AAAS Scientific Responsibility, Human Rights and Law Program

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AAAS Human Rights Action Network

FACTS OF THE CASE:

On 18 April, Maharam Kamrani and Ebrahim Rashidi were released on bail of 30 million Rials each (equivalent to US$3,278). They have been charged with "acting against national security." They have not yet received a date for their trial.

Ministry of Intelligence officials arrested Maharam Kamrani and Ebrahim Rashidi, activists for the rights of the Azeri Turk minority community in Iran, on 30 March. The day before their arrest, they had contacted the authorities to obtain a permit to hold a commemorative event, which was denied. They were held in a detention facility run by the Ministry of Intelligence agency in the city of Ahar until 2 April, and then were transferred to another Ministry of Intelligence detention facility in the city of Tabriz. They were held in solitary confinement for the duration of their detention. During their detention, family members and colleagues made numerous attempts to visit the men, however they were all denied, and some of them were threatened with detention themselves.

Iranian Azeri Turks, who are mainly Shi'a Muslims, are the largest minority in Iran, and constitute between 25-30 percent of the population. They are located mainly in the north-west region of Iran, known as Iranian Azerbaijan. As Shi'a, they are not subject to the same kinds of discrimination as minorities of other religions, and are well-integrated into the economy, but there is a growing demand for greater cultural and linguistic rights, including implementation of their constitutional right to education in the Azeri-Turkish language. A small minority advocates Iranian Azerbaijan seceding from the Islamic Republic of Iran and uniting with the Republic of Azerbaijan. Those who seek to promote Azeri Turkish cultural identity are viewed with suspicion by the Iranian authorities, who often accuse them of vague charges. The charges the two men face is "acting against national security." This charge is not clearly defined in the Penal Code and as such can be used to prevent human rights defenders and political activists from exercising their internationally recognized rights to freedom of expression and association.

In addition to their professional activities, Maharam Kamrani has been editor of Oyanish journal (meaning 'awakening' in Turkish) since he was a student and Ebrahim Rashidi was the publisher of another activist journal called Bakush, which was subsequently closed by the authorities.

(Sources of information for this case include: Amnesty International and southazerbaijan.com.)

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 21: The right of peaceful assembly shall be recognized.
• Article 22: Everyone shall have the right to freedom of association with others.
• Article 9(3): Anyone arrested or detained on a criminal charge shall be brought promptly before a judge or other officer authorized by law to exercise judicial power and shall be entitled to trial within a reasonable time or to release. It shall not be the general rule that persons awaiting trial shall be detained in custody, but release may be subject to guarantees to appear for trial, at any other stage of the judicial proceedings, and, should occasion arise, for execution of the judgement.

Universal Declaration of Human Rights

• Article 10: Everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, in the determination of his [or her] rights and obligations and of any criminal charge against him [or her].
• 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.
• Article 20(1): Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association.

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Please send faxes, letters, or emails:

• Welcoming the news that Maharam Kamrani and Ebrahim Rashidi are no longer being held in incommunicado detention and have been released on bail;
• Expressing concern that they are reported to be facing charges which are vaguely worded and which may infringe their internationally recognized right to freedom of expression and association; and
• Calling on authorities to immediately and unconditionally drop charges, as the men were merely conducting peaceful activities for the rights of the Azeri Turk minority community.

APPEAL AND INQUIRY MESSAGES SHOULD BE SENT TO:

Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejeie
Minister of Intelligence
Ministry of Information
Second Negarestan Street
Pasdaran Avenue
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
iranprobe@iranprobe.com
Salutation: Your Excellency

His Excellency Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi
Head of the Judiciary
Ministry of Justice
Park-e Shahr
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Fax: 011 98 21 6 640 4018 / 6 640 4019
http://www.Iranjudiciary.org/feedback_en.html
Salutation: Your Excellency

COPIES SENT TO:

His Excellency Ayatollah Sayed 'Ali Khamenei
Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic
The Office of the Supreme Leader
Shoahada Street
Qom, Islamic Republic of Iran
(mark faxes "FAO the
Office of His Excellency, Ayatollah al Udhma
Khamenei")
Fax: 011 98 251 7 774 2228
info@leader.ir or istiftaa@wilayah.org
Salutation: Your Excellency

Iranian Interests Section
2209 Wisconsin Ave NW
Washington DC 20007
USA

Fax: 1 202 965 1073
requests@daftar.org

Please send copies of your appeals, and any responses you may receive, or direct any questions you may have to Sarah Olmstead, AAAS Science and Human Rights Program, 1200 New York Ave, NW, Washington, DC 20005; tel. 202-326-6787; email vshrp@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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