Physicians fbr Human Rights and 20 Couzties Demand Iran R.elease AD.. http://physiciansforhun'Enrights.org/ library/news-2009-05-12.hUT ll
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May 12, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Physicians for Human Rights and 20 Countries Demand
Iran Release AIDS Doctors
Media Contacts:
Josephine Lee
617-301-4208
jlee [ at] phrusa [ dot] org
A NobeL Peace Prize Laureate
organization and a coaLition of
heaLth and human rights activists
heLd simuLtaneous events in New
York, Washington, DC, and 20
countries on Tuesday to caLL for the reLease of two Iranian physicians
imprisoned since June.
Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) organized the “GLobaL Day of Action
for the ALaeis to demand the reLease of Drs. Kamiar and Arash ALaei,
worLd-renowned HIV/AIDS speciaLists who were indicted in December
by the Iranian government on charges of communicating with an
enemy government. The raLLies and PHRs campaign work on behaLf
of the ALaei brothers were noted in editoriaLs in Tuesdays New York
Times, Los AngeLes Times and Boston GLobe.
The brothers traveLed across the US and the worLd to share Iran's
modeL of HIV prevention and treatment. The Iranian government
aLLeges they were working to recruit peopLe to foment a “veLvet
revoLution .“
“Such aLLegations hurt the future of pubLic heaLth and indicate a
dangerous trend toward punishing heaLth professionaLs for working in
the US or having US citizenship,” said Sarah KaLLoch, PHR's Director of
Outreach. Physicians for Human Rights beLieves that treating AIDS is
not a crime—it's good medicine.”
In January, Kamiar and Arash ALaei were sentenced to prison terms of
three and six years respectiveLy in Tehran's notorious Evin Prison.
According to sources cLose to the brothers' case, the appeLLate court
received their appeaLs on March 17 and the foLLowing day—without a
hearing—rejected their appeaLs and upheLd their sentences.
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03/08 2010 13:38
Physicians fbr Human Rights and 20 Couzties Demand Iran Release AD,. http://physiciansforhuimnrigl ls.org/library/news-2009-05-12hutil
Their attorney, Massoud Shaffiie fiLed a finaL appeaL on May 7 to Iran 's
judiciary chief AyatolLah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahrudi under ArticLe 118
of the Iranian Constitution.
“It appears that the jaiLing of peopLe on trumped-up charges has more
to do with appeasing the conservatives in advance of Iran 's nationaL
eLections in June, said Jonathan Hutson, PHRs Chief Communications
Officer. “The case of these physicians is part of a crackdown on
internationaL scientific and academic exchange, which undermines
efforts of aLL who seek to protect the heaLth of the Iranian peopLe.”
“Imprisoning AIDS doctors who are getting vitaL heaLth services to
peopLe with and at risk of HIV—incLuding peopLe who inject iLLegaL
drugs—is not onLy a vioLation of basic human rights, its aLso a
prescription for further spread of the epidemic,” said Richard ELLiott,
Executive Director of the Canadian HIV/AIDS LegaL Network.
Dr. Kamiar ALaei is a doctoraL candidate at the SUNY ALbany SchooL of
PubLic HeaLth in ALbany, NY and was expected to resume his studies
there in the faLL of 2008. In 2007, he received a Masters of Science
from the Harvard SchooL of PubLic HeaLth. Dr. Arash ALaei is the
former director of the InternationaL Education and Research
Cooperation of the Iranian NationaL Research Institute of TubercuLosis
and Lung Disease.
Since 1998, the doctors have worked on HIV/AIDS treatment and
prevention programs in Iran, particuLarLy focused on harm reduction
for injecting drug users. Their efforts heLped earn Iran recognition as a
modeL of best practice by the WorLd HeaLth Organization.
Tuesdays vigiLs were heLd at RaLph J. Bunche Park across from the UN
in New York City, and the Iranian Interests Section at the Embassy of
Pakistan in Washington, DC. Protestors represented 20 countries
incLuding Argentina, BuLgaria, Germany, Guyana, Hungary, ItaLy,
Kenya, MaLaysia, Mexico, NetherLands, PoLand, Russia, South Africa,
SwitzerLand, ThaiLand, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, and the US.
Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) mobilizes the health professions to
advance the health and dignity of all people by protecting human
rights. As a founding member of the International Campaign to Ban
Landmines, PHR shared the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize.
Date posted: May 12, 2009
Last updated: June 22, 2009
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Physicians fbr Human Rights and 20 Couzties Demand Iran Release AD.. http://physiciansforhuimnrigl ls ,org/library/news-2009-05-12 ,hutil
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