The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in Iran.

Brief description of the situation:

The Observatory has been informed by the Iranian League for the Defence of Human Rights (LDDHI) of the detention of Mr. Saleh Kamrani, lawyer and human rights defender, in Tehran.

According to the information received, on June 14, 2006 at around 3pm, Mr. Kamrani called his wife while he was on his way home. Two hours later, as he had not arrived at home, Mrs Kamrani tried to call him but found his mobile phone switched off. She then tried to get some news of him in the hospitals and police stations, in vain.

According to his wife, Mr. Kamrani would be detained at the Evin prison, and would be prosecuted by the Revolutionary Court, although no charge has been officially pronounced against him. However, this information could not be officially confirmed, including by the Ministry of Intelligence.

The Observatory fears that Mr. Kamrani’s arrest may be linked with his activities in favour of minorities’ rights. Indeed, Mr. Saleh Kamrani recently defended some political prisoners who were arrested in the last weeks, during the repression of massive demonstrations protesting against the publication, on May 12, 2006, in a state-owned newspaper, of a cartoon which had offended many Azeri Turks citizens. He also defended members of minor ethnic groups for several years, and had reportedly been subjected several times to acts of harassment form the authorities due to these activities, including threatening phone calls.

The Observatory fears for Mr. Kamrani’s safety, as no public information has been issued on his whereabouts.

Action requested:

Please write to the authorities of Iran urging them to:

i. guarantee under all circumstances the physical and psychological integrity of Mr. Saleh Kamrani, and in particular ensure that he will not be subjected to torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment during his detention;

ii. take prompt action in order to locate Mr. Saleh Kamrani, make public his whereabouts, and ensure his immediate release;

iii. conduct a fair, impartial and independent inquiry into these events in order to identify the authors, bring them to justice and pronounce sentences proportional to the gravity of their crimes;

iv. put an end to all acts of harassment against human rights defenders in Iran;

v. conform with the provisions of the Declaration on Humans Rights Defenders, in particular article 1, which states that “everyone has the right, individually or in association with others, to promote the protection and realisation of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels”, article 9c, which states that everyone has the right “to offer and provide professionally qualified legal assistance or other relevant advice and assistance in defending human rights and fundamental freedoms”, and article 12.2, which provides that “the State shall take all necessary measures to ensure the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually or in association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the present Declaration”;

vi. more generally, ensure in all circumstances respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in Iran in accordance with international human rights standards.

Addresses:

- Leader of the Islamic Republic, His Excellency Ayatollah Sayed Ali Khamenei, the Presidency, Palestine

Avenue, Azerbaijan Intersection, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran, Faxes: + 98 21 649 5880 / 21 774 2228

(ask fax to be forwarded to Ayatollah Khamenei), Email: webmaster@wilayah.org (on the subject line write: For the attention of the office of His Excellency, Ayatollah al Udhma Khamenei, Qom)

- President Mr. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the Presidency, Palestine Avenue, Azerbaijan Intersection, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran, Fax: + 98 21 649 5880

- Head of the Judiciary, His Excellency Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahrudi, Ministry of Justice, Park-e Shahr, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran, Fax: +98 21 879 6671, Email: Irjpr@iranjudiciary.com

- Minister of Foreign Affairs, His Excellency Manouchehr Mottaki, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sheikh Abdolmajid Keshk-e Mesri Av, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran, Faxes: + 98 21 390 1999 (number may be unreliable; please mark “care of the Human Rights Department, Foreign Ministry”), Email: matbuat@mfa.gov

- Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Chemin du Petit-Saconnex 28, 1209 Geneva, Switzerland, Fax: +41 22 7330203, Email: mission.iran@ties.itu.int

- Ambassador Mr. Ahani, Embassy of Iran to Brussels, 415 avenue de Tervueren, 1150 Woluwe-Saint-Pierre, Belgium, Fax: + 32 2 762 39 15. Email: iran-embassy@yahoo.com

Please also write to diplomatic representations of the Islamic Republic of Iran in your respective countries.

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Paris - Geneva, June 20, 2006