This is an urgent action bulletin for Mr. Abdollah Sadoughi from our friends at Amnesty International. Please help!
URGENT ACTION
FOOTBALL JOURNALIST HELD WITHOUT CHARGE
Football journalist Abdollah Sadoughi
was arrested in the city of Tabriz, north-west Iran, on 18 January, after
publishing a poster supporting the city’s Traktor Sazi football team.
He is held without charge at Tabriz prison, and is on hunger strike in
protest at what he considers to be his baseless detention. He is a prisoner
of conscience, held for peacefully expressing his views.
Abdollah Sadoughi, aged 33, a member
of Iran's Azerbaijani minority, writes for the Iranian publications Goal,
Corner and Khosh Khabar (Good News). He supports Tabriz’s Traktor Sazi
football team. The authorities have accused him of acts "against national
security" including supporting "Pan-Turkism" for publishing
posters, one of which says, in the Azerbaijani Turkic language, "All
of Azerbaijan feels pride with you", alongside an image of the football
team. Abdollah Sadoughi maintains he had permission from the relevant authorities
to the print posters. Azerbaijani Turkic is not recognized as an official
language in Iran. Those who seek to promote Azerbaijani cultural identity
and linguistic rights are viewed with suspicion by the Iranian authorities.
In late February, Abdollah Sadoughi
began a hunger strike. According to media reports, soon after starting
his hunger strike he was transferred to solitary confinement and held in
filthy conditions, and then moved to a cell with criminal convicts. On
2 March 2010, having lost considerable weight and suffering from various
medical problems, he was transferred to the clinic within Tabriz prison.
Abdollah Sadoughi has been able to meet his lawyer and his family, most
recently on 6 March, when he said he would continue his hunger strike until
he is released or brought before a court.
PLEASE WRITE IMMEDIATELY in Persian,
Turkish or your own language:
- Calling on the Iranian authorities
to immediately and unconditionally release Abdollah Sadoughi, as he is
a prisoner of conscience held solely for his peaceful exercise of the right
to freedom of expression;
- Urging the authorities to ensure that
he receives adequate medical treatment, as well as regular visits from
his lawyers and family, and is protected from torture and other ill-treatment;
- Reminding the authorities that, as
a state party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,
Iran is obliged to uphold the right to freedom of expression and that linguistic
minorities have the right to use their own language.
PLEASE SEND APPEALS BEFORE 20 APRIL
2010 TO:
Head of East Azarbaijan Province Judiciary
Hojjatoleslam Sharifi,
Judiciary of East Azarbaijan,
Central Complex,
Beginning of Vali-Asr Hill,
Tabriz, East Azarbaijan 5157733135,
Islamic Republic of Iran
Fax: 009841133201109
Salutation: Dear Sir
Head of the Judiciary
Ayatollah Sadeqh Larijani
Howzeh Riyasat-e Qoveh Qazaiyeh (Office
of the Head of the Judiciary)
Pasteur St., Vali Asr Ave., south of
Serah-e Jomhouri, Tehran, 1316814737
Islamic Republic of Iran
Email: Via website: http://www.dadiran.ir/tabid/75/Default.aspx
First starred box: your given name;
second starred box: your family name; third: your email address
Salutation: Your Excellency
And copies to:
Secretary General, High Council for
Human Rights
Mohammad Javad Larijani
Howzeh Riassat-e Ghoveh Ghazaiyeh
Pasteur St, Vali Asr Ave., south of
Serah-e Jomhuri
Tehran 1316814737
Islamic Republic of Iran
Fax: +98 21 3390 4986
Email: bia....@yahoo.com (In subject
line: FAO Mohammad Javad Larijani)
Salutation: Dear Mr Larijani
Also send copies to diplomatic representatives
of Iran accredited to your country. Please check with your section office
if sending appeals after the above date.
URGENT ACTION
FOOTBALL JOURNALIST HELD WITHOUT CHARGE
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Iranian Azerbaijanis, who are mainly
Shi’a Muslims, are recognized as the largest minority in Iran and are
generally believed to constitute 25 to 30 per cent of the population of
Iran. They are located mainly in the north and north-west of Iran. Although
generally well integrated into society, in recent years they have increasingly
called for greater cultural and linguistic rights, such as the right to
be educated in the Azerbaijani Turkic language, which they believe is provided
for under Iran's Constitution, and to celebrate Azerbaijani culture and
history at cultural events.
Football games involving the Traktor
Sazi football team in Tabriz have reportedly become the focus for the expression
of Azerbaijani Turkic culture. During games, calls – in Azerbaijani Turkic
– are reported to be made by supporters, for linguistic and cultural rights
for Iranian Azerbaijanis.
Both before, and particularly since,
the disputed presidential election in June 2009, the Iranian authorities
have severely restricted freedom of expression in Iran, arresting journalists
(of whom scores are believed to remain in detention), imposing restrictions
on the use of the internet, including social networking sites, and shutting
down newspapers. Demands by ethnic minority rights activists for greater
rights have, for many years, been suppressed. This pattern continues in
the context of a wide and generalized suppression of most forms of dissent
over government policy.
In February 2010, Iran accepted several
recommendations to guarantee freedom of expression and press activities
made by other states as part of a review of its human rights record before
the UN Human Rights Council in the framework of the Universal periodic
review (see para 90, recommendations 52-58 at http://www.upr-info.org/IMG/pdf/A_HRC_WG-6_7_L-11_Iran.pdf)
but rejected other recommendations calling for an end to measures such
as harassment and arbitrary arrest of writers, journalists and bloggers.
It appears that, despite such public commitments, in practice, the Iranian
authorities are continuing to disregard their human rights obligations
relating to freedom of expression . Iran also rejected recommendations
to take all appropriate measures to end all forms of discrimination and
harassment against persons belonging to religious, ethnic, linguistic and
other minorities (see para 92,)
UA: 51/10 Index: MDE 13/030/2010 Issue
Date: 09 March 2010
-------------------------------------------------------
East Gulf Team
Middle East and North Africa Programme
Amnesty International
International Secretariat
1 Easton Street
London WC1X 0DW
United Kingdom
http://www.amnesty.org
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Working to protect human rights worldwide
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