The Iranian League for the Defense of Human Rights (Ligue pour la défense des droits de l’Homme en Iran - LDDHI) announced the temporary release for medical reasons of Nasser Zarafchan, a human rights lawyer who has been imprisoned since August 2002.

According to the information received, on July 4, 2005, the Iranian Judiciary decided to temporarily release Nasser Zarafchan, so that he may receive medical treatment of his kidney stones. Zarafchan had started a hunger strike on June 7, 2005 to protest against the fact that he was denied hospitalisation outside the Evin prison. Since his release, he underwent a surgical intervention of one kidney and would allegedly be waiting a second intervention in the coming days.

IDHAE  welcomes the temporary release of Zarafchan, in which domestic and international pressure certainly played a key role. However, it urges the Iranian authorities to grant Zarafchan an unconditional and definitive release.

Background information:

Nasser Zarafchan, who is the lawyer of Mrs. Sima Pouhandeh, the widow of Mohammed Djafar Pouhandeh - a writer and human rights defender assassinated in 1998, was sentenced to three years in jail by the Tehran military court on March 18, 2002, for “possession of firearms and alcohol”. He was also sentenced to two additional years of imprisonment and fifty whiplashes for his statements to the press regarding the lawsuit of the alleged murderers of Iranian intellectuals, which ended in January 2002.

As Nasser Zarafchan’s health seriously deteriorated because of lungs problems and a nephritis attack, he was hospitalised on December 2, 2004, in the Evin prison. He was brought back to his cell three days later.

On June 7, 2005, Zarafchan resumed a hunger strike he had begun in April, in protest against denial of medical treatment. Moreover, on June 15, 2005, when one of his lawyers attempted to visit him, he was turned away.

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Please write to the Iranian authorities, in Persian, English, Arabic or your own language urging them to:

i. Guarantee in all circumstances the physical and psychological integrity of Mr. Nasser Zarafchan;

ii. Ensure immediately the unconditional and definitive release of Mr. Nasser Zarafchan;

 

APPEALS TO :

Leader of the Islamic Republic
His Excellency Ayatollah Sayed 'Ali Khamenei
The Presidency,
Palestine Avenue, Azerbaijan Intersection,
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Fax: + 98 21 649 5880 (please mark 'For the attention of the Office of His Excellency, Ayatollah al Udhma Khamenei)
Email: info@wilayah.org
Salutation: Your Excellency

Head of the Judiciary
His Excellency Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi
Ministry of Justice,
Park-e Shahr,
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Salutation: Your Excellency

COPIES TO:

Speaker of Parliament
Gholamali Haddad Adel
Majles-e Shoura-ye Eslami (Parliament)
Imam Khomeini Avenue,
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Fax: + 98 21 646 1746
Salutation: Dear Sir

Please also copy your letter, or send a message of support, to Nasser Zarafshan:

Nasser Zarafshan
Evin Prison
Chamran Highway, Shahid Katchuyi Street
Darakeh, Tehran, Iran

and to diplomatic representatives of Iran accredited to your country.

PUBLIC

AI Index: MDE 13/027/2005
15 June 2005