Arbitrary detention and judicial harassment of human rights defender Mohammad Seifzadeh continue

IRAN: Arbitrarydetention and judicial harassment

of human rights defenderMohammad Seifzadeh continue

Paris-Geneva, February 22, 2013. TheObservatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme ofthe International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World OrganisationAgainst Torture (OMCT), condemns the continuing repression of human rightsdefenders in Iran.

On February 20, 2013, Mr. MohammadSeifzadeh, a prominent human rights lawyer and foundingmember of the Defenders of Human Rights Centre (DHRC), was notified by Branch 15 of theIslamic Revolution Court of a new sentence of six years’ imprisonment in firstinstance, for “assembly and collusion against national security”.

The Observatory recalls that on October 29, 2010, Mr. Seifzadeh wassentenced to nine years’ imprisonment and ten years’ ban on practice as lawyerby Branch 15 of the Revolutionary Court, on charges of “acting against nationalsecurity” through founding the DHRC, and “propaganda against the regime”through interviews with foreign media. He was later arrested on April 23, 2011,and has remained in detention since then.

InJune 2011, Mr. Seifzadeh’s family was told that the Appeal Court had reducedhis prison sentence to two years. However, on September 13, 2011, he was summoned tocourt and notified of a new charge of “propaganda against the system”. This isbelieved to be connected to a letter he wrote from prison to former PresidentKhatami on July 21, 2011. In that letter, he had mentioned the widespreadbreach of the law in the judiciary and stated that there was no solution but todissolve the illegal authorities such as the Islamic Revolution Courts and theSpecial Clergy Court and to reform the judiciary’s structure.

The Observatory firmlydenounces the ongoing arbitrary detention and judicial harassment of Mr.Mohammad Seifzadeh, which only aim to sanction the legitimate exercise of hishuman right activities. The Observatory is all the more concerned that Mr.Seifzadeh suffers from health problems and requires medical treatment. OnFebruary 6, 2013, he was transferred to an outside hospital for treatment ofhis kidney, but was returned to prison soon after, on February 16.

Accordingly, the Observatory urges the Iranianauthorities to immediately and unconditionally release Mr. Seifzadeh and allhuman rights defenders presently detained in the country, to put an end to anykind of harassment against them and to guarantee in all circumstances theirphysical and psychological integrity, in line with the United NationsDeclaration on Human Rights Defenders, the Universal Declaration of HumanRights and international human rights instruments ratified by Iran.

Forfurther information, please contact:

· FIDH: Arthur Manet / Audrey Couprie: + 33 1 43 55 25 18

· OMCT: Delphine Reculeau:+ 41 22 809 49 39