AAAS Scientific Responsibility, Human Rights and Law Program

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AAAS Human Rights Action Network

FACTS OF THE CASE:

On 20 July 2004, the Iranian judiciary ruled in the case of Dr. Hashem Aghajari, a professor of history and prominent human rights dissident who faced charges of apostasy for a lecture he gave in which he rejected demands to blindly follow clerical rule and called for political and religious reforms in Iran. He was first arrested in 2002 and has already faced two trials and was twice condemned to a death sentence. Each death sentences was overturned. The latest court case resulted in a five-year sentence with two years suspended. As Dr. Aghajari has already spent two years in jail, he is required to serve one more year in jail.

By some accounts, the reduced sentence represents a compromise that allowed Dr. Aghajari to avoid facing the death penalty while allowing the courts to save face in a case that has garnered widespread criticism, both by moderate forces in Iran and the international human rights community. He plans to appeal the sentence.

(Source of information for this case is The Washington Post.)

RELEVANT HUMAN RIGHTS STANDARDS

International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights

• Article 19(1): Everyone shall have the right to hold opinions without interference.
• Article 13: An alien lawfully in the territory of a State Party to the present Covenant may be expelled therefrom only in pursuance of a decision reached in accordance with law and shall, except where compelling reasons of national security otherwise require, be allowed to submit the reasons against his expulsion and to have his case reviewed by, and be represented for the purpose before, the competent authority or a person or persons especially designated by the competent authority.

Universal Declaration of Human Rights

• Article 19: Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Please send faxes, letters, or emails:

• Welcoming the court decision not to impose the death sentence against Dr. Hashem Aghajari;
• Expressing your continued concern that Dr. Aghajari appears to be persecuted for exercising his right to freedom of expression as guaranteed under Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Iran is a state party; and
• Calling on the government to immediately and unconditionally release Dr. Aghajari.

APPEAL AND INQUIRY MESSAGES SHOULD BE SENT TO:

His Excellency Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahrudi
Minister of Justice
Ministry of Justice
Park-e Shahr
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Fax: 011 98 21 879 6671(put "ATTN: Director of Internat
irjpr@iranjudiciary.com (ATTN: HE Ayatollah Shahr
Salutation: Your Excellency

His Excellency Ayatollah Sayed 'Ali Khamenei
Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran
The Presidency, Palestine Avenue
Azerbaijan Intersection
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
webmaster@wilayah.org Re line: ATTN: office of HE,
Salutation: Your Excellency:

His Excellency Hojjatoleslam val Moslemin Sayed Mohammad Khatami
President of Iran
The Presidency, Palestine Avenue
Azerbaijan Intersection
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
khatami@president.ir
Salutation: Your Excellency:

COPIES SENT TO:

His Excellency Kamal Kharrazi
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Sheikh Abdolmajid Keshk-e Mesri Av
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Fax: 011 98 21 390 1999 (ATTN: Human Rights Dept.)
Salutation: Dear Mr. Minister

Please send copies of your appeals, and any responses you may receive, or direct any questions you may have to Victoria Baxter, AAAS Science and Human Rights Program, 1200 New York Ave, NW, Washington, DC 20005; tel. 202-326-6797; email vbaxter@aaas.org; or fax 202-289-4950.

The keys to effective appeals are to be courteous and respectful, accurate and precise, impartial in approach, and as specific as possible regarding the alleged violation and the international human rights standards and instruments that apply to the situation. Reference to your scientific organization and professional affiliation is always helpful.

To ensure that appeals are current and credible, please do not continue to write appeals on this case after 90 days from the date of the posting unless an update has been issued.

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