Iran: Further information on fear of torture / legal concern / fear of death penalty
Hojjatoleslam val muslimin Mohammad Taqi al-Dhakeri, Hojjatoleslam val muslimin Mohammad Fazel Mohammad al-Saffar, Hojjatoleslam Fu'ad Fujian, Mohammad Ghaffari, Hadi Dhakeri, Hojjatoleslam val muslimin Sayed Morteza Shirazi, Hojjatoleslam Mohammed Saleh Hedayati, Hojjatoleslam Sayed Mehdi Shirazi (brother of Sayed Morteza) and 7 others: Amnesty International has learned that Hojjatoleslam val muslimin Mohammad Fazel Mohammad al-Saffar was released on 4 January 1997, and Mohammad Ghaffari was released on 30 October 1996. Hojjatoleslam val muslimin Sayed Morteza Shirazi and his brother Sayed Mehdi have been released temporarily. There are fears they may be rearrested, particularly as Sayed Mehdi Shirazi is said to be in ill-health. There is no further information on the other men named above.
EXTERNAL AI Index: MDE 13/03/97
9 January 1997
Further information (6) on UA 266/95 (MDE 13/37/96, 26/11/96) and follow-ups
MDE 13/03/96, 22 March; MDE 13/20/96, 26 June; MDE 13/32/96, 20 August; MDE
13/37/96, 21 November) - Fear of Torture /Legal Concern /Fear of death penalty
IRAN Hojjatoleslam val muslimin Mohammad Taqi Dhakeri
Hojjatoleslam val muslimin Mohammad Fazel Mohammad al-Saffar - RELEASED
Hojjatoleslam Fu'ad Fujian
Mohammad Ghaffari - RELEASED
Hadi Dhakeri
Hojjatoleslam val muslimin Sayed Morteza Shirazi - RELEASED TEMPORARILY
Hojjatoleslam Mohammad Saleh Hedayati
Hojjatoleslam Sayed Mehdi Shirazi (brother of Sayed Morteza) - RELEASED
TEMPORARILY
and 7 others
Amnesty International has learned that Hojjatoleslam val muslimin Mohammad
Fazel Mohammad al-Saffar was released from detention on 4 January 1997, and
that Mohammad Ghaffari was released on 30 October 1996.
According to reports, Hojjatoleslam val muslimin Sayed Morteza Shirazi was
released temporarily on 1 January 1997 and his brother, Sayed Mehdi, was released
temporarily on 28 December 1996. It is not known whether any date has been
set for their return to detention. Sayed Mehdi Shirazi is said to be ill,
with bladder damage, the failure of one kidney, memory loss and permanent
vertigo. Amnesty International fears that both may be at risk of being taken
back into detention, particularly as Sayed Morteza Shirazi was previously
released for less than 48 hours.
There is still no information as to the fate of seven students arrested on
12 November 1995. Hojjatoleslam val muslimin Mohammad Taqi Dhakeri,
Hojjatoleslam Fu'ad Fujian, Hadi Dhakeri and Hojjatoleslam Mohammad Saleh
Hedayati are still held in detention. Their legal status remains unclear.
Amnesty International is concerned that those detained may be held solely on
account of their relationship to, or their peaceful support for, Grand Ayatollah
Shirazi. If so, they would be prisoners of conscience, and should be released
immediately and unconditionally. In any event, they should be allowed regular
access to family members and to lawyers of their choice. In addition, the
organization is concerned that these men, and others who have since been
released, have been tortured, and that if they are tried and convicted some
could face the death penalty.
FURTHER RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send telegrams/telexes/faxes/express/
airmail letters in English, French or in your own language:
- welcoming the release of Hojjatoleslam val muslimin Mohammad Fazel Mohammad
al-Saffar and Mohammad Ghaffari;
- seeking clarification of the legal situation of those who have been temporarily
released;
- seeking details of the legal status of all those who remain in detention
including full details of all the charges and evidence against them and details
of any trial proceedings, judgements and sentences;
- urging that those remaining in detention be released if not promptly and
fairly tried on recognizably criminal charges; any prisoners of conscience
should be released immediately and unconditionally.
2
APPEALS TO:
1) Leader of the Islamic Republic
His Excellency Ayatollah Sayed 'Ali Khamenei
The Presidency, Palestine Avenue
Azerbaijan Intersection, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Telegrams: Ayatollah Khamenei, Tehran, Iran
Salutation: Your Excellency
2) His Excellency Hojjatoleslam
Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani
The Presidency, Palestine Avenue
Azerbaijan Intersection
Tehran, The Islamic Republic of Iran
Telegrams: President Rafsanjani, Tehran, Iran
Salutation: Your Excellency
3) Head of the Judiciary
His Excellency Ayatollah Mohammad Yazdi
Ministry of Justice
Park-e Shahr, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Telegrams: Head of the Judiciary, Tehran, Iran
Fax: +98 21 646 5242
Salutation: Your Excellency
4) Minister of Information
His Excellency Hojjatoleslam Ali Fallahian
Ministry of Information
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Telegrams: Information Minister, Tehran, Iran
Salutation: Your Excellency
COPIES TO:
Minister of Foreign Affairs
His Excellency Dr Ali Akbar Velayati
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sheikh Abdolmajid Keshk-e Mesri Avenue
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Fax: +98 21 67 4790
Telex: 212450 / 214242
Chairman of the Islamic Consulative Assembly's Human Rights Committee
Iman Khomeini Avenue, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Mr Hussain Farahi, Secretary, Islamic Human Rights Committee,
PO Box 13165-137, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
and to diplomatic representatives of Iran accredited to your country.
PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY. Check with the International Secretariat,
or your section office, if sending appeals after 20 Feburary 1997.