Page 1 of I
Campaign
May 7
on Iran 2002
- May 28
. Continued Clampdown on
Freedom of Expression in Iran
loti PEN R pj1May1
•: SenciaAppealiULetteront
a ofSiarnak PouFzand
. Read about our other
the:. BerEi Conference
Ira anJojjrnaj t;an 'm1r jc jt .
Siamak Pourzand
OEis month PEN Canada
focuses on a few of the many
cases of persecution of writers
in Iran.
OEese cases are all part of a
‘ pattem of repression against
reformist and independent
ffigures by the conservative
judiciary that has been gathering
momentum in Iran since the
parliamentary elections of
February 2000.
SPOQ 9Q
ffile://C:/DOCUE- l/MERRAN lLOCALS—1/Temp/trsNADAG htm
5/14/2002
Siamak Pourzand Page 1 ot 2
writers ttprison c rnfii e
Urgent Appeal: Siamak Pourzand
May 10, 2002
His Excellency Hojjatoleslam Sayed Mohammad Khatami
President of the Islamic Republic of Iran
do The Presidency
Palestine Avenue
Azerballan Intersection,
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Excellency,
1 wish to add my name to this appeal from PEN Canada, the Canadian centre of
the world writers' organization, International PEN. PEN Canada protests IIe eight-
year prison sentence handed down to 72 year-old journalist, fllm critic and PEN
Canada honorary member Siamak Pourzand on May 3, 2002. We are also
extremely concerned about reports from a reliable source that Siamak Pourzand
suffered a heart attack last week.
Pourzand was seized by security police on November 29, 2001. The authorities
said nothing about his disappearance and during his ffirst four months of detention,
he had no access to a lawyer or medical care. Pourzand suffers from diabetes and
a heart condition.
The Tehran Press Court reportedly sentenced Pourzand to eight years'
imprisonment on charges of “undermining state security through his links with
monarchists and counter-revolutionaries'. It is widely believed that the charges
against him are based on ‘confessions' which are thought to have been exacted
under duress.
It is believed that Pourzands disappearance and the charges brought against him
may be connected to his position as manager of the Majmue-ye Farrhangi-ye
Honari-ye Tehran, a cultural centre for writers, artists, and intellectuals or to his
articles critical of the Islamic regime.
PEN Canada considers the charges against Siamak Pourzand to be in
violation of his right to freedom of expression, as guaranteed by Article 19 of
the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which Iran has
ratified.
We demand that the authorities release him from prison immediately and
unconditionally, and that he immediately be provided with the urgent medical
treatment he requires, including transfer to a hospital if needed.
We are also extremely concerned about reports that Pourzand was ill-treated
whilst in pre-trial detention, and that his trial has not been conducted
http:/!www. pencanada.calappeals/Pourzand. htm 5/14/2002
Siamak Pourzand Page 2 of 2
according to fair standards as articulated in the Iranian Constitution and
international treaties.
We urge the authorities to respond to these concerns.
Your Name
PEN Canada member
http://www. pencanada.calappeals/Pourzand.htm 5/14/2002
