Without Freedom of Opinion and Expression, Iran Will Keep Jailing Political Prisoners: Zahedan Prisoners to Special Rapporteur
Mr. Javaid Rehman:
We congratulate you on your selection as UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iran, and are hopeful that your presence in that assembly will be a source of ever-increasing good and blessings in various courses of work, especially when it comes to supporting the wronged and defenseless victims of human rights abuses in Iran, particularly in deprived provinces like our beloved Sistan and Balochestan. We wish you greater successes, and are likewise thankful and appreciative of eight years of selfless effort on the part of Ahmad Shahid and the late Asma Jahangir in the course of their service.
Our request of you is this: that you strive as Special Rapporteurs before you to realize the violated rights of victims of violations of the freedom of opinion and expression in Iran who make up the political prisoner community. This is because abolishing the political prisoner community [i.e. doing with political imprisonment] means guaranteeing freedom of opinion and expression. Taking a step down this path shall also be treated as a step on the path to democracy.
At a time when problems faced by free people [outside prison] have reached a crisis point such that deprivation is affecting them in every area, imagine the situation of political prisoners and their difficulties within prisons.
As has been mentioned, political prisoners are a symbol of the lack of freedom of expression in Iran, and today this group of victims suffers hardship and difficulty more than ever: this is why we ask of you in the course of this short statement to bring pressure to bear against the Iranian government – particularly the judiciary and prison officials – so that, beyond the principle of freedom of opinion and expression, the international community may assure that the rights of prisoners of conscience within prisons are guaranteed.
With hopes of success for you,
Political prisoners of Zahedan Central Prison:
Nureddin Kashani, Abdorrashid Kuhi, Amanollah Baluchi, Mohammad Saleh Sha’badzade, Hamzeh Rigi, Abed Bampuri, Ess’haq Kalkali, Abdolkhaleq Jafadar Shahuzehi, Bashir Ahmad Hossein Zehi, Ataollah Hut, Zabir Hut, Abdolamir Kiazehi, Abdossamad Hut, Eynollah Qanbarzehi, Nasrollah Qanbarzehi, Abdolvahid Hut, Hassan Dehvari, Elyas Qalandarzehi, Dormohammad Shahbakhsh, Nayeb Shahbakhsh, Ayato’llah Nurzehi, Javid Dehqan, Mahmud Kalkali, Ali Bampuri, Omid Imani, Abubakr Rostami, Sajad Baluch, Jamshid Shakeri, Davud Azizi, Mohammad Ali Azar
July 16, 2018