Fear and Possible Ill Treatment or Torture of Siamak Pourzand

February 1, 2002

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NEW CONCERN: Fear of possible ift treatment or torture of Siamak
Pourzand
PUBLIC AT Index: MDE 13/001/2002
1 February 2002
Further information on UA 298/01 (MDE 13/046/2002, 27 November 2001)
and follow-up (MDE 13/014/2001, 12 December 2001 details of follow up)
- NEW CONCERN:: Fear of possib !e ift treatment or torture
IRAN Siamak Pourzand (m) aged 70, intellectual and manager of
Majmue-ye Farhangi-ye Honari-ye Tehran (The Tehran Cultural Centre)
Amnesty International is concerned that Siamak Pourzand is being ill treated and
possibly tortured in custody, possibly with the aim of obtaining a “confession” in
advance of a trial. No charges have been made against him a.nd he has been denied the
right to legal representation.
There has been no official acknowledgment that Siamak Pourzand is in custody. It is
not known where and under what conditions he is being held. It is also not known
who is holding him, though some reports indicate that those detaining him are
possibly linked to elements in the judiciary.
Siamak Pourzand's sister Mahin Pourzand, from whose house he was arrested on 24
November 2001, was requested on 7 December to take him a change of clothes. He
was then possibly held at the Ostad Motahhari Street offfice of the Committee for
Propagation of Virtue and Prohibition of Vice, which is reportedly also called the
Edare-ye Amaken, or Bureau of Premises. This offfice is reportedly responsible for the
enforcement of accepted moral codes in companies and other offfices.
Amnesty International has now learned that Mahin Pourzand was permitted to meet
with Siamak Pourzand at the Edare-ye Amaken on 12 or 13 January 2002. The
meeting reportedly lasted 10 minutes and Siamak Pourzand, who arrived by car fflom
an unknown location, reportedly appeared afflaid and weak.
On 10 December Amnesty International wrote to the Head of the Judiciary seeking
urgent clarification of the fate of Siamak Pourzand. There has been no reply to this
letter. Enquiries reportedly undertaken by the Islamic Human R.ights Commission
have not been able to establish where Siamak Pourzand is being held.
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          rnellimazhabi.org News Page 2 of 2
          - seeking urgent clariffication from the Head of the Judiciary and the Ministry of
          Intelligence to make public where and when Siamak Pourzand was arrested, and
          where he is detained;
          - expressing concern that he appears to be a prisoner of conscience, arrested solely for
          the peaceful expression of his beliefs;
          - seeking assurances fflom t e -le td of the Judiciary and the Ministry of Intelligence
          that Siamak Pourzand is nqt being ill treated or tortured while in detention;
          -urging the authorities that, ;Ufl SS he is to be charged with an internationally
          recognized criminal offence, Siamak Pourzand should be released immediately and
          unconditionally;
          - expressing concern that he has been denied the right to legal representation and
          regular family visits.
          http ://www.mellimazhabi .orglnews/O22002news/0202ai.htm 02/04/2002