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Dr. Ahmed Shaheed
UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Iran
c/o Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
Palais des nation
Ch-1211, Geneva, Switzerland
June, 29, 2011

Dear Dr. Shaheed,

We the undersigned, members of Iranian academics, journalists, writers, lawyers, artists and human rights activists, welcome your appointment as the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iran. The systematic violations of human rights by the Islamic Republic of Iran and atrocities committed against the members of the opposition have reached an unprecedented level. The arbitrary arrests of women activists, lawyers, journalists, students, labour leaders, and human rights advocates are on the rise. The continuous hunger strikes, attempted suicides and mysterious death of prisoners in custody, and executions are indeed alarming.

The Islamic Republic's refusal to accept your appointment and to allow your travel to Iran is meant to bloc the international scrutiny of these atrocities. We hope that under increased international pressure, the Iranian authorities are compelled to revise their decision and you, like previous UN Envoys, be able to visit Iran and Iranian prisoners and their families, as well as the families of those killed, disappeared and executed. Nonetheless, it is important to note that the large number of former political prisoners a... >>>