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EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT
To:
His Eminence Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic
Most Honourable Ayatollah Sadeq Amoli Larijani
Chief of the Judiciary
His Excellency Dr Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
President of the Islamic Republic of Iran
His Excellency Manouchehr Mottaki
Minister of Foreign Affairs
His Excellency Mr Ali Asghar Khaji
Ambassador of Iran to the European Union
Carbon copy:
Mr Mohamad Safaei
Counsellor, Relations with the European Parliament
Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran
Baroness Catherine Ashton
High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
European Parliament Delegation to Iran
Concerns: Reported human rights violations in Iran
( Brussels, 26th January 2010 )
Your Eminence,
Your Excellencies,
The situation of several people in Iran has been brought to our attention, some of whom
being accused of—and in some cases formally charged with—crimes that carry the death
penalty. Our understanding is that these people's crime is to have expressed their opinions
about the political situation and/or civil rights in Iran. We are writing to express our concern
about them, and to inquire about their status.
Among them, Ali Mehrnia, Parviz Varmazyari, Majid Rezaii, Alireza Nabavi, Ali Massoumi
and Shirin Alavi Holi are reportedly being detained and threatened with the death penalty
for Moharebeh.
Furthermore, 33 women belonging to the group of the Mourning Mothers, whose children
disappeared, are detained or have been killed in post-election violence, are reportedly being
harassed. Other women activists and their families reportedly detained include Atefeh
Nabavi, Shabnam Madadzadeh, Mahsa Naderi, Fatemeh Ziaee Azad and Nazila Dashti.
7 advocates from the Committee of Human Rights Reporters were arrested by the
Intelligence and Security authorities and are reportedly detained: Saeed Kalanaki, Saeed
Jalalifar, Shiva Nazar-Ahari, Kouhyar Goudarzi, Saeed Haeri, Parisa Kakayi and Mehrdad
Rahimi. Hesam Misaghi, Saeed Habibi and Navid Khanjani appear to be hiding after being
summoned to the Ministry of Intelligence. Furthermore, Navid Khanjani (a human rights
lawyer) and Sepehr Atefi have also received threats by phone, possibly from government
officials. Kouhiar Goodarzi and Saeid Jalaalifar have been denied legal assistance and
lawyers, in contradiction with Article 35 of the Iranian Constitution.
Several other individuals working with the Liberal Student and Alumni Association are
reportedly detained, including Mehrdad Bozorg, Ehsan Dolatshah and Sina Shokohi.
Finally, a founder of Syndicay-e Sher kat-e Vahed, Mansour Osanloo, was arrested because of
his defending workers' rights.
We wish to express our deepest concerns with regards to the arrests of and threats to these
individuals, actions which are contrary to Iran's international human rights obligations and
that, in our view, constitute obstacles to Iran's good cooperation with the European Union.
We ask you to reconsider actions already taken by the Government, and to cease seeking to
imprison, harass or kill them or anyone voicing their views.
We respectfully urge Your Eminence and Your Excellencies to intervene immediately in this
situation, as well as to inform us about the status of these individuals at your earliest
convenience.
Yours sincerely,
Alexander Alvaro, MEP (Germany, Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe)
Michael Cashman, MEP (United Kingdom, Socialists & Democrats)
Sergio Gaetano Cofferati, MEP (Italy, Socialists & Democrats)
Martin Ehrenhauser, MEP (Austria, Non-Attached)
Sari Essayah, MEP (Finland, European People's Party)
Ana Gomes, MEP (Portugal, Socialists & Democrats)
Tunne Kelam, MEP (Estonia, European People's Party)
Monica Luisa Macovei, MEP (Romania, European People's Party)
Ulrike Lunacek, MEP (Austria, Greens/European Free Alliance)
Mariya Nedelcheva, MEP (Bulgaria, European People's Party)
Fiorello Provera, MEP (Italy, Europe of Freedom and Democracy)
Frédérique Ries, MEP (Belgium, Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe)
Marietje Schaake, MEP (Netherlands, Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe)
Charles Tannock, MEP (United Kingdom, European Conservatives and Reformists)
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