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WORLD MOVEMENT for DEMOCRACY
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Democracy Alert
Iranian Journalist Arrested, on Trial on Spying Charges
A prominent Iranian Jounalist, Siamak Pourzand was detained by the Office of the Public Morals
Police on the evening of November 24, 2001 with no charges given. After four months with no clear
charges leveled, he is now charged with espionage and threatening national security. His trial began
on March 7. He has been held at the State Inspectorate, to which a number of other Iranian
intellectuals, reformist writers, and journalists have recently been summoned. According to Human
Rights Watch and Amnesty International, Pourzand has been denied his right to a fair trial and has
had no access to lawyers during his incommunicado detention. In addition, although he has been in
ill health, he has had no access to needed medicine.
The 73-year old journalist runs the Tehran Cultural Centre, and has worked as a cultural
commentator for reformist newspapers, most of which have been shut down in an ongoing press
crackdown by the hard-line judiciary in Iran in response to the reformists' sweep of parliamentary
elections in February 2000. Pourzand is the husband of a human rights lawyer and women's rights
activist in Iran, Mehrangiz Kar. She was herself imprisoned for charges in connection with her
participation in a social and cultural conference in Berlin in April 2000. She is currently in the United
States for medical treatment.
Starting with Pourzand's arrest, the Iranian judicial authority has recently increased its pressure on
reformist intellectuals in Iran. Over 20 journalists and writers have been investigated by the OLice of
the Public Morals Police without any specific charges. They have also been intimidated and
threatened with physical violence by interrogators in that office. These summonses and abductions
have led to protests by reformers, including the Culture Minister Ahmad Masged Jamei and a
number of pro-reform legislators.
For more information about Pourzand's case and ongoing repression of intellectuals in Iran, see the
following:
. Amnesty Internationals Report of Pourzands Arrest
. “Iran: Pourazand's Trial a Mockery of the Law”
. “Iran: Reformists Targeted by Unknown Agents in New Hard-Line Crackdown”
. “Iran: Journalist's Trial Indicates Hard-Line Crackdown
. “Hard-Liners Put Iranian Journalist on Trial on Spying Charges ,“ New York Times, March 14,
2002, A13
. ‘Tell Me, Where is My Father? by Azadeh Pourzand, Washington Post, December 30, 2001,
B7
A number of international human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and Human
Rights Watch, have called for actions to urge that Pourzand be treated fairly. If you wish to send
appeals seeking clarification on his arrest and the charges against him and urging a fair trial, please
write to the following:
Leader of the Islamic Republic
His Excellency Ayatollah Sayed ‘Au Khamenei
The Presidency, Patestine Avenue
SP00057
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Aze.rb.aijan Inte.rseoti•.on Tehran.,'ls :Lamic Republic of Iran
Telegrams: Ayatottati KharT enei, 1 Teh ran, Iran
S.aiu4ta tiorl: Your E:xceIIency
Email: w bmaster' wUayah org; (on the subject line write: For the attention of the office of His
Excellency, Ayatollah al LJdhnra Kha'rn n i, iQom)
President
His Excellency Hojjatolesiam val Moslemin Sayed Mohammad Khatami
The Presidency, Palestine Avenue
Az.erf aijan Intersection, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
TeIe rans: President Khatami, Tehran, Iran
E-mail:: khatami@lpresident.ir
SalutaOEion: Your ExeeI!lency
Head of the Judiciary
His Excellency Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahrudi
Ministry of Justice
Park-e Shahr
Tehran
Islamic Republic of Iran
Telegrams: Head of Judiciary, Tehran, Iran
Fa es: +98-2 1 -879-6671 (number may be unreliable; please mark care of Director of International
ALair.s, Judiciary)
Salutation: Your Excellency
Minister of intelligence
His Excellency Hojjatoleslam Ali Younesi
Second Negarestan Street
Pasdaran Avenue
Tehran, Isiamic Republic of Iran
Teleg rams: Intelli:genc.e Minister, Tehran Iran
Salutation: Your Excellency
COPIES TO:
Minister of Foreign Affairs
His Excellency Kamal Kharrazi
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sheikh Abdolmajid Keshk-e Mesri Av
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Telegram: Foreign Affairs Minister, Tehran, Iran
Fax: +98-21-390-1999 (number may be unreliable; please mark care of the Human Rights
Department, Foreign Ministry)
Salutation: Your Excellency
Parliamentary Committee
Mohsen Mirdamadi Najafabadi
Article 90 Commission (Komisyon-e AsI-e Navad), Majles -e Shura-ye Eslami, Imam Khomeini
Avenue, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Telegrams: Majles, Tehran, Iran
Telex: +98-21-42-32 ICAI IA
Faxes: +98-21 -646-1746 (Can be difficult to reach, please be patient)
Salutation: Dear Sir
Parliament of Iran
Speaker Mehdi Karubi
Fax: +98-2 1 -646-4745
Interests Section of the Islamic Republic of Iran
do Embassy of Pakistan
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2209 Wisconsin Avenue
Washington, DC 20007
USA
Fax: +1-202-965-1073
E-mail: requestsf dakar.o.rg
Ambassador and Permanent Represeentative of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations
His Excellency Mr. Haddi Nejad Hasseinian
Fax: +1-21 2- 687 -7086
E-mail: iran@.un.int
For further information:
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