Iran: Further information on Arbitrary arrest/prisoner of conscience/ fear of torture and ill-treatment: Sayed Ali Akbar Mousavi-Kho'ini (m)
AI Index: MDE 13/109/2006
Further Information on UA 181/06 (MDE 13/075/2006, 30 June 2006) Arbitrary arrest/prisoner of conscience/ fear of torture and ill-treatment
IRAN Sayed Ali Akbar Mousavi-Kho’ini (m), human rights defender
Sayed Ali Akbar Mousavi-Kho’ini, a former student leader, former member of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, the Majles (Iran’s parliament) and current Head of the Alumni Association of Iran (Sazman-e Danesh Amukhtegan-e Iran-e Eslami [Advar-e Tahkim-e Vahdat]), has reportedly been ill-treated in detention. He is held in Section 209 of Evin Prison, which is run by the Ministry of Intelligence. Amnesty International believes him to be a prisoner of conscience, held solely on account of the peaceful exercise of his internationally recognized right to freedom of expression and association.
According to reports, on 21 September Ali Akbar Mousavi-Kho’ini was allowed to attend a memorial ceremony for his father, who had died 40 days before. Ali Akbar Mousavi-Kho’ini reportedly arrived an hour late for the ceremony at Imam Hassan Mojtaba Mosque in the suburbs of Tehran, and was escorted by security agents.
At the memorial ceremony it was reported that he showed visible bruising and a wound on his head. Afterwards, he also complained of his treatment in detention, saying, “Tell everybody that I am under pressure and they interrogate me about five times a day.” He described how he was subjected to various types of mental and physical torture, continuing: “I sleep with handcuffs and shackles on my feet every night and they have deprived me of every facility”. He said that he was under pressure to write a letter of repentance to state officials expressing regret for his past actions.
According to a report carried by ISNA (Iranian Students’ News Agency) on 22 September, Ali Akbar Mousavi-Kho'ini told his brother, “They have made me into mental patient …I am under pressure … four interrogators question me every day.” His wife apparently said that she had not been allowed to visit her husband for a month and had only been permitted to speak to him by telephone once during this period. His lawyer, Abdolfattah Soltani, has not yet been granted access to him, nor has he been able to see his file. It is not known whether any charges have yet been brought against Ali Akbar Mousavi-Kho'ini.
Ali Akbar Mousavi-Kho’ini was arrested on 12 June during a peaceful demonstration in the capital, Tehran, which called for legal reforms to end discrimination against women in Iran. At least 69 other people were arrested, but all except Ali Akbar Mousavi-Kho’ini have since been released. He was reportedly beaten severely during his arrest and afterwards in Evin Prison.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
On 12 June the Iranian security forces forcibly broke up a peaceful demonstration by women and men advocating an end to legal discrimination against women in Iran. The demonstrators had gathered in the "Seventh of Tir" Square in Tehran to call, among other things, for changes in the law to give a woman's testimony in court equal value to that of a man; and for married women to be allowed to choose their employment and to travel freely without obtaining the prior permission of their husband.
Police officers, including a large unit of policewomen, reportedly moved in as soon as the demonstration began and forced the protesters to disperse, including by beating some with batons. Scores of protesters were detained; on 13 June, Minister of Justice and Spokesman for the Judiciary Jamal Karimi-Rad stated that 42 women and 28 men had been arrested for participating in what he alleged was an illegal demonstration. When questioned about the reports of beatings by police, he said, "If there was any beating, it will be reviewed".
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible, in Persian, Arabic, English or your own language:
- expressing concern at the continued detention apparently without charge of Sayed Ali Akbar Mousavi-Kho’ini;
- urging that Ali Akbar Mousavi-Kho’ini’s allegations that he has been tortured and ill-treated be investigated and that anyone found responsible for abuses be brought to justice promptly and fairly;
- reminding the authorities that Iran is a state party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, of which Article 7 states that “No one shall be subjected to torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment;”
- stating that you believe Ali Akbar Mousavi-Kho’ini tobe a prisoner of conscience, held solely on account of the peaceful exercise of his internationally recognized right to freedom of expression and association and calling for his immediate and unconditional release;
- in the meantime, calling for him to be granted immediate and unconditional access to his lawyer, family members, and any medical treatment he may require.
APPEALS TO:
Leader of the Islamic Republic
His Excellency Ayatollah Sayed ‘Ali Khamenei, The Office of the Supreme Leader
Shoahada Street, Qom, Islamic Republic of Iran
Email: [email protected]OR [email protected]
Fax: +98 251 774 2228 (mark “FAO the Office of His Excellency, Ayatollah al Udhma Khamenei”)
Salutation: Your Excellency
Head of the Judiciary
His Excellency Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi
Ministry of Justice, Park-e Shahr, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Email: Please send emails via the feedback form on the Persian site of the website:
http://www.iranjudiciary.org/contactus-feedback-fa.html
(The text of the feedback form translates as: 1st line: name, 2nd line: email address, 3rd line: subject heading, then enter your email into the text box)
Salutation: Your Excellency
Minister of Intelligence
Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejeie
Ministry of Intelligence, Second Negarestan Street
Pasdaran Avenue, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Email: [email protected]
Salutation: Your Excellency
COPIES TO: DIPLOMATIC REPRESENTATIVES OF IRAN ACCREDITED TO YOUR COUNTRY.
President
His Excellency Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
The Presidency, Palestine Avenue, Azerbaijan Intersection, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Email: [email protected]
via website: www.president.ir/email
Speaker of Parliament
His Excellency Gholamali Haddad Adel
Majles-e Shoura-ye Eslami, Imam Khomeini Avenue, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Fax: + 98 21 6 646 1746
PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY. Check with the International Secretariat, or your section office, if sending appeals after 7 November 2006.