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Human rights appeal
From About Iran AboutIran@aol.com
Urgent Action Appeal
Please help to protest the Islamic Republic's gross violations of human rights before and during the summit of the Islamic countries in Tehran. Please fax the following letter to the following organizations/persons by Tuesday, December 9, 1997. Please distribute the text below as widely as possible and ask your family and friends for their help as well. For More Information, please call About Iran... at (847) 729-5925.
December 1997
To:
The Honorable Mary Robinson
United Nations Commissioner on Human Rights,
Geneva, Switzerland,
Fax # 01141-22-9170123
Mr. William F. Schulz,
Executive Director,
Amnesty International,
New York,
Fax # (212) 627-1451
Mr. Hanny Megally,
Middle East Watch,
New York,
Fax # (212) 972-0905
Mr. Jake Kreilkamp,
Pen American Center,
New York,
Fax # (212) 334-2181
Ms. Nancy Bothne,
Amnesty International Midwest,
Chicago,
Fax # (312) 427-2589
Ms. Maryam Elahi,
Amnesty International,
Washington D.C.,
Fax # (202) 546-7142
Ms. Cosette Thompson,
Amnesty International,
San Francisco,
Fax # (415) 291-8722
Mr. Joe Baker,
Amnesty International,
Culver City (Los Angeles),
Fax # (310) 815-0457
From: (Your Name)
I am writing this appeal to ask for your urgent help on behalf of the countless number of Iranian people whose human rights have been and are being severely violated in Iran. I am choosing this time to ask for your help, because, as you are aware, Iran will be the host of the upcoming summit of Islamic countries which is to begin on December 9, 1997. This conference is the largest international gathering of diplomats in Iran since the revolution of 1979. Also, as you are well aware, the second day of this conference, December 10, coincides with the universal day of human rights. I ask your organization to use this opportunity to issue general statements and to contact the Organization of the Islamic Conference and the heads and high ranking officials of the Islamic states with your appeals on behalf of the victims of human rights violations in Iran. For your information, below are examples of the recent victims of human rights violations.
* Mr. Mehdi Khaki Firuz , a spokesman of Union of the Islamic Students Associations and Alumni (a union critical of the absolute rule of the clergy in Iran), was beaten and subsequently abducted in Tehran by the forces of the Islamic Republic about two weeks ago and there has been no information about his whereabouts and condition.
* Mr. Tabarzadi, the Secretary General of the above mentioned union and editor of "Daneshjooye Basiji," was severely beaten and hospitalized, and since then he has been summoned to the Islamic tribunal to answer charges brought against him for criticizing the absolute rule of the clergy. Mr. Tabarzadi's union organized an unprecedented demonstration for freedom in Tehran in October. Since then, all members of Mr. Tabarzadi's union have been in danger.
* Mr. Morteza Firuzi, the editor of Iran News, a publication in English language, was abducted in Tehran about two months ago by the security forces of Iran.
* Ayatollah Hossien Ali Montazeri, a grand theologian in Shiite sect of Islam, and Ayatollah Azari Qomi, were attacked in their homes, in the city of Qom two weeks ago by government sponsored mobs, for questioning the religious credentials and policies of Mr. Ali Khamenei, the present absolute supreme leader of the Islamic Republic.
It is important to note that all of these individuals are considered to be among the supporters of the system of Islamic Republic, and in fact the last two are among its most notable founders and have unfortunately been involved or have endorsed the violations of human rights in past years. However, now as critics of the regime's leadership, their own rights are being violated! The truth is that under the absolute totalitarian rule of the Islamic Republic, no one is safe in Iran.
Meanwhile, I would like to ask for your special attention to the following ongoing and gross human rights violations as well:
* On Tuesday, December 2, 1997, several thousand Iranian women, ignoring an official ban on their presence in sports stadiums for men's events, attended a welcome rally held for Iran's soccer team at Azadi stadium in Tehran. This bold action by Iranian women took place in spite of repeated reminders of the ban on the radio and television. There have been unconfirmed reports of clashes between the women and the security forces of the Islamic Republic. In wake of this important event, the world must be reminded that in Iran women are treated as second class citizens and their rights are legally and politically subordinated to those of men.
* Followers of minority religions in Iran, especially Bahais, are systematically repressed and many times killed,
* Mr. Faraj Sarkuhi continues to be imprisoned for attempting to organize the Association of Iran's Writers. For as long as he remains in prison and in Iran, his life is in danger.
I am confident that you will do your best to help the victims of human rights in Iran and I eagerly await to see and hear about your actions during next week's summit in Tehran.
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