Long-term interference in Mr. Abdolfattah Soltani’s freedom of movement - IRN 002 / 0705 / OBS 055.7

30/10/2007
Urgent Appeal

The Observatory has been informed by the Iranian League for the Defence of Human Rights (LDDHI) of long-term interference in the freedom of movement of Mr. Abdolfattah Soltani, a lawyer at the Bar of Tehran and a founding member of the Defenders of Human Rights Centre (DHRC).

The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), has received new information on the following situation and requests your urgent intervention in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

New information:

According to the information received, although Mr. Soltani was acquitted on May 28, 2007 of all charges that were pending against him since July 2005 (See background information), the Iranian authorities have since then not yet returned his identity documents (i.e. passport and family record book), thus preventing him from exercising his freedom of movement, in violation of Article 12.2 of the 1966 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

In this regard, the Observatory deplores the fact that Mr. Soltani, who had been officially invited by FIDH to come to France from October 25 to 31, 2007, in order to take part in a conference on “Freedom of expression in Iran” that was held at Sorbonne university on October 27, 2007, has been unable to travel.

The Observatory expresses its deep concern with what it considers as one more form of harassment of the Iranian authorities against a long-standing human rights defender, and wishes to insist on the fact that Iran had committed to “uphold the highest standards in the promotion and protection of human rights”1 by presenting its candidacy to the Human Rights Council 2006 election and had insisted in this regard on the fact that the country had “continuously put great efforts into safeguarding the status and inherent dignity of the human person as well as the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms”2. In order to ensure the continuation of these efforts, the Observatory urges the Islamic Republic of Iran to conform with international human rights standards.

Background information:

Mr. Soltani had been arrested on July 30, 2005, while taking part in a sit-in at the Tehran Bar to protest against an arrest warrant issued against him by the Public Prosecutor for “espionage”.

On March 6, 2006, Mr. Soltani had been released after a bail of 100,000 euros had been paid, thanks to a national and international movement of solidarity.

On July 16, 2006, he was informed that the Revolutionary Court had sentenced him to five years’ imprisonment and the loss of his civic rights for “non-respect of the confidentiality of the preliminary enquiry”, in a trial in which Mr. Soltani appeared for the family of the victim, and during which he had questioned the independence of justice.
Mr. Soltani had appealed the decision.

Actions requested:

Please write to the Iranian authorities and ask them to:

i.Guarantee in all circumstances the physical and psychological integrity of Mr. Abdolfattah Soltani and all human rights defenders in Iran;

ii.Put an immediate end to any kind of hindrance on Mr. Soltani’s freedom of movement, by returning him all his personal documents, including travel documents;

iii.Put an end to acts of harassment against all human rights defenders in Iran;

iv.Conform in any circumstances with the provisions of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, adopted on December 9, 1998 by the United Nations General Assembly, in particular its article 1, which states that “everyone has the right, individually or in association with others, to promote the protection and realisation of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels”, its article 5(c), which reads that “everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, at the national and international levels, [...] to communicate with non-governmental or intergovernmental organizations”, and its article 12.2 which provides that “the State shall take all necessary measures to ensure the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually and in association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the present Declaration”;

v.Ensure in all circumstances respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with international human rights standards and international instruments ratified by Iran.

Addresses:

Leader of the Islamic Republic, His Excellency Ayatollah Sayed Ali Khamenei, The Office of the Supreme Leader, Shoahada Street, Qom, Islamic Republic of Iran, Faxes: + 98 21 649 5880 / 21 774 2228, Email: info@leader.ir / istiftaa@wilayah.org / webmaster@wilayah.org

President Mr. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the Presidency, Palestine Avenue, Azerbaijan Intersection, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran, Fax: + 98 21 649 5880. Email: dr-ahmadinejad@president.ir

Head of the Judiciary, His Excellency Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahrudi, Ministry of Justice, Park-e Shahr, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran, Fax: +98 21 879 6671 / +98 21 3 311 6567, Email: Irjpr@iranjudiciary.com

Minister of Foreign Affairs, His Excellency Manouchehr Mottaki, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sheikh Abdolmajid Keshk-e Mesri Av, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran, Fax: + 98 21 390 1999, Email: matbuat@mfa.gov

Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Chemin du Petit-Saconnex 28, 1209 Geneva, Switzerland, Fax: +41 22 7330203, Email: mission.iran@ties.itu.int

Embassy of Iran in Brussels, 15 a avenue Franklin Roosevelt, 1050 Bruxelles, Belgium, Fax: + 32 2 762 39 15. Email: iran-embassy@yahoo.com

Please also write to diplomatic representations of the Islamic Republic of Iran in your respective countries.

***
Paris - Geneva, October 30, 2007

Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.

The Observatory, a FIDH and OMCT venture, is dedicated to the protection of Human Rights Defenders and aims to offer them concrete support in their time of need.

The Observatory was the winner of the 1998 Human Rights Prize of the French Republic.

To contact the Observatory, call the emergency line: Email: Appeals@fidh-omct.org Tel and fax FIDH: +33 (0) 1 43 55 20 11 / 01 43 55 18 80 Tel and fax OMCT: + 41 22 809 49 39 / 41 22 809 49 29

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New information
IRN 002 / 0705 / OBS 055.7
Violation of freedom of movement / Harassment
Iran
October 30, 2007

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