Plea to Int’l Human Rights Lawyers from Iranian Prisons

National Post

Below is a letter issued one year ago by a prominent Iranian prisoner of conscience, Hossein Kazemeini Boroujerdi, a dissident cleric who has suffered a heart disease and loss of vision in one eye as a result of torture, abuse and neglect since his 11-year prison term began in 2006, for the crime of advocating “Separation of religion from state”. Since, deplorable prison conditions and rampant assault on human rights in Iran, have spiraled to endemic proportions, he is asking the international community to echo his plea on behalf of all political prisoners, by redistributing his letter as widely and as vocally as possible.

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An Appeal to International Human Rights Lawyers by Mr.Hossein Kazemeini Boroujerdi

Evin Prison, Iran, August 2011

To the Esteemed Members of the Community of International Human Rights Lawyers,

Please accept the sincere greetings of this humble secular minded prisoner of conscience.

As you are aware, prisoners of conscience in Iran are continuously arrested and prosecuted for standing up for peace, freedom and democracy and against flagrant abuses of human rights in Iran. Consequently they are forced to appear before official courts, which spurn and reject international legal standards of behavior.

They are prosecuted unfairly without access to due legal representation and away from the scrutiny of independent media. To make matters worse official state news agencies and outlet subject them to character assassination. Is it a wonder that they are swiftly indicted? This is so-called “Justice”—i.e. according to the tenants of the Islamic Republic ruling Iran.

These defenseless prisoners are tortured physically and psychologically, at worst in solitary confinement by state agents tasked with extracting false confessions. It is therefore no wonder that they fall prey to a variety of acute and chronic diseases, which irreparably damages their health and attacks their physical immunity. Such abuse of human rights is inflicted at a time when independent respectable human rights observers are barred from visiting Iran.

Once again I appeal to the esteemed members of the international community and international human rights lawyers:

Heed our predicament; publicly disclose our deprivation from internationally recognized standards of human rights; and, disseminate the extent of our distress and torture.

At a time when news of our fate is subjected to widespread blackout inside the country, we appeal to you, the independent and free international media as well as the leading independent and free international judicial institutions, particularly the UN:

Do not abandon us. We remain at your mercy!

Seyyed Hossein Kazemeini Boroujerdi

Prisoner of Conscience against Religious Tyranny

Evin Prison, Iran

http://www.bamazadi.org/2011/08/appeal-to-international-human-rights.html#more