URGENT ACTION: PERSON OF CONCERN,Bahman Ahmadi-Amouie,
Date: Thursday, 08 October 2009
Ref: 165 / M / 372
Navanethem Pillay
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
OHCHR
Palais des Nations
CH-1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland
Your Excellency,
URGENT ACTION: PERSON OF CONCERN
Bahman Ahmadi-Amouie,
Journalist detained since 20 June 2009
Almost four months has passed since the June presidential election in Iran.
Many still remain in detention without charge and without access to lawyers
while fresh arrests go on. Among those still in detention is Bahman Ahmadi-
Amouie a journalist and a writer who has already received a custodial sentence
for his support of women’s rights in Iran.
Arrested in the early hours of 20 June, with his journalist wife Jila Baniyaghoub,
Bahman Ahmadi-Amouie has remained in illegal detention at Ministry of
Intelligence and Information’s wing 209 in Evin Prison. During the first week of his
illegal detention Mr Ahmadi-Amouie was told he was to be released on bail and
all relevant documents were processed. As such, his on going detention is illegal.
Sixty five days of his time in illegal detention, have been spent in solitary
confinement undergoing constant interrogation. Up to two days ago, despite his
arrest, detention and interrogations Bahman Ahmadi-Amouie did not appear to
have a file registered anywhere with the Judicial or Intelligence authorities. This
meant that it was impossible for his lawyer to act on his behalf or to know the
charges against him. The situation has not changed with the discovery of the
file and is, indeed, further complicated by confused statements such as ‘the file
is incomplete’.
Mr Ahmadi-Amouie’s ongoing detention is illegal according to Islamic Republic’s
internal laws and in violation of its international obligations. As the guardian of
human rights of the world’s nations we ask you to demand:
• the immediate and unconditional release of Bahman Ahmadi-Amouie and
all others arrested and detained illegally since the June 12 elections
• all charges against Bahman Ahmadi-Amouie and others in his
circumstances, to be dropped.
Background
Bahman Ahmadi-Amouie is a journalist and an author. He started his journalism
career in 1996 working for an independent weekly economics journal. He is a
regular contributor to many reformist newspapers some of which have been
closed down in a clamp down against free press. He has two published books
“Political Economy of the Islamic Republic” and “How the Islamic Republic’s
Men Became Technocrats”. He is a campaigner for equal rights for women and
was detained for a week following his arrest at a peaceful demonstration on 12
June 2006. His six months suspended sentenced was confirmed on 3 March
2008 by the Appellate Authorities in Tehran. Evidence against him included
petitions he had signed in support of women’s equality and human rights.
In detaining Bahman Ahmadi-Amouie for long periods in solitary confinement,
without access to legal representation and observance of due process the Islamic
Republic is in violation of its own internal laws as well as its international
obligations. Charges against him are not clear and Bahman is being denied the
most basic of human rights. From confirmed reports the use of physical and
psychological torture and degrading and inhuman treatment of detainees to
extract confessions are common place leading to great concern over his physical
and psychological well being. ACI urges the High Commissioner for Human
Rights, Ms. Navanethem Pillay to investigate this matter as a matter of urgency.
With the hope of freedom for all prisoners of conscience in Iran, I remain,
Respectfully yours
Roya Kashefi
Head of Human Rights Committee – ACI
website: www.aciiran.com, email: london@aciiran.com
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