Stop Potential COVID-19 Pandemic in Iran

N° 2131-20

February 28, 2020

The Honorable Mike Pompeo Secretary of State

U.S. Department of State

Re: Stop Potential COVID-19 Pandemic in Iran

Dear Secretary Pompeo:

While news of the outbreak of the Coronavirus was reported on global media, many had become interested in the Coronavirus news in Iran and a number of Iranian citizens were reporting that their loved ones had died of lung infection.

Because of the then impending elections of the Eleventh Parliament in Iran, and on the orders of the authorities of the Islamic Republic, no Coronavirus disease was, or is, reported until one of the victims’ families succeeds in announcing it.  Relatives of people who have lost their lives not only because of Coronavirus but also because of lack of medical services are threatened and warned by the authorities that they have no right to report Coronavirus cases to the media and must remain silent.

Due to the lack of freedom of expression and lack of transparency in Iran, many have been infected with the Coronavirus. Unfortunately, as media and press are under control of the government and IRGC, the outbreak was kept secret and, consequently, it became too late to prevent loss of many lives and late for the government and the Ministry of Health to manage the crisis with any viable and effective plans.

Most flights to and from China were either cancelled or heavily monitored in the world except in Iran where the Mahan Airlines that was on the United States embargo list continued to fly between Iran and China; in fact, Mahan used this opportunity to increase these flights. All of this is the result of serious violations of, and gross disregard for, protocols of the World Health Organization and, loss of lives of Iranians and visitors.

In Iran, as you are fully aware and have reported accordingly, there is a silencing war against the public. I must point out that many political, civil, religious, and human rights activists as well as lawyers, and protesters are being held in prisons where the probability of becoming infected by the Coronavirus is very high. The lives of political prisoners are in danger.

Oppressed people of Iran are helpless and hostage to an anti-humanitarian government. Please, do not let the Iranian people alone. They need your support, today.

It is with the utmost urgency that Iran National Council for Free Elections (IRANNC) appeals to your high office to take immediate and effective action to provide help and assistance to the Iranian people and to dispatch medical and health services to Iran by through pertinent institutions such as the United Nations, the World Health Organization and the International Committee of the Red Cross.

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

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CC:

His Excellency António Guterres

Secretary General of United Nations

His Excellency Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein,

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights

Mr. Brian Hook

U.S. Special Representative for Iran

Dr. Tedros Adhanom

President, World Health Organization

Mr. Peter Maurer CC BY-NC-ND / ICRC

President, International Committee of the Red Cross

Mr. Javid Rehman,

UN Special Reporter on the Situation of Human Rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran

Mr. Salil Shetty, Secretary,

Secretary General of the Amnesty International

What Is Happening in Iran?

Radio Farda surveys show that in the days when the Islamic Republic of Iran claimed to have suspended Mahan flights to and from China, the flights from Tehran to four Chinese cities were operating in accordance with the regular schedule.

Because of the spread of Coronavirus, the Iranian government announced on January 31, 2020 that flights between the two countries had been suspended. Yet, Mahan Airlines, headed by Hamid Arabnejad, posted an Instagram on February 24, 2020 that the last flight of Mahan airlines took place on February 4th and 5th.

Further surveys by Radio Farda show that Mahan Airlines continued to operate flights to Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen from February 5th until February 23rd. The company made at least 55 roundtrip flights to China in that period of time.

With the presence of 700 Chinese theological students at the Qom Seminary “the largest Shi’a Seminary in Iran”, Coronavirus began spreading in that city and became the reason for high mortality rates in Iran’s clerical centers; news that the state media tried to hide.

According to Mohammad Hossein Ayati, head of the Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, the incubation period of the disease is between two and 14 days and most people are likely to get the virus but some may have no symptoms because of their strong immune system; however, asymptomatic people could be carriers of the disease.

According to a citizen journalist from northern Iran a drug store had quoted the Ministry of Health as having announced that each city’s health centers were distributing antiseptic gel, alcohol, etc. The journalist went to the health center in his city and was told there had been no such announcement.

Mohammad Mehdi Goya, head of the Ministry of Health, Center for Infectious Diseases, also admitted that the kits were available only during the prior one week.

At the moment, many people feel insecure, workers in the factories and dormitories are at the risk of getting infected, South Pars workers wrote on social media that “here everything is public, even dormitories and the situation is worrisome. There is very little sanitation. There are apparently meetings to give health packages to staff. But likely not all workers will get these packages.” “Some higher-level contractors give workers health kits, but sub-contractors likely will not.”

Workers at the Persian Gulf ports of Assaluyeh and Kangan expressed concern about the likelihood of becoming infected and said “There are rumors that 3 to 4 workers were hospitalized and quarantined.”

Also, the staff of Iran Khodro Company wrote to us and expressed their concerns: “There are thousands of people working in this complex without any health precautions or hygiene tips.”  A nurse wrote that she is pregnant and has not been granted leave.” At this stage the hospitals themselves are propagation centers for the Coronavirus due to limited space.

Ahmad Amirabadi Farahani, Qom representative in the Parliament said on Monday in the open parliament meeting that: “Every day, 10 people die in Qom … Until last night 50 people died of Coronavirus. The Minister of Health is guilty. During this time, 32 people died at the Coronavirus quarantine site.  Two children have also tested positive. The government is trying not to spread the news so that people will not become anxious. It is true that we should keep calm, but we should not overlook the scale of the crisis as if nothing had happened.”

The Free World should not be indifferent to the Islamic Republic’s irresponsible, totalitarian behavior.  Secrecy about the spread of the Coronavirus in Iran, the number of Mahan flights between China and Iran, the extent to which the virus is transmitted to some other countries is unacceptable.

Iraqi authorities have confirmed that the first Coronavirus infection in their country was an “Iranian clergy student.” The Iraqi Ministry of Health has announced that said Iranian student is in quarantine. Reuters reported that, aside from Iraq, Kuwait and Bahrain reported their first cases of Coronavirus all of which came from Iran.  Kuwait has identified 3 people who tested positive for the virus among 700 returnees from the city of Mashhad in northeast Iran. Bahrain has also confirmed that one of its citizens was infected with the Coronavirus after returning from Iran.  The incompetent government of Iran is causing the spread of a deadly virus in the region.

Hassan Rouhani assured Iranians that his government would be transparent about the scale of the outbreak, after the United States said it was “deeply concerned by information indicating the Iranian regime may have suppressed vital details”. He accused Iran’s arch enemy of trying to use Covid-19 to instill “fear” in people. “Coronavirus must not be turned into a weapon for our enemies to halt work and production in our country,” he said, adding that Americans “are also suffering”.

The ISNA news agency later reported that the head of a new Iranian cyber police unit, Vahid Majid, had announced the arrest of 24 people suspected of being “rumour-mongers” regarding the outbreak.

The media watchdog Reporters Without Borders warned Iran: “Respect for the public’s right to full, independent, diverse and quality news reporting, as enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, is the best way to protect the population and combat rumours. Withholding information can kill.”

Religious authorities also resisted the cancellation of Friday prayers until Thursday and said they would hold the prayers with “preventative measures” but they finally relented and announced that the prayers were cancelled in 23 province capitals out of 31, including Tehran, Qom, and Mashhad. The decision to cancel prayers in smaller cities has been referred to governors and health officials.

Chaos appears to be reigning in the management of the Coronavirus outbreak. Various government officials make contradictory statements and, in some instances, health officials appear to be under pressure from other governmental and religious bodies to downplay the situation.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei released a taped video statement about the Coronavirus crisis on his website on February 27. However, in his brief statement Khamenei only thanked healthcare officials and staff and did not make any comments about the extent of the outbreak or the government efforts to contain the crisis.

Sources: Radio Farda, BBC, Citizen Journalists from inside Iran

An Open Letter to the Permanent Representatives of the United Nations Security Council

Date: December 24, 2019

Her Excellency Kelly Craft, President of the United Nations Security Council
United States Mission to the United Nations
799 United Nations Plaza
New York, NY 10017

Re: Request of Resolution Condemning the Islamic Republic for Crimes Against Humanity

Your Excellency:

We, the undersigned, on behalf of several political and human rights activists in prison inside Iran would like to bring to your attention that the people of Iran have once again in this past month (November 2019) stood up to the corruption of Islamic Republic theocratic regime in Iran. This regime is as an outlaw government that brutally suppresses unarmed and peaceful protestors in the darkness of an internet shutdown. The world only witnessed these crimes against humanity in Iran after the internet blackout was lifted.

A newly-released report by Reuters has put the death from the brutal crackdown against peaceful protesters at over 1,500. These include over 400 women and nearly 20 minors.

One of the victims of this brutal killing of Islamic Republic of Iran security forces was a young man by the name of Pooya Bakhtiari who was shot in the head at close range. Following Iranian tradition, Pooya’s parents had announced a ceremonial gathering in the cemetery where he is buried on the 40th day after his killing, which would be December 26th, 2019. Based on credible reports, the security forces of the regime disgracefully arrested the parents of Pooya Bakhtiari yesterday. How many Pooyas must die before the world powers call it crimes against humanity?

The people of Iran are courageously demanding to express their views pursuant to their inalienable rights of freedom of expression and freedom of political choice. Therefore, we call on the United Nations Security Council to pass a resolution to:

1. Condemn and take action against the Islamic Republic of Iran’s shameless acts of violence which constitute crimes against humanity.
2. Express solidarity with the Iranian people’s desire for freedom of expression and freedom of political choice.

Thank you for your attention to this important matter.

Respectfully yours,
Signed from 5 + 11 Persons
From Iran:

1. Nazanin Banasaz, Human Rights Activist

2. Mohammad Karim Beigi, Signatory of the Statement of 14, father of Mostafa Karim Beigi one of the victims of the 2009 protests

3. Hossein Daemi, father of Atena Daemi political prisoner and Human Rights Activist

4. Mehdi Rajabian, Musician and Political Prisoners

5. Hossein Rajabian, Writer and Filmmaker and Political Prisoners

From Outside of Iran:

6. Niloofar Gholami, Journalist and Political Activist

7. Abdol Satar Doshouki, Center of Baluchistan Studies – London

8. Nazila Golestan, Political and Anti-Corruption Activist

9. Hossein Khalifeh, Political Activist

10. Zarrin Mohyeddin, Political and Social Activist

11. Reza Pirzadeh, Political Activist

12. Mahnaz Shirali, University Professor

13. Kaveh Shahrooz, Lawyer, Senior Fellow Macdonald Laurier Institute

14. Elham Yaghoubian, Writer and Human Rights Activist

15. Yaghoub Najari, Ex Judo Champion, Woman Rights and Civil Rights Activist

16. Mehdi YahyaNejad, founder of Balatarin, Working on Internet access via satellites at toosheh.org

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CC:

The Honorable Ma Zhaoxu, Permanent Representative of China to the United Nations,

The Honorable Nicolas de Rivière, Permanent Representative of France to the United Nations,

The Honorable Vassily Nebenzya, Permanent Representative of Russia to the United Nations,

The Honourable Dame Karen Pierce, Permanent Representative of United Kingdom to the United Nations.

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نامه سرگشاده به نمایندگان دائمی شورای امنیت سازمان ملل متحد

۲۳ دسامبر ۲۰۱۹

۳ ماه دی ۱۳۹۸

عالیجناب کلی کرفت، رئیس شورای امنیت سازمان ملل متحد

درخواست: صدور قطعنامه درباره جنایت جمهوری اسلامی علیه بشریت

عالیجناب

ما امضاکنندگان این نامه به نمایندگی از فعالان سیاسی و مدنی محبوس در زندان‌های درون ایران توجه شما را به اعتراضات سراسری آبان‌ماه در ایران جلب می‌کنیم. مردم ایران بار دیگر علیه رژیم فاسد جمهوری اسلامی به پا خواستند.

جمهوری اسلامی حکومتی غیرقانونی و یاغی است که مردمی غیرمسلح را که به صورت مسالمت آمیز علیه ظلم و ستم آن اعتراض کرده بودند، با قطع سراسری اینترنت به شکلی وحشیانه سرکوب کرد. پس از قطعی کامل اینترنت کشور، جهان تنها شاهد جنایت علیه بشریت درایران بود.

گزارش تازه‌ای که در خبرگزاری رویترز منتشر شده آمار کشته‌شدگان را دستکم ۱۵۰۰ نفر اعلام کرده است. این رقم شامل ۴۰۰ زن و حدود ۲۰ کودک و نوجوان است.

یکی از قربانیان این کشتار بی‌رحمانه مرد جوانی به نام پویا بختیاری است، که با شلیک گلوله به سرش از فاصله‌ای نزدیک کشته شد. بر اساس  رسمی در ایران مبنی بر برگزاری مراسم چهلمین روز درگذشت، خانواده پویا بختیاری مراسمی را در محلی که پویا به خاک سپرده شده اعلام کردند که مصادف با پنجم دی‌ماه ۱۳۹۸ است.

بنابر گزارش‌های تایید شده روز دوم ماه دی نیروهای امنیتی جمهوری اسلامی به طرز شرم آوری خانواده پویا بختیاری را بازداشت کردند. چند پویای دیگر باید کشته شوند تا جهان این کشتار را جنایت علیه بشریت اعلام کند؟

مردم ایران با شجاعت خواسته‌های بر حق‌شان همچون آزادی عقیده و بیان و آزادی انتخاب سیاسی را دنبال می‌کنند.

ما از شورای امنیت سازمان ملل درخواست می‌کنیم تا قطعنامه‌ای را برای: «محکومیت و اقدام جدی علیه نقض حقوق بشر توسط رژیم جمهوری اسلامی و جنایت علیه بشریت» صادر کند و حمایت و هبستگی خود را با مردم ایران که برای دستیابی به «آزادی بیان و آزادی انتخاب سیاسی» مبارزه می‌کنند، نشان دهد.

در پایان از توجه شما به این موضوع مهم سپاسگزاریم.

با احترام

امضاکنندگان از درون ایران:

  1. نازنین بناساز، فعال حقوق بشر
  2. محمد کریم بیگی، از امضاکنندگان بیانیه ۱۴ نفر، پدر مصطفی کریم بیگی یکی از جانباختگان اعتراضات ۸۸
  3. حسین دائمی، پدر آتنا دائمی کنشگر سیاسی و حقوق بشر
  4. مهدی رجبیان، موزیسین و زندانی سیاسی سابق
  5. حسین رجبیان، موزیسین و زندانی سیاسی سابق

امضاکنندگان بیرون ایران:

  • نیلوفر غلامی، روزنامه‌نگار و فعال سیاسی
  • عبدالستار دوشوکی، مرکز مطالعات بلوچستان
  • نازیلا گلستان، کنشگر سیاسی و فعال ضد فساد
  • حسین خلیفه، فعال سیاسی
  • زرین محی‌الدین، فعال سیاسی و اجتماعی
  • رضا پیرزاده، فعال سیاسی
  • مهناز شیرعلی، استاد دانشگاه
  • کاوه شهروز، حقوقدان و پژوهشگر ارشد در موسسه مک دونالد لوریر
  • الهام یعقوبیان، نویسنده و فعال حقوق بشر
  • یعقوب نجاری، قهرمان سابق جودو، فعال حقوق زنان و فعال مدنی
  • مهدی یحی نژاد، محقق و فعال گسترش دسترسی به اینترنت
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