| From: |
Human Rights Watch and Physicians for Human Rights |
| Re: |
Call for Urgent Action on behalf of Dr. Kamiar Alaei and Dr. Arash Alaei |
| Date: |
July 29, 2008 |
Human Rights Watch and Physicians for Human Rights urge action on the behalf of Dr. Kamiar Alaei and Dr. Arash Alaei, who have both been detained in Iran.
Background
Dr. Kamiar Alaei, a doctoral candidate at the SUNY Albany School of Public Health, and Dr. Arash Alaei, a former Director of the International Education and Research Cooperation of the Iranian National Research Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, were detained June 22-23 in Iran.
Doctors Arash and Kamiar Alaei, who are brothers, were detained without charge by Iranian security forces in late June, and their whereabouts remain unknown. On June 22, security forces detained Arash Alaei. The following morning, they accompanied him to his home, where they arrested Kamiar Alaei. The authorities have not yet announced why the brothers were detained or whether or not they intend to bring any charges against them. Moreover, they have refused to disclose information about where the Alaei brothers are being held and have not provided them access to counsel.
Arash and Kamiar are well known in Iran and internationally for their contributions to HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment programs. For more than 20 years, the Alaei brothers have been active in addressing problems relating to drug use, with a focus on the spread of HIV/AIDS, and have played a key role in putting these issues on the national health care agenda. They have worked closely with government and religious leaders to ensure support for education campaigns on HIV transmission, including those targeting youth, and for HIV and harm reduction programs in prisons. They have also worked to share their expertise with neighboring countries by holding training workshops for Afghan and Tajik health care professionals.
Neither of the men is known to have any involvement in political activities.
Press Links
Asia Society (7/16)
BBC (7/22)
CSR News Wire (7/22)
dailygazette.com (7/23)
Capital News 9 (7/22)
kaisernetwork.org (7/22)
timesunion.com (7/22)
Human Rights Watch (7/21)
Physicians for Human Rights (7/18)
Take Action
Sign the Physicians for Human Rights Online Petition
Endorsement of the petition can also be sent to: skalloch@phrusa.org
Letters of concern can also be sent to:
Leader of the Islamic Republic
His Excellency Ayatollah Sayed 'Ali Khamenei The Office of the Supreme Leader Islamic Republic Street - Shahid Keshvar Doust Street Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Email: info@leader.ir
Head of the Judiciary
His Excellency Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi Howzeh Riyasat-e Qoveh Qazaiyeh
Office of the Head of the Judiciary
Pasteur St., Vali Asr Ave., south of Serah-e Jomhouri
Tehran 1316814737, Islamic Republic of Iran
Email: info@dadgostary-tehran.ir
Minister of Health and Medical Education His Excellency Dr Kamran Lankarani
Tehran 11344, Islamic Republic of Iran
Location: 14th floor, MOHME building, Simaye Iran Street, Phase 5, Shahrake Qods, Teheran
Email: Lankarani@mohme.gov.ir
Permanent Representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations His Excellency Mohammad Khazee
622 Third Avenue, 34th Floor,
New York, NY 10017
Please let the Committee know that you have taken action, by sending copies of your letters (mail or email) to the following:
Cc: Physicians for Human Rights
C/o: Nathaniel Raymond
2 Arrow Street, Suite 301
Cambridge, MA 02138
Email: nraymond@phrusa.org
This Action Alert was posted by the AAAS Science and Human Rights Program on behalf of the Physicians for Human Rights and Human Rights Watch.
(page updated 07/29/2008)
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