Amnesty International Action Alert
Shapour Kazemi, a brother-in-law
of Mir Hossein Mousavi, one of the candidates in Iran's disputed presidential
election, is reported to be detained in Evin prison in the capital, Tehran. He
may be a prisoner of conscience, held because of his relationship to Mir Hossein
Mousavi. He may be at risk of torture and other ill-treatment, and may not have
regular access to the medication he needs.
Shapour Kazemi,
aged 62, was arrested in Tehran shortly after the disputed election on 12 June.
His sister is married to presidential candidate Mir Hossein
Mousavi, who has continued to challenge both the fairness and outcome of the 12
June election.
Shapour Kazemi is
held without charge and does not have access to a lawyer. He is reported to have
had one meeting with his mother, which was filmed by prison guards. Amnesty
International fears that he is not being given regular access to medication he
needs for high blood pressure.
Shapour Kazemi is not known to have links with any political
organization or to have been active in Mir Hossein Mousavi's presidential
campaign. According to a report from the Associated Press agency, Shapour
Kazemi's sister, Zahra Rahnavard, has said that he was detained to put pressure
on her and her husband, Mir Hossein Mousavi to openly accept the outcome of the
12 June 2009 presidential election.
PLEASE WRITE IMMEDIATELY in
Persian, Arabic, English, French or your own language:
-
Urging the
authorities to give Shapour Kazemi immediate and regular access to family
members, a lawyer of his choice and to any medical treatment he may require;
-
Calling for
assurances that he is not tortured or otherwise ill-treated;
-
Urging them
to release Shapour Kazemi immediately and unconditionally, as he appears to
have been arrested solely on account of his family connection to Mir Hossein
Mousavi;
-
Urging them
to remove unlawful restrictions on freedoms of expression, association and
assembly in Iran.
PLEASE SEND APPEALS BEFORE 5
OCTOBER 2009 TO:
Supreme Leader of the
Islamic Republic
Ayatollah Sayed 'Ali Khamenei
The Office of the Supreme
Leader
Islamic Republic Street - End
of Shahid Keshvar Doust Street, Tehran, Islamic Republic of
Iran
Email: via website:
http://www.leader.ir/langs/en/index.php?p=letter
Salutation:
Your Excellency
Head of the Judiciary
Ayatollah Sadeqh Larijani
Howzeh Riyasat-e Qoveh
Qazaiyeh (Office of the Head of the Judiciary)
Pasteur St., Vali Asr Ave.,
south of Serah-e Jomhouri, Tehran 1316814737, Islamic Republic of Iran
Email:
via website:
http://www.dadiran.ir/tabid/81/Default.aspx
(put given name in first starred box, family name in
second starred box, and email address in third. Paste appeal in large box)
Salutation: Your
Excellency
COPIES TO:
Minister of the Interior
Sadegh Mahsouli
Ministry of the Interior
Dr Fatemi Avenue
Tehran, Islamic Republic of
Iran
Fax: +98 21 8 896 203
+98 21 8 899 547
+98 21 6 650 203
Also send copies to diplomatic
representatives of Iran accredited to your country.
Please check with your section office if sending appeals
after the above date.
Additional Information
In the days following the 13 June 2009 announcement
that incumbent Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had won the presidential election, hundreds
of thousands of Iranians took part in mass and generally peaceful demonstrations
throughout the country, disputing the election results. The authorities quickly
imposed sweeping restrictions on freedom of expression, association and assembly
and telecommunication and internet systems were severely disrupted. Iranian
publications were banned from publishing information about the nationwide unrest
and foreign journalists were banned from the streets, their visas not renewed
and others arrested or expelled from the country.
In response to the mass protests, security forces,
notably the paramilitary Basij, were widely deployed and around 4,000 arrested
in the three-four weeks following the 12 June 2009 election, including prominent
political figures close to either presidential candidates Mir Hossein Mousavi
and Mehdi Karroubi, or former President Khatami, who supported Mir Hossein
Mousavi's campaign. Some human rights defenders and journalists were also
detained. They have been denied access to legal representation, but have
generally been able to meet family members.
Security forces used excessive and lethal force as
hundreds were injured and reports suggest that around 40 were killed as a result
of ill-treatment meted out by security forces, sometimes compounded by further
ill-treatment and conditions amounting to torture in places of detention.
Mass trials of hundreds starting from 4 August 2009
were grossly unfair. Detainees were filmed "confessing" to vaguely-worded
charges, which are often not recognizably criminal offences and some of these
"confessions" were aired on TV, often before their trials took place,
compromising the right not to incriminate oneself. Evidence obtained through
duress was accepted by the court, indicating serious undermining of the court's
independence. Some of those on trial could face the death penalty.
Iranian officials have confirmed the allegations of
torture and mistreatment of those detained after the post-election protests and
that abuses took place in at least one detention centre, likely to have been
Kahrizak, a centre outside of Tehran. On 29 July, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali
Khamenei ordered its closure and the head of the facility and three guards have
reportedly been dismissed, possibly detained.
Amnesty International has received reports
consistent with a statement made by Mehdi Karroubi, one of the four candidates
in the 12 June 2009 presidential election. He is reported to have complained
that both women and male detainees have been tortured, including by rape, by
security officials.
UA: 220/09 Index: MDE 13/089/2009
Issue Date: 24 August 2009
... Payvand News - 08/25/09 ... --
