"The Free Siamak Pourzand Campaign ! "
Siamak Pourzand,
journalist, intellectual and manager of Majmue-ye
Farhangi-ye Honari-yeTehran (The Tehran Cultural Centre),
disappeared in Tehran on Saturday, 24 November 2001
reportedly sentenced to eight years' imprisonment
Siamak Pourzand , journalist, intellectual and manager of Majmue-ye
Farhangi-ye Honari-yeTehran (The Tehran Cultural Centre), is the husband of human rights lawyer, Mehrangiz
Kar.
Siamak Pourzand
disappeared in Tehran on Saturday, 24 November, at around 9 o'clock
in the evening. He left his sister's apartment in 'Abbas Abad,
central Tehran, taking his
medicine, shoes and keys. He has not been heard from since.
Siamak Pourzand had reportedly stated to friends and family that he
had been followed by motorcycles and one or two cars in the two
weeks before he disappeared. His disappearance may be connected
to the fact he runs Majmue-ye Farhangi-ye Honari-ye Tehran (The
Tehran Cultural Centre), which has provided facilities for artists,
writers and other intellectuals, including well-known women's rights
activists, for performance and to discuss their work
Siamak Pourzand recently suffered a heart attack, and was denied any medical attention, according to his family. Amnesty International fears that he is still being ill-treated in custody, and that his life may be in danger.
On 9 March, he was reported to have confessed - in unclear circumstances - to a range of accusations, including having received sums of money to distribute to unnamed journalists and to having "given important political and military information" to Persian language newspapers published outside Iran. He reportedly stated that he "had no particular defence" and that "he recognized himself as a sinner".
On 4 May he was reportedly sentenced to eight years' imprisonment, and there are unconfirmed reports that he was coerced into not seeking an appeal against the sentence.
Siamak Pourzand was reportedly last permitted to meet with his sister, Mahin Pourzand, on 3 May. Siamak Pourzand was reportedly very weak, shaking and holding a cloth over his mouth, raising fears that he may have been ill-treated but did not want to alarm his sister.
He reportedly called his sister on 8 May and told her that on 10 May, she would be "allowed" to see him at the Edare-ye Amaken, or Bureau of Premises, the offices of an organization reportedly responsible for the enforcement of accepted moral codes in companies and other offices. As of six o'clock in the afternoon, Tehran time, no officials had called her.
We support the Free Siamak Pourzand Campaign"
OTHER RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible, in English, French or in your own language:
- urging the authorities to allow Siamak Pourzand to receive any medical treatment he needs;
- seeking assurances from the Head of the Judiciary that Siamak Pourzand is not being ill-treated or tortured in custody;
- expressing concern that he appears to be a prisoner of conscience, arrested solely for the peaceful expression of his beliefs;
- expressing concern that he has been denied the right of regular access to legal representation and family visits;
-urging the authorities that, unless he is to be charged with an internationally recognized criminal offence, Siamak Pourzand should be released immediately and unconditionally.
APPEALS TO:
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
Email: webmaster@wilayah.org; (on the subject line write: For the attention of the office of His Excellency, Ayatollah al Udhma Khamenei, Qom)
President
His Excellency Hojjatoleslam val Moslemin Sayed Mohammad Khatami
The Presidency, Palestine Avenue
Azerbaijan Intersection, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Telegrams: President Khatami, Tehran, Iran
E-mail: khatami@president.ir
Salutation: Your Excellency
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
Faxes: + 98 21 879 6671 (number may be unreliable; please mark "Care of Dr Mohammad Javad Shariatbagheri, Director of International Affairs, Judiciary")
Salutation: Your Excellency
Minister of Foreign Affairs
His Excellency Kamal Kharrazi
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sheikh Abdolmajid Keshk-e Mesri Av
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Telegrams: Foreign Affairs Minister, Tehran, Iran
E-mail: matbuat@mfa.gov.ir (may be unreliable)
Faxes: + 98 21 390 1999 (please mark "Care of Ms Peymaneh Haste'i, Human Rights Office, Foreign Ministry")
Salutation: Your Excellency
COPIES TO:
Parliamentary Committee
Mohsen Mirdamadi Najafabadi
Article 90 Commission (Komisyon-e Asl-e Navad), Majles-e Shura-ye Eslami, Imam Khomeini Avenue, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Telegrams: Majles, Tehran, Iran
Telex: 21 42 32 ICAI IR
Faxes: + 98 21 646 1746 (Can be difficult to reach, please be patient)
Law Enforcement Forces (LEF, or the police)
If possible, please copy your appeal to the "Islamic Republic of Iran Police Force", noting that it is a copy of an appeal, at:
http://www.policeiri.org/fpage/contactus.html
Influential political party
Jami'at-e Motalefeh-e Eslami (Islamic Coalition Society)
If possible, please copy your appeal to "Habibollah Asgaroladi and other members of the Central Committee", noting that it is a copy of an appeal, at:
E-mail: info@motalefeh.org
and to diplomatic representatives of Iran accredited to your country.
PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY.
