Iran
27.09.00
Urgent Interventions
Iran: Sentencing of 2 defenders
URGENT APPEAL - THE OBSERVATORY
New information
IRN 003 / 0006 / OBS 062.02
Sentencing
IRAN
27 September 2000
The Observatory for the Protection of the Defenders of Human Rights, a joint program of FIDH and OMCT, urgently calls for intervention with regard to the following situation in Iran.
New information :
The Observatory was informed by the League for the Defense of Human Rights in Iran (LDDHI) of the sentencing of Ms. Chirin Ebadi and Mr. Mohsem Rahami, lawyers and defenders of human rights. They were sentenced by the Court of Teheran to 15 months suspended sentence in prison and five years' revocation of their civil rights, prohibiting their practice of law.
This verdict comes two months after their trial, which was conducted without regard for the right to a fair and equal judicial process. In addition, the hearings were held under closed-circuit camera, and the two defendants could not have the benefit of a defense lawyer.
The Observatory recalls that Chirin Ebadi won the Human Rights Watch prize for 1997. She is the author of several books on human and infant rights.
The Observatory condemns this severe judicial decision which has taken place in a climate of growing repression against intellectuals and democratic reformers in Iran.
Brief reminder of the situation :
The Observatory was informed of the arrest of Chirin Ebadi and Mohsem Rahami on June 27 2000, as well as their indictment on charges of " libel " and their detention.
They were blamed for putting into circulation a videocassette containing declarations from a member of the Ansar e Hezbollah organization, instigator of an attack at the University of Teheran in July of 1999. Notably, it was revealed in these declarations that the movement was supported by certain members of the authorities.
For Ebadi as well as Rahami, both responsible for the the defense of the student vitcims of the attack, the spontaneous confessions of a Hezbollah member in Ebadi's office concerning his misdeeds were important for the defense of their clients.
They thus recorded these declarations on videocassette, which they immediately transferred to the Minister of the Interior. The cassette, tampered with by ultra-conservatives, was put into circulation and served as a pretext for the arrest and indictment of the two lawyers.
Chirin Ebadi and Mohsen Rohami were finally freed on July 22, 2000 ; bail for their release was posted at 500,000 FF each.
Actions requested:
Thank you for writing to Iranian authorities and requesting that they:
i.- take the necessary measures so that Chirin Ebadi and Mohsen Rahami, regain, as quickly as possible, the full and entire use of their civil rights - which includes their right to practice law -considering that their sentencing is arbitrary for it only aims to sanction their activity in the defense of human rights;
ii.- ensure the implementation of the provisions of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders adopted by the UN General Assembly on 9 December 1998 in particular its article 1, which provides that " every person has the right, individually or collectively, to promote the protection and fulfilment of human rights and fundamental liberties at the national and international level " and its article 9.3.c, which provides that "everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to offer and provide professionally qualified legal assistance or other relevant advice and assistance in defending human rights and fundamental freedoms ".
iii.- guarantee the effective respect of fundamental rights and liberties in accordance with the provisions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and international pacts ratified by Iran.
Addresses :
President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, His Excellency Mr. Khatami, Fax : 98 21 67 36 57 //64 66 45. E-mail : khatami@president.ir
Paris-Geneva, 27 September 2000
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken, quoting the reference number given above. The Observatory, an 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: Fax: +033 (0) 1 55 80 83 92 Tel: FIDH 33 (0) 1 43 55 20 11 OMCT +41 22 809 49 39 E-mail: observatoire@iprolink.ch
New information
IRN 003 / 0006 / OBS 062.02
Sentencing
IRAN
27 September 2000
The Observatory for the Protection of the Defenders of Human Rights, a joint program of FIDH and OMCT, urgently calls for intervention with regard to the following situation in Iran.
New information :
The Observatory was informed by the League for the Defense of Human Rights in Iran (LDDHI) of the sentencing of Ms. Chirin Ebadi and Mr. Mohsem Rahami, lawyers and defenders of human rights. They were sentenced by the Court of Teheran to 15 months suspended sentence in prison and five years' revocation of their civil rights, prohibiting their practice of law.
This verdict comes two months after their trial, which was conducted without regard for the right to a fair and equal judicial process. In addition, the hearings were held under closed-circuit camera, and the two defendants could not have the benefit of a defense lawyer.
The Observatory recalls that Chirin Ebadi won the Human Rights Watch prize for 1997. She is the author of several books on human and infant rights.
The Observatory condemns this severe judicial decision which has taken place in a climate of growing repression against intellectuals and democratic reformers in Iran.
Brief reminder of the situation :
The Observatory was informed of the arrest of Chirin Ebadi and Mohsem Rahami on June 27 2000, as well as their indictment on charges of " libel " and their detention.
They were blamed for putting into circulation a videocassette containing declarations from a member of the Ansar e Hezbollah organization, instigator of an attack at the University of Teheran in July of 1999. Notably, it was revealed in these declarations that the movement was supported by certain members of the authorities.
For Ebadi as well as Rahami, both responsible for the the defense of the student vitcims of the attack, the spontaneous confessions of a Hezbollah member in Ebadi's office concerning his misdeeds were important for the defense of their clients.
They thus recorded these declarations on videocassette, which they immediately transferred to the Minister of the Interior. The cassette, tampered with by ultra-conservatives, was put into circulation and served as a pretext for the arrest and indictment of the two lawyers.
Chirin Ebadi and Mohsen Rohami were finally freed on July 22, 2000 ; bail for their release was posted at 500,000 FF each.
Actions requested:
Thank you for writing to Iranian authorities and requesting that they:
i.- take the necessary measures so that Chirin Ebadi and Mohsen Rahami, regain, as quickly as possible, the full and entire use of their civil rights - which includes their right to practice law -considering that their sentencing is arbitrary for it only aims to sanction their activity in the defense of human rights;
ii.- ensure the implementation of the provisions of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders adopted by the UN General Assembly on 9 December 1998 in particular its article 1, which provides that " every person has the right, individually or collectively, to promote the protection and fulfilment of human rights and fundamental liberties at the national and international level " and its article 9.3.c, which provides that "everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to offer and provide professionally qualified legal assistance or other relevant advice and assistance in defending human rights and fundamental freedoms ".
iii.- guarantee the effective respect of fundamental rights and liberties in accordance with the provisions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and international pacts ratified by Iran.
Addresses :
President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, His Excellency Mr. Khatami, Fax : 98 21 67 36 57 //64 66 45. E-mail : khatami@president.ir
Paris-Geneva, 27 September 2000
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken, quoting the reference number given above. The Observatory, an 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: Fax: +033 (0) 1 55 80 83 92 Tel: FIDH 33 (0) 1 43 55 20 11 OMCT +41 22 809 49 39 E-mail: observatoire@iprolink.ch