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), requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in the Islamic Republic of Iran.
According to the information received, over the past weeks, a number of Campaign activists have received phone calls to appear in the Third Security Branch of the Revolutionary Courts. In turn, they requested written summons.
On November 3, 2009, Ms. Elnaz Ansari and Ms. Aida Saadat received written summons to appear before the Third Security Branch of the Revolutionary Court. Prior to this, Ms. Khadijeh Moghaddam, Ms. Maryam Malek, Ms. Jelve Javaheri and Ms. Parisa Kakaee as well as Mr. Kaveh Mozzafari had also received written summons issued on October 21, 2009 to appear in court, reportedly "to respond to interrogations". No further information could be obtained regarding the dates when Ms. Elnaz Ansari, Ms. Aida Saadat, Ms. Khadijeh Moghaddam, Ms. Maryam Malek, Ms. Jelve Javaheri and Ms. Parisa Kakaee as well as Mr. Kaveh Mozzafari are to appear in court.
On November 1, 2009, Ms. Khadijeh Moghaddam appeared in court in relation to her participation in a protest in front of the Palestinian Embassy in support of the citizens of Gaza. During the hearing, she was informed that she had been banned from travel six months ago.
The Observatory expresses its deep concern with the judicial harassment against Ms. Elnaz Ansari, Ms. Aida Saadat, Ms. Khadijeh Moghaddam, Ms. Maryam Malek, Ms. Jelve Javaheri, Ms. Parisa Kakaee and Mr. Kaveh Mozzafari, which seems to be clearly aimed at sanctioning their activities and at discouraging other citizens to get involved in human rights issues.
The Observatory recalls that more than 50 women human rights defenders have been judicially harassed over the past years, and that Ms. Ronak Safarzadeh, Ms. Zeynab Bayazidi and Ms. Alieh Eghdamdoust remain detained as a consequence of their human rights activities.
Accordingly, the Observatory calls upon the Iranian authorities to put an end to all forms of harassment against the women human rights defenders in Iran, and more generally against all human rights defenders in Iran.
Actions requested:
Please write to the Iranian authorities and ask them to:
i. Guarantee in all circumstances the physical and psychological integrity of Ms. Elnaz Ansari, Ms. Aida Saadat, Ms. Khadijeh Moghaddam, Ms. Maryam Malek, Ms. Jelveh Javaheri, Ms. Parisa Kakaee, Ms. Ronak Safarzadeh, Ms. Zeynab Bayazidi, Ms. Alieh Eghdamdoust, Mr. Kaveh Mozzafari, as well as of all human rights defenders in Iran;
ii. Release Ms. Ronak Safarzadeh, Ms. Zeynab Bayazidi and Ms. Alieh Eghdamdoust immediately and unconditionally since their detention is arbitrary as it only aims at sanctioning their human rights activities;
iii. Guarantee in all circumstances the freedom of movement of all human rights defenders in Iran;
iv. Put an end to acts of harassment, including at the judicial level, against Ms. Elnaz Ansari, Ms. Aida Saadat, Ms. Khadijeh Moghaddam, Ms. Maryam Malek, Ms. Jelveh Javaheri, Ms. Parisa Kakaee, Ms. Ronak Safarzadeh, Ms. Zeynab Bayazidi, Ms. Alieh Eghdamdoust, Mr. Kaveh Mozzafari, all Iranian women human rights defenders, and more generally against all human rights defenders in Iran;
v. 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 realization 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";
vi. 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.ir
· 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.
Please also write to diplomatic representations of the Islamic Republic of Iran in your respective countries.