent solution for the future of Iran that we seek the support of the international community for the
unconditional release of all prisoners of conscience.
I thank you sincerely for your support of, and attention to, this urgent humanitarian matter.
Very truly yours,
Nazila Golestan
Special Envoy for Human Rights Iran National Council for Free Election
______________________________________________
Conseil National Iranien pour les Elections Libres
115 rue Saint-Dominique, 75007 Paris,
France www.irannc.org
CC:
Mr. Antonio Guteres,
UN Secretary General
Ms. Asma Jilani Jahangir
UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights
The Honorable Nikki Haley
U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations
Mr. Stavros Lambrinidis
EU Special Representative for Human Rights
Prince Zeid Ra’ad Zeid Al-Hussein
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Mr. Salil Shetty,
Secretary General of the Amnesty International
Mr. Michel Forst
Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
Mr. Fernando Gentilini
EU Special Representative for Middle East peace process
______________________________________________
Conseil National Iranien pour les Elections Libres
115 rue Saint-Dominique, 75007 Paris,
France www.irannc.org
His Excellency António Guterres
Secretary General of United Nations
The United Nations
New York, NY 10017
Re: Golrokh Iraee in Coma, at risk of death after prolonged hunger strike
Your Excellency,
N° 2088-18
April 5, 2018
Golrokh Ebrahimi Iraee, imprisoned for writing an unpublished story in Iran. She has been on hunger strike since
February 3, protesting her unlawful transfer from Evin Prison to Qarchak Prison. The political prisoner, Golrokh Iraee,
currently in Qarchak Prison, has been in a coma since Tuesday night, April 3, 2018, the fifth day of her dry hunger
strike demanding to be transferred back to the Evin Prison. She has lost a lot of weight, more than 20 kilograms (44
pounds). Golrokh Iraee suffered a heart attack on day 10th of her hunger strike and 3rd day of the dry. She suffers
from kidney dysfunction and swelling of her legs Haji Moradi, the magistrate of executions branch of Evin Prison, has
announced that he will not transfer her back to Tehran’s Evin Prison even if she dies. She has reportedly been
transferred to un known location (a hospital) near Qarchak Prison. There has been no news of Ms. Iraee after her
hospitalization and her family’s inquiries have not been responded to.
On January 24th, Atena Daemi and Golrokh Iraee, imprisoned in the women’s ward of Evin Prison in Tehran, were
summoned to court. They had been transferred to Section 2-A for interrogation. Atena and Golrokh have avoided
separate interrogations. Seven officers, including five men and two women, tried transferring them to another prison
but they refused and requested a transfer order. Golrokh and Atena, both political prisoners, were severely beaten
under Haji Moradi’s command. They were transferred to Qarchak prison in Varamin by four armed guards.
Iran National Council for Free Elections strongly denounces this egregious violation against Atena Daemi and Golrokh
Iraee, who have been imprisoned solely for their political views. We urged Iranian authorities to ensure that Golrokh
Iraee has access, as a matter of utmost priority, to specialized health care in a hospital outside prison, in compliance
with international human rights standards and common medical practices.
It is with a great sense of urgency that the Iran National Council for Free Elections appeals to your high office and the
international community to take urgent action to save the life of Golrokh Iraee, through an immediate and firm diplomatic
response to ensure her immediate and unconditional release.
We sincerely thank you for your assistance and consideration to this urgent humanitarian matter.
Very truly yours, ٔ
Nazila Golestan
Special Envoy for Human Rights Iran National Council for Free Elections
Conseil National Iranien pour les Elections Libres
115 rue Saint-Dominique, 75007 Paris,
France www.irannc.org
Political Prisoner, Arash Sadeghi in Critical Health is Deprived of Medical Treatment
Mr. Peter Maurer
President, International Committee of the Red Cross
19 Avenue de la paix
1202 Geneva, Switzerland
Re: Political Prisoner, Arash Sadeghi in Critical Health is Deprived of Medical Treatment
Mr. President Maurer,
N° 2098-18
July 24, 2018
Iranian prisoner and human rights defender, Arash Sadeghi has been diagnosed with a bone tumor that may be
cancerous. He is critically ill, and the Iranian authorities are disregarding medical advice, on the orders of the
Revolutionary Guards, that recommends his immediate transfer to a facility specializing in cancer treatment.
As the guardian of the Geneva Conventions, the International Committee of the Red Cross (“ICRC”) is an impartial,
neutral, and independent organization whose exclusively humanitarian mission is to protect the lives and dignity of
victims of armed conflict and other situations of violence and to provide them with assistance.
It is with utmost urgency that the Iran National Council for Free Elections appeals to your high office to take urgent
action to save the life of Arash Sadeghi through an immediate and firm intervention to ensure his immediate treatment,
In Iran, as you are fully aware and have reported accordingly, there is a silencing war against the public. Many Iranians
are frequently arrested merely for voicing their objections to everyday-life’s difficulties and/or violations of their most
basic human rights. According to Human Rights Watch’s World Report of 2017, the Iranian government continues to
strongly restrict free speech and dissent; authorities continue to arrest journalists, bloggers, and online media activists
for exercising their right of expression. Iranian dual-nationals and citizens returning from abroad have been targeted
for arbitrary arrests, interrogation and incarceration by security authorities. Upon arrest, citizens are often charged with
false and groundless allegations. Charges have included “Western agents,” “warring against Islam,” “conspiracy
against national security,” “propaganda against the regime,” “enmity against God,” “insulting the Prophet,” and “insulting
government officials,” while in the infamous prisons of the Islamic Republic, prisoners face extremely cruel and
inhumane conditions including lack of adequate and timely medical care. As a last resort, said prisoners might attempt
to protest their confinement with the only means possible—a hunger strike—to acquire the attention of human rights
advocates and the international community.
As the ICRC is mandated to promote and act as guardian of international humanitarian law. This involves visiting
Iranian prisons, assessing detention conditions, protecting prisoners and preserving their lives, and restoring the dignity
of these individuals adversely affected by the kleptocratic regime in Iran.
Among the many thousands of political prisoners now rotting away, inmate Arash Sadeghi is isolated between the
prison walls from any external “intrusion” or the eyes of any “unauthorized” persons. He lost his mother,
Farahnaz Dargahi, in November 2009 – four days after she suffered a heart attack following the security agents raid of
her home. Arash Sadeghi went on hunger strike in October 2016 to protest against the imprisonment of his wife
____________________________________________________
Conseil National Iranien pour les Élections Libres
115 rue Saint-Dominique, 75007 Paris, France
www.irannc.org
Golrokh Ebrahimi Iraee, also a human rights defender, for writing an unpublished story against the punishment of
stoning. Sadeghi’s hunger strike led to a public outcry which compelled the authorities to release Golrokh Ebrahimi
Iraee on temporary prison leave on January 2, 2010. However, she was immediately rearrested on January 22, 2010
to resume serving her sentence.
According to Amnesty International, Arash Sadeghi, human rights defender, aged 30, is suffering from worsening
digestive complications and respiratory problems since his 71st day of hunger strike due to the persistent refusal of
prosecution authorities to allow his hospitalization outside of Tehran’s Evin prison.
Iran National Council for Free Elections strongly denounces this egregious violation against Arash Sadeghi and Golrokh
Iraee, who have been imprisoned solely for their humanitarian views.
Based on the foregoing, we appeal to the international community to prevent the slow death of Arash Sadeghi in prison
through a firm and strong diplomatic response by forcing Tehran to allow the ICRC to visit the prisoners. We are
extremely concerned about the continuous wave of the declining health conditions of several prisoners of conscience.
We are fearful that these innocent men and women will not escape execution without an outcry from the Free World.
Their practices represent a threat not only to Iranian citizens, but also to the dignity of all people. The Iranian regime’s
discriminatory policies contradict the numerous international conventions to which Iran is a party. International laws
create both rights and duties for member states, and when a state consistently disregards its duties, it cannot expect
the rest of the international community to respect its rights.
We sincerely thank you for your assistance in, and consideration to, this urgent humanitarian matter.
Very truly yours,
Nazila Golestan
Special Envoy for Human Rights Iran National Council for Free Elections
____________________________________________________
Conseil National Iranien pour les Élections Libres
115 rue Saint-Dominique, 75007 Paris, France
www.irannc.org
CC:
His Excellency Emmanuel Macron,
The President of the French Republic
The Honorable Donald Trump
President of the United States of America
The Right Honorable Theresa May MP,
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
Her Excellency Chancellor, Angela Merkel
Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany
His Excellency Trudeau Justine,
Prime Minister of Canada
********************
His Excellency François Delattre
Permanent Representative of France to the United Nations
Her Excellency Nikki Haley
United States Ambassadors to the United Nations
His Excellency Matthew Rycroft
Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom to the United Nations
His Excellency François Christoph Heusgen
Permanent Representative of Germany to the United Nations
His Excellency Marc-André Blanchard
Permanent Representative of Canada to the United Nations
His Excellency Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein,
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Her Excellency Asma Jahangir,
UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran
********************
His Excellency António Guterres
Secretary General of United Nations
Mr. Javid Rehman,
UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran
Ms. Delia Matilde Ferreira Rubio
The former president of Transparency International’s chapter in Argentina
Mr. Salil Shetty, Secretary,
Secretary General of the Amnesty International
____________________________________________________
Conseil National Iranien pour les Élections Libres
115 rue Saint-Dominique, 75007 Paris, France
www.irannc.org
