News

The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint program of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organization Against Torture (OMCT), expresses its deepest concern regarding the public accusations formulated by the Revolutionary Vice-Prosecutor of Tehran against Mr. Mohammad Ali Dadkhah, lawyer, and the Nobel Peace Prize laureate Shirin Ebadi, both founding members of the Defenders of Human Rights Center (DHRC).
On August 1, 2009, in the framework of a massive travesty of trial against more than 100 persons accused of having "acted against national security," "disturbed public order" and "committed acts of vandalism" for having reportedly taken part in the protests that followed the disputed results of the June 12 presidential elections, the Vice-Prosecutor of Tehran publicly accused Ms. Shirin Ebadi and DHRC of having established relations with foreign forces in order to organize a "Velvet Revolution" in Iran.
In addition, Mr. Mohammad Ali Dadkhah, who remains arbitrarily detained since July 8, 2009 and did not appear in court, was also accused of "detaining weapons, drugs as well as documents" evidencing links with foreign "enemies." During an interview on July 7, 2009 on with the Praha-based Farda radio station, Mr. Ali Dadkhah had opposed the use of death penalty and criticized the hangings of about 20 persons between 35 and 48 years old that occurred on July 3, 2009, allegedly for drug trafficking.