Political Prisoners Archives

Fifty Foreign Ambassadors Tour Tehran’s Evin Prison

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: Fifty Foreign Ambassadors Tour Tehran’s Evin Prison

Your Excellency,

July 13, 2017

On July 5th, the Islamic Republic’s Judiciary arranged for 50 foreign ambassadors residing in Tehran to a “display tour” of “The Evin Prison” in an attempt to prove that the allegations raised against Islamic Republic’s prisons are false and politically-motivated.

According to a report by Ms. Shirin Ebadi, President of Defenders of Human Rights Center (“DHRC”,) in Iran, which was submitted to Ms. Asma Jahangir, UN Special Rapporteur, Iranian officials engaged in a hastily staged transformation of the Evin prison to a luxury hotel as follows:

At 8 am on Wednesday, July 5th, more than twenty political prisoners were transferred from their regular cells in Evin prison to solitary A-2nd cells by the order of judicial authorities.
In the evening, theses prisoners were returned to Evin Prison not knowing that 50 foreign ambassadors had visited their cells in Evin Prison.
Curiously, the ambassadors never visited the Women’s Ward where 24 women political prisoners and prisoners of conscience are being held. Kazem Gharib-Abadi, the deputy head of the Islamic Republic Judiciary’s Human Rights Office, declared the ambassadors’ visit was aimed at showing that the image portrayed of the Iranian prisons by certain countries and media is a false and distorted one. In addition, the Iranian domestic media which is controlled by the authorities interviewed some of the ambassadors. Iran National Council for Free Elections strongly denounces this scandalous, staged visitation. The 24 women political prisoners being held in Evin Prison, including Atena Iraie, Atena Daemi, Narges Mohammadi, Nazanin Zagheri, Azita Rafizadeh, etc. were kept out-of-sight. Other male political prisoners and prisoners of conscience; such as, Reza Malek, Amin Afshar Naderi, Hadi Asgari, KaarenVafadari, Professor Ahmad Jalali, Ali Kebritsaz Tavakoli and others were transferred to other locations. The latter three are prisoners who hold dual citizenships.

We urgently request that your high office forward copies of the letters of Atena Iraie, Atena Damei, and Reza Malek describing the catastrophic, unsanitary conditions in Evin Prison to the foreign ambassadors who visited the prison in Iran. Atena Iraie and Atena Daemi have stated in their letters: “Dear ambassadors, while we are in prison in deplorable conditions, you are free and only motivated by your political and economic agenda. You, unwittingly, became the Islamic regime’s spokesman and described an unreal version of Human Rights situation in Iran”.

Reza Malek, a former agent of the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence who is serving an eleven-year prison sentence for attempting to disclose information about Iran’s notorious “Chain Murders” in 1988-1998, addresses the ambassadors in his letter as follows: “It was only a few days that everyone was painting and decorating to give the dead prison illusion of livelihood; the face of the prison had changed so much as if anticipating a great celebration. They were explaining and instructing prison guards and other security personnel so as to deceive the visitors.”

We must also mention Amin Afshar Naderi, a Christian convert held in Evin prison who went on a hunger strike after the authorities kept him and others from speaking with the visitors.

The Iran National Council for Free Elections would like to highlight the following two facts:

Many Iranian citizens are frequently arrested merely for voicing everyday-life’s difficulties and/or objecting to violations of their most basic human rights. Under the Islamic regime’s system of jurisprudence, many crimes are punishable by death, including some that do not involve violence; such as, “insulting the Prophet,” apostasy, homosexuality, adultery, and drug-related offenses. Frequently, those opposing the regime are charged with fabricated or fictitious allegations. Allegations 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”. According to Iran National Council’s Human Rights Commission Report 2017, the Iranian government has continued to highly restrict speech and dissent; authorities have arrested journalists, bloggers, and online media activists for exercising their rights of expression. Iranian dual nationals and citizens returning from overseas have been at higher risk of arrest by the secret police and security apparatus.
According to the 2014 Corruption Perceptions Index by Transparency International, Iran scored 26 on a scale of 0 (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean), and was ranked 136th out of 175 countries. There is no “accountability and transparency” in very large segments of the Iranian economy, judiciary and governance.

Corruption in all segments of the regime is the black hole that generates a breeding ground for transnational organized crime, money laundering, terrorist financing and the trafficking of humans, drugs, and arms. The blatantly corrupt Islamic judiciary has led to greater suffering for criminal defendants and hardship for civil litigants alike.

Based on the foregoing, Iran National Council for Free Elections appeals to your high office to condemn the masquerade of the ambassadors’ visit and demand a visit of political prisoners under your supervision.

We sincerely thank you for your support and attention to this humanitarian matter. Very truly yours,

Nazila Golestan

Special Envoy for Human Rights
Iran National Council for Free Election

CC:

Mr. Antonio Guteres, UN Secretary General

Ambassador Nikki R. 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

Remerciements à l’adresse de Monsieur le Président de la République

Paris, le 12 Mars 2019

N° 19-2112

A l’attention de Monsieur Emmanuel Macron

Président de la République Française

Palais de l’Élysée
55, rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré́ 75008 Paris

Re : Remerciements à l’adresse de Monsieur le Président de la République,

Monsieur le President de la République,

Au nom du Conseil National Iranien pour les Élections Libres (CNIEL), je vous fais part de notre profonde reconnaissance après que vous avez publiquement invité l’avocate Nasrin Sotoudeh pour siéger au Conseil consultatif du G7 sur l’égalité des sexes. En cette période difficile que traverse le peuple iranien, nous vous remercions également pour le discours fort que vous avez prononcé à l’occasion de la Journée de la femme, le 8 mars dernier.

Ces gestes de solidarité qu’exprime à travers vous la République Française sont un encouragement à poursuivre notre lutte en faveur de la démocratie, de la laïcité, des droits humains, de l’égalité des sexes, et de toutes les valeurs sans lesquelles nous ne pourrons bâtir un avenir fondé sur la justice, la stabilité et la paix.

Nous profitons de cette occasion pour rendre hommage à une femme d’exception, Simone Veil, qui a consacré sa vie entière, sans jamais transiger, à la justice et aux valeurs humanistes, contre les préjugés et le fanatisme. Elle est une source d’inspiration dans le devoir que nous nous faisons de lutter pour les droits humains. Et comme vous l’avez justement déclaré lors de votre discours au Panthéon, « la moitié de l’humanité continuait obstinément d’être oubliée : les femmes ».

Alors que les femmes iraniennes, la moitié oubliée de l’Iran, demandent à vivre dignement, dans une société fondée sur le respect et l’égalité des droits, que la jeunesse iranienne aspire à la liberté, à l’ouverture sur le monde et à la démocratie, que la classe ouvrière souffre d’injustices et de précarité, qu’elle est privée du droit fondamental de s’organiser en syndicats pour exprimer ses revendications, le régime islamique répond à ces aspirations légitimes par la menace, l’emprisonnement et les traitements cruels et dégradants.

Les avocats, qui assurent la défense des justiciables poursuivis pour des motifs politiques, sont dans le viseur de juges inféodés au pouvoir religieux qui les accusent sans preuve d’agir contre les intérêts de l’État.

Nasrin Sotoudeh, avocate et militante des droits humains, en détention depuis juin 2018, a été condamnée à une lourde peine de 38 années d’emprisonnement et 148 coups de fouet pour avoir défendu des femmes ayant manifesté publiquement sans porter le voile.

Abdolfattah Soltani, avocat et défenseur des droits humains a été condamné par le tribunal révolutionnaire de Téhéran à 18 années d’emprisonnement et à 20 ans d’interdiction d’exercer son métier. Il a été l’avocat de Zahra Kazemi, photographe irano-canadienne arrêtée et torturée à mort en 2003.

Mohammad Ali DadKhah, avocat et défenseur des droits humains, a été condamné à neuf ans d’emprisonnement et est détenu à la prison d’Evin à Téhéran.

Amir Salar Davoodi, avocat, a défendu de nombreux prisonniers politiques. Très actif sur les réseaux sociaux, il animait sur le réseau Telegram un groupe d’échanges entre avocats défenseurs des droits humains et s’est ouvertement opposé à la politique du régime islamique.

Un grand nombre d’avocats comme Mohammad Najafi, Javid Houtan Kian, Maryam Ghanbari, Payam Derafshan, Farokh Forouzan, Hoda Amid, Arash Keykhosravi, Masoud Javadieh, Roya Saghiri, Zeynab Taheri, Mostafa Daneshjoo, Farhad Mohammadi, Mehdi Houshmand Rahimi, Massoud ShamsNejad, Farshid Yadollahi, Amir Eslami, Afshin Karampour et Omid Behrouzi sont également en prison pour avoir défendus des opposants politiques ou des défenseurs des droits de l’homme. Beaucoup d’autres ont été contraints de quitter l’Iran.

Le régime prive les justiciables iraniens du droit à une justice équitable et fait peser de lourdes conséquences sur des avocats dont le seul tort est d’exercer leur métier au service de leurs concitoyens.

Monsieur le Président, la France et les valeurs universelles qu’elle incarne occupe une place particulière dans le cœur des Iraniens. Aujourd’hui, nos compatriotes comptent plus que jamais sur elle pour les soutenir dans leur combat pour la liberté et la justice.

C’est pour cette raison que nous vous prions de continuer à défendre les droits humains des Iraniens en exigeant du régime islamique la libération de tous les prisonniers politiques. Cette avancée ne pourra être obtenu sans la promesse, en cas de refus de la part du régime, de sanctions diplomatiques.

En vous renouvelant nos remerciements pour votre démarche forte en faveur de Madame Nasrine Sotoudeh, veuillez agréer, Monsieur le Président de la République, l’expression de ma très haute considération.

Nazila Golestan

Envoyée Spéciale pour la défense des droits humains

Conseil National Iranien pour les Élections Libres

CC:

His Excellency Mr. Francois Delattre,
Permanent Representative of France to the United Nations

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

Madame Cécile Coudriou

Présidente d’Amnesty International France

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.

Very Truly Yours,

Nazila Golestan

Special Envoy for Human Rights

Iran National Council for Free Elections

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 8^th, 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 45^th 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.

Furthermore, more than 30 Iranian women [xiv] “Daughters of Revolution Street [xv]” have been arrested since the end of December 2017 for removing their veils in public to protest the mandatory hijab.

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.

Very truly yours,

Nazila Golestan

Special Envoy for Human Rights

Iran National Council for Free Elections

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

********************

His Excellency António Guterres

Secretary General of United Nations

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 Excellency Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein,

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights

Her Excellency Asma Jahangir’s Office,

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. 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

Endnotes:

[i] https://www.canada.ca/en/global-affairs/news/2018/03/canada-calls-for-safe-return-to-canada-of-kavous-seyed-emamis-widow-maryam-mombeini.html

[ii] http://www.defenddemocracy.org/gholam-hossein-esmaili/

[iii] http://www.defenddemocracy.org/abbas-jafari-dolatabadi/

[iv] https://irannc.org/en/uprising-of-heirs-of-iranian-constitutionalism-december-30-2017/

[v] https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/01/09/iran-deaths-detained-protesters-raise-concerns-ill-treatment

[vi] https://iranwire.com/en/features/5201

[vii]https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2017/12/iran-upholding-academics-death-sentence-in-secret-shows-utter-contempt-for-right-to-life/

[viii] http://justice4iran.org/j4iran-activities/human-rights-violator-abolghassem-salavati/

[ix] https://www.amnesty.org.uk/nazanin-zaghari-ratcliffe-uk-woman-iran-prison-mother-facts

[x] https://www.hrw.org/news/2006/08/02/iran-imprisoned-dissident-dies-custody

[xi] https://irannc.org/en/re-golrokh-iraee-atena-daemi-were-severely-beaten-by-interrogators-in-evin-prison/

[xii] https://irannc.org/en/international-campaign-for-immediate-release-of-prisoner-of-conscience-soheil-arabi-on-hunger-strike-in-tehrans-evin-prison/

[xiii] http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-43243414

[xiv] https://iranwire.com/en/features/5131

[xv] https://theconversation.com/iranian-women-risk-arrest-daughters-of-the-revolution-92880

[xvi] https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-blocks-womens-day-gathering-detains-participants/29086857.html

La situation de trois artistes iraniens, les frères Mehdi Rajabian, Hossein Rajabian et leurs collègue Mehdi Emadi

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.

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.

Very truly yours,

Nazila Golestan

Special Envoy for Human Rights

Iran National Council for Free Elections

[i] Human Rights Watch. World Report 2017. https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2017/country-chapters/iran.

[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.

Golrokh Iraee, Atena Daemi were severely beaten by Interrogators in Evin prison

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

Golrokh Iraee in Coma, at risk of death after prolonged hunger strike

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