Amnesty International: Iranian student activists detained, risk torture
8/1/07Source: Amnesty International
Behareh Hedayat (f)
]
Mohammad Hashemi (m) ]
Ali Nikou Nesbati (m)
] student activists
Mehdi Arabshahi (m)
]
Hanif Yazdani (m)
]
Ali Vafaqi (m) ]
Abdollah Momeni, Spokesperson of the
Alumni Association of
Mojtaba Bayat (m), Alumni Association
member
Seven others (names known to Amnesty
International)
The 15
people listed above were arrested on 9 July, the eighth anniversary of student
demonstrations in 1999 which were violently suppressed by the security forces.
The eight who are named are believed to be held in solitary confinement in
Section 209 of Evin Prison in
Behareh
Hedayat is the head of the Women's Commission of the student body Office for the
Consolidation of Unity (OCU). She was detained at a demonstration opposite Amir
Kabir University of Technology, protesting at the continued detention of eight
students arrested in May and June 2007 over articles regarded as insulting to
Islam (see UA 113/07, MDE 13/054/2007, 15 May 2007 and follow up). OCU Central
Council members Mohammad Hashemi, Ali Nikou Nesbati, Mehdi Arabshahi, Hanif
Yazdani and Ali Vafaqi were detained with her.
Ten other
people were arrested later that day at the offices of the Alumni Association of
Iran, including Association spokesperson Abdollah Momeni, and they are said to
have been beaten during their arrest. The arresting officials reportedly fired
their guns in the air, and confiscated computers and documents before sealing
the office. One Association staff member was reportedly released
after five days.
Several
detainees have been able to telephone their families, but not to meet their
families or lawyers. Some have had their houses searched and personal property
confiscated. The people who searched his house took Abdollah Momeni with them,
apparently in handcuffs and with visible injuries from his beating. He is said
to have complained about the treatment he was receiving.
A Judiciary
spokesperson confirmed the arrests on 16 July: "They are in prison and the
investigation is ongoing regarding their participation in illegal gatherings and
acting against national
security."
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The
Alumni Association of Iran is legally registered as a political organisation.
Its membership
is open to graduates of Iranian universities and it is active in promoting
democracy and human rights. Association head Ali-Akbar
Mousavi-Kho'ini was arrested during a peaceful
demonstration in
Women's rights activist Behareh Hedayat
was also arrested during the 12 June 2006 demonstration, for which she was
sentenced in May 2007 to two years' imprisonment,
suspended for five years, on charges of "acting against state security". She had
been tried in April, without her lawyer being present. She may now be at risk of
having to serve this suspended sentence. On 10 April, the Minister of
Intelligence publicly accused the women's movement and student campaigners of
being part of an enemy conspiracy aiming at a "soft subversion" of the
government. Since then, there has been a marked deterioration in the human
rights situation in
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals
to arrive as quickly as possible, in Persian, Arabic, English, French or your
own language:
- calling on the authorities to release
Behareh Hedayat and others detained on 9 July immediately and unconditionally,
as they are prisoners of conscience, held solely for the peaceful
exercise of their right to freedom of expression and association;
-
expressing concern at reports that at least some were beaten during their arrest
and urging the authorities to investigate those reports fully, with those
responsible brought to justice;
- urging
the authorities to ensure that none of those in custody suffers any further
torture or ill-treatment;
- calling
for all those detained to be granted immediate and regular access to their
families, lawyers and any medical treatment they may
require.
APPEALS
TO:
Leader of
the Islamic Republic
His
Excellency Ayatollah Sayed 'Ali Khamenei, The Office of the Supreme
Leader
Email:
info@leader.ir
Fax:
+98 251 7774 2228 (mark FAO Office of His Excellency Ayatollah al Udhma
Khamenei)
Salutation:
Your
Excellency
Minister of
Intelligence
Gholam Hossein
Mohseni Ejeie
Ministry of
Intelligence, Second
Salutation: Your
Excellency
Head of the
Judiciary
Ayatollah
Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi
Ministry of
Justice, Ministry of
Fax:
+98 21 3390 4986 (please keep trying)
Email:
shahroudi@dadgostary-tehran.ir
(In the subject line write: FAO Ayatollah Shahroudi)
Salutation:
Your
Excellency
COPIES TO:
President
His
Excellency Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
The
Presidency,
Email:
dr-ahmadinejad@president.ir
via website: www.president.ir/email
Salutation:
Your
Excellency
Speaker of
Parliament
His Excellency
Gholamali Haddad Adel
Majles-e
Shoura-ye Eslami,
Fax:
+98 21 3355 6408
Email:
hadadadel@majlis.ir
and to diplomatic representatives of
PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY. Check with the International Secretariat,
or your section office, if sending appeals after 7 September
2007.