freedom for BAGHI

We demand for immediate and unconditional release of Emadeddin Baghi!

2008-09-26T17:34:00.000-07:00

Emadeddin Baghi is an Iranian journalist, contemporary historian and prolific author who have continually risked his life during the past twenty years campaigning against evil in high places in his country. Recipient of several international awards including Civil Courage Prize in 2004, French Human Rights Prize in 2005, and the International Journalist of the Year 2008 at the British Press Awards. He also founded the Defense of Prisoners' Rights Committee to provide legal assistance to intellectuals imprisoned for promoting pro-democracy ideas and opinions.
He exposed the involvement of the Iranian government in the assassination of Iranian intellectuals and anti-government activists. He has written 20 books, six of which are banned in Iran, as well as many bylined articles in the independent reformist press exposing violations of free expression.
At great personal risk, Emad became the voice for many political dissadents in Iran. He and Akbar Ganji, another reformist journalist, wrote about the murders of 80 secular writers, intellectuals and political activists which took place in the late l990's, pointing out the government's overt involvement. These articles galvanized the public.
Emad Baghi was arrested, put on trial and imprisoned in solitary confinement for apostasy and endangering the security of the Islamic state in 2000. Released in the spring of 2003, he was repeatedly hailed to appear in court and received a one-year suspended sentence.
One of his most recent attempts to promote democratic reform was the founding of Jomhooriyat newspaper early this year. This newspaper contained some special pages on human rights, trade unions and civil institutions, subjects that are not normally covered even in the reformist papers. As a result of this bold attempt to educate the public about democratic ideals, the judiciary of the ruling clerics temporarily banned publication of Jomhooriyat this summer, and Emad Baghi was dismissed as chief editor.
Emadeddin Baghi was arrested on 14 October 2007 after responding to a summons to appear before Branch 14 of the Revolutionary Court in Tehran. He was questioned about his activities with the Association for the Defence of Prisoners' Rights and accused of revealing classified information and insulting Iran's leaders through criticising the use of the death penalty. His health condition has been deteriorating while in detention; in December, 2007 and May, 2008 he suffered seizure. During the current year he was summoned before the court 55 times. Its worth to note that he wa transferred from solitary confinement to a common prison, and that he must be freed on 28 September, 2008. However, he must make attendance before the court on October 8, 2008 on another case.
We believe that sentencing, imprisoning of Emadeddin Baghi, and ongoing judicial harassment against him are based solely on his work in promotion of democratic values, freedom of expression and human rights.
We call on authorities in Iran to:
Immediately and unconditionally release Emadeddin Baghi and stop any harassment against him as it is believed that he was arrested, sentenced, imprisoned and are being subject to harassment as a result of his peaceful and legitimate activities in the defense of democracy and human rights;
Guarantee Emadeddin Baghi s security and physical and psychological integrity;
Ensure that treatment with him adhere with all those conditions set out in Basic Principles for the Treatment of Prisoners adopted by Un General Assembly resolution 45/11 in 14 December 1990.
link: www.azattyk.org

ОКУЯЛАР жана ФАКТЫЛАР -- КЫРГЫЗСТАН

2008-09-26T17:32:00.000-07:00

[ Адам укуктары ] БИШКЕКТЕ ИРАНДЫК УКУК КОРГООЧУ ЭМАДЕДДИН БАГХИНИ КОЛДОГОН АКЦИЯ ӨТТҮ
Бир катар укук коргоочулар Ирандык укук коргоочу Эмадеддин Багхини (Emomoldin Boghi) Тегерандын абагынан бошотуу талабы менен Бишкектеги Иран Ислам Республикасынын элчилигинин жанында пикетке чыгышты. Алардын Иран өкмөтүнө жолдогон кайрылуусун Акыйкатчы институтунун өкүлү элчи Мохаммад Реза Сабуриге берип чыкты. Иран консулдугунун өкүлү бул акцияны өткөрөөрдөн мурда Кыргызстандын укук коргоочулары элчиликке алдын алы кабардар кылбагынын, мындай иш чараны цивилизациялык жол менен өткөрүү керектигин айтты.

Ирандык журналист жана укук коргоочу Эмадеддин Багхини Тегерандын абагынан бошотуу талабы менен чыккан «Кылым шамы» укуктук борбордун жетекчиси Азиза Абдырасулова Ирандык укук коргоочу өз өлкөсүндө өлүм жазасын жоюу маселесин көтөрүп чыккандыгы үчүн жазыксыз айыпталып жатканын айтты:

- Адам укугу деген-бул чегараны билбейт. Биздин өлкөдө болобу же башка мамлекетте болобу, кайсы жерде адам укугу бузулуп жатса, ошол адамдын укугун коргогонго биз милдетибиз катары кабыл алабыз. Мындай акцияларды биз Кыргызстандагы Өзбекстандын элчилигинин алдында, Орусия,Казакстан элчиликтеринин алдында дагы өткөрүп келгенбиз. Ошол мамлекетте адам укугу бузулган фактылар боюнча. Азыр Иран өкүлчүлүгүнүн алдында бул акцияны өткөрүп жатканыбыздын себеби эки жылдан бери тынымсыз куугунтуктагы укук коргоочу Эмадеддин Багхи мырзанын эркиндигин Иран бийлигинен талап кылып жатабыз.
“Жарандык коом коррупцияга каршы” укуктук борбордун жетекчиси Төлөйкан Исмаилова болсо Иран бийлиги Бириккен Улуттар Уюмунда адам укуктары боюнча кабыл алынган эл аралык документтерге көңүл буруусу зарыл деп эсептейт.

- Биз Ирандын элчилигине БУУнун адам укуктары боюнча документтерге көңүл бурсун деп жатабыз. Анткени Иран мамлекети дагы БУУга мүчө катары өзүлөрүнүн өлкөсүндө болобу же дүйнөнүн башка мамлекеттеринде болобу өлүм жазасын жоюуга жардам бериши керек. Экинчи маселе, БУУнун 2006-жылы кабыл алган документине ылайык өкмөт укук коргоочуларга жардам берип бардык шартты түзүп берүүсү керек. Мына ошол документтин негизинде биз Иран бийлигинен белгилүү журналист жана укук коргоочу Эмадеддин Багхини тез аранын ичинде түрмөдөн бошотуу талабын коюп жатабыз. Анткени түрмөдө анын ден-соолугу начарлап баратат.
Кыргызстандык он чакты укук коргоочулардын бул акциясына Иран Ислам Республикасынын элчилигинен бирөө жарым чыгып жооп берген жок. Бирок укук коргоочулар менен кошо келген Акыйкатчы институтунун өкүлү алардын Иран өкмөтүнө Эмамеддин Бахгини абактан бошотуу талабы камтылган кайрылууну Иран консулдугунун өкүлүнүн коштоосунда элчи Мохаммад Реза Сабуриге алып кирип берди. Элчи менен жолугушуусу тууралуу Акыйкатчынын орун басары Мамат Момунов буларга токтолду.
- Азыр элчи менен кирип жолугушканда Мохаммад Реза Сабуринин бул акция жөнүндө кабары жок экен. Бирок укук коргоочулар жолдогон катты кабыл алды. Бул боюнча өздөрүнүн жообун беребиз деп айтты. Ошол эле кезде алар Иран Республикасы азыр кайгыда экенин белгиледи. Себеби дегенде, кечээ жакында болгон авиакырсыктан Ирандын жарандары дагы набыт болгон. Ошол үчүн элчи бул маселени кийинчерээк деле койсо болмок деген өзүнүн пикирин билдирди.
Мамат Момунов Иран элчилиги ар кандай маселелер боюнча Кыргызстандын жарандарыбы, укук коргоочусубу ким болсо дагы кабыл алууга даяр экендигин кошумчалады.
Аты-жөнүн айтуудан баш тарткан Иран консулдугунун өкүлү укук коргоочулар акция өткөрүү жөнүндө элчиликке алдын ала маалымдашы керектигин эскертти:
- Кадырыңыз жан болсун. Телефон чалгыла. Биз бардык маселе цивилизациялуу жол менен болуусун өтүнөбүз. Кайсы күнү, кайсы убакытка келе тургандыгыңар боюнча алдын ала маалымат бергиле.
“Жарандык коом коррупцияга каршы” укуктук борбордун жетекчиси Төлөйкан Исмаилова бул маселе боюнча Иран элчилигине алдын ала маалымдашканын, келерки жумада аймактардан келишкен укук коргоочулар менен чогуу келип бүгүнкү акцияга карата Иран элчилигинен жооп алышарын билдирди.
Ирандык укук коргоочу Эмамудин Багхи өз өлкөсүндө өлүм жазасын жоюу демилгесин көтөрүп чыгып, жалдама киши өлтүрүүлөрдүн бетин ачып, бул боюнча жыйырма чукул китеп жазган. Ал өзүнүн кара жанын тобокелге салып Иран бийлигинин жогорку тепкичтегилеринин былык иштерине каршы чыгып, адам укуктарын жана абактагылардын укугун коргоо боюнча Комитет түзүп, алардын укугун коргогон.
Анын мындай ишмердүүлүгү Иран бийлигинин жаалын келтирип, 2000-жылы аны үч жылга абакка камоо менен аяктаган. Адам укугу боюнча бир катар эл аралык сыйлыктардын ээси Эмамудин Багхини Иран бийлиги өткөн жылы 55 жолу сотко чакыртып, октябрда кайрадан камакка алган. Маалыматтарга караганда, абактагы Багхинин жүрөк оорусу кармап, учурда ден-соолугу начар абалда.
Аманбек Жапаров, Бишкек
link: www.azattyk.org

Document - Iran: Further information on Prisoner of conscience/ medical concern: Emadeddin Baghi

2008-09-26T17:26:00.000-07:00

PUBLIC AI Index: MDE13/131/2008
02 September 2008
Further Information on 130/08 (MDE 13/069/2008, 16 May 2008) Prisoner of conscience/ medical concern
IRAN Emadeddin Baghi (m), aged 46, human rights defender
On 9 August, Emadeddin Baghi, journalist and human rights defender, called his wife, Fatemeh Kamali Ahmad Sarahi, informing her that his transfer from Evin prison to a hospital in Tehran had been authorized by the prison doctor. A few hours later he contacted her again saying that he had actually been transferred to Section 209 of the prison. Section 209 is controlled by the Ministry of Intelligence and houses prisoners in solitary confinement.
Fatemeh Kamali Ahmad Sarahi visited her husband on 18 August. During the visit he appeared weak and complained of breathing difficulties. Emadeddin Baghi informed his wife that he had recently refused to be interrogated by the prison guards whilst being handcuffed and blindfolded. Emadeddin Baghi had received the authorization to betransferred to a hospital in Tehran for treatment for a range of ailments that have emerged since his imprisonment.Fatemeh Kamali Ahmad Sarahi is concerned that her husband is not receiving adequate medical treatment.
On 14 October 2007, Emadeddin Baghi was arrested when he responded to a summons to appear before Branch 14 of the Revolutionary Court in Tehran. He was questioned about his activities as head of an NGO, the Association for the Defence of Prisoners’ Rights. He was accused of “publishing secret government documents". Court officials set bail at 500 million Rials (approx. US$54,000). While his family were in the process of delivering the money, they were told that instead of being released on bail, he must serve a suspended sentence of one year's imprisonment, which had been imposed after an unfair trial in 2003, during which he had no access to a lawyer. The court authorities revoked the bail, and Emaddedin Baghi was immediately returned to prison. Despite several periods of medical leave, Emadeddin Baghi continues to serve this one year sentence.
Since this time Emadeddin Baghi has faced politically motivated harassment whether by way of interrogation by Ministry of Intelligence officials or the opening of new ‘criminal’ investigations against him, some while he has been detained. These have included judicial protests to his acquittal of ‘national security’ related charges in one case, and interrogation concerning interviews in which he has highlighted human rights issues both in May 2008. He has faced interrogation in connection with his work with the Association for the Defence of Prisoners’ Rights, though it is not known whether this will be a continuation of existing cases or the start of new one.
Emadeddin Baghi is a prisoner of conscience, held solely for peacefully exercising his right to freedom of expression and for his human rights work.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Since December 2007, Emadeddin Baghi has suffered three seizures, the most recent on 7 May. In January and May 2008 he was granted temporary periods of medical leave, in part in response to national and international appeals. His family, lawyers and medical experts have noted that he has not been cured and doctors insisted that he should recover in a calm, quiet environment with no stressful conditions or situations.
Iranian legislation severely restricts freedom of expression and association, and human rights defenders often face harassment, imprisonment and torture. The Iranian Constitution protects freedom of expression and belief: Article 23 states that “The investigation of individuals’ beliefs is forbidden” and that “No one may be molested or taken to task simply for holding a certain belief.” Article 24 provides for freedom of expression in press and publications. Iran is a state party to international human rights treaties that enshrine these rights, notably the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
The Penal Code contains a number of vaguely worded provisions relating to association and "national security" which prohibit a range of activities, many of them connected with journalism or public discourse, which are permitted under international human rights law. Human rights defenders are often imprisoned on politically motivated criminal charges. Many are subject to travel bans that prevent them from leaving the country.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible, in Persian, Arabic, English, French or your own language:
- expressing concern that Emadeddin Baghi is not receiving adequate medical treatment;
- urging the authorities to grant him access to the medical treatment that he needs;
- calling on them to release Emadeddin Baghi immediately and unconditionally, as he is a prisoner of conscience, held solely for the peaceful exercise of his right to freedom of expression.

APPEALS TO:
Leader of the Islamic Republic
His Excellency Ayatollah Sayed ‘Ali Khamenei
The Office of the Supreme Leader, Islamic Republic Street - Shahid Keshvar Doust Street
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Email: info@leader.ir
Salutation: Your Excellency
Head of the Judiciary
His Excellency Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi
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: info@dadgostary-tehran.ir (In the subject line write: FAO Ayatollah Shahroudi)
Salutation: Your Excellency
COPIES TO:
President
His Excellency Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
The Presidency, Palestine Avenue, Azerbaijan Intersection
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Fax: + 98 21 6 649 5880
Email: dr-ahmadinejad@president.ir
via website: http://www.president.ir/email/
and to diplomatic representatives of Iran accredited to your country.
PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY. Check with the International Secretariat, or your section office, if sending appeals after 14 October.

1- http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/MDE13/131/2008/en/d9b74ed0-7995-11dd-8e5e-43ea85d15a69/mde131312008en.pdf

2- http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/MDE13/131/2008/en
3- http://www.protectionline.org/Emadeddin-Baghi-m-aged-46-human,7431.html
4- http://www.protectionline.org/Emadeddin-Baghi-m-aged-46-human,7431.html
5- http://www.payvand.com/news/08/sep/1024.html

link: amnesty

Financial Times wins newspaper of the year

2008-04-10T15:52:00.000-07:00

The Financial Times was named newspaper of the year at last night's British Press Awards and the Sun's Tom Newton Dunn was among the other big winners, collecting four prizes.
Paul Dacre, the Daily Mail editor, was given the special award by events organiser Press Gazette, while London Evening Standard investigative reporter Andrew Gilligan was named journalist of the year.
Dacre and Gilligan's awards were presented by the Conservative leader, David Cameron, last night's guest speaker.
Cameron praised the 800 journalists gathered at the event for respecting the news blackout of Prince Harry's deployment to Afghanistan, saying it showed a free press acting responsibly. "I thought that was something everyone in this room can be incredibly proud of," he said.
The Sun won more awards than any other paper, taking home four - two individual prizes for Newton Dunn, and two more for its Help for Heroes campaign, in which he was a key player. The FT won three awards, as did the Guardian, including best newspaper website.
As well as the top prize of newspaper of the year, the FT's Philip Stevens was named political journalist of the year while Gillian Tett won business and finance journalist of the year.
The Sun's defence editor, Tom Newton Dunn, went to the stage four times. He won scoop of the year for his story on the friendly fire killing of corporal Matty Hull and also won reporter of the year.
Newton Dunn also collected the Sun's two other prizes, the Cudlipp award for excellence in popular journalism and campaign of the year, both for its Help for Heroes series.
Gilligan won journalist of the year for his series of articles investigating misuse of public funds at the London Development Agency. He beat Nick Davies of the Guardian, Sun editor Rebekah Wade, Christina Lamb of the Sunday Times and the late Bill Deedes of the Daily Telegraph.
At the end of the night, the Press Gazette special award, presented only occasionally, was given to Dacre for his 18-year career as editor first at the Evening Standard and later at the Daily Mail and for overseeing the launch of Metro as editor-in-chief of Associated Newspapers.
The Guardian won website of the year, while Ghaith Abdul-Ahad won foreign reporter of the year and Sean Smith won the new award, digital journalist of the year.
For the first time, the British Press Awards also honoured journalists outside the UK, with the inaugural international journalist of the year award.
This went to Iranian journalist Emadeddin Baghi, who has been imprisoned by the state for a second time. Baghi was unable to attend last night's BPA ceremony at London's Grosvenor House hotel and a representative from Amnesty International collected his award.
The Sunday Mirror picked up two awards, with Kate Mansey named young journalist of the year and Sean Hamilton winning in the showbusiness reporter category for scoops including Led Zeppelin reforming.
Associated Newspapers cleaned up in the photography categories, with Andy Hooper of the Daily Mail winning sports photographer of the year, and Jeremy Selwyn of the London Evening Standard landing photographer of the year.
The Mail and Evening Standard's Associated stablemate, the Mail on Sunday, won the supplement of the year, which was awarded jointly to its Live and You magazines.
Interviewer of the year went to freelance journalist Chrissy Iley for her work on both the Observer and Sunday Times magazines. Charles Spencer of the Daily Telegraph won critic of the year.
The sports journalist of the year was Martin Samuel of the Times, while AA Gill of the Sunday Times was named feature writer of the year, which he also won in 2005. Matthew Norman of the Independent won the hotly contested columnist of the year category.
Matt Pritchett won cartoonist of the year for his work on the Daily Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph.
As Gilligan took to the stage, event host Jon Snow said the judges had awarded him the prize for his relentless investigations and that the reporter was "back in the news for all the right reasons".
Gilligan paid tribute to the Evening Standard, which hired him after he was forced to leave the BBC in the wake of the Hutton report. He said he felt the award vindicated his work.
The judges described Dacre as "a unique journalist and editor who translates conviction, passion and vast experience into enduring success for his newspapers".
"I would just like to thank all the wonderful, selfless, brilliant journalists I have worked with on the Mail past and present," Dacre said. "And I would also like to thank the Rothermeres for giving editors that priceless gift - the freedom to edit."
link

British Press Awards: Andrew Gilligan named journalist of the year

2008-04-10T15:50:00.000-07:00

Andrew Gilligan has been named Journalist of the Year at the British Press Awards.

The judges described Gilligan’s work for the Evening Standard as “relentless investigative journalism at its best from a man who has put himself back in the headlines for all the right reasons”.

Tom Newton Dunn of The Sun, who has already collected two awards, was highly commended, along with Bill Deedes, the legendary former Daily Telegraph editor who died last year.

• Emadeddin Baghi or the Iranian newspaper Jomhooriyat, won the inaugural International Journalist of the Year Award.

Baghi, who has been speaking out against the Iranian regime for more than 25 years, is currently serving a one-year prison sentence on charges of “acting against national security”.

He founded Jomhooriyat in 2004, and included coverage of human rights, trade unions and civic institutions. The Iranian judiciary has since banned the paper and called for Baghi’s dismissal.

• Associated Newspapers editor-in-chief Paul Dacre won the final award of the evening when he was presented with Press Gazette’s Special Award in recognition of two decades of achievement as editor of the Evening Standard and Daily Mail and his continuing work on the Press Complaints Commission.

He was described as “a unique journalist and editor who translates conviction, passion and vast experience into enduring success for his newspapers”.

All three awards were presented on Tuesday night during a ceremony hosted by Channel 4 News presenter Jon Snow at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London.

link

Emadeddin Baghi, Tehran, Iran Statement for the British Press Awards

2008-04-10T15:49:00.000-07:00

From a great distance and with a heart close to you, I greet all the journalists who defend freedom of expression in the world. I thank the Foreign Press Association for nominating me and the judges of the British Press Awards for honouring me with the award of International Journalist of the Year 2008.
The print media has always been the platform of raising awareness, integrity, moral standards and scientific progress in the world; it has advanced Montesquieu’s notion of “separation of powers” and has, in its position as the Fourth Estate, complemented it.
Tonight, friends, I am addressing you from a land that still tastes the bitterness of bans on the press in spite of having a history of 150 years of striving for democracy. In the past 10 years, about 150 publications have been banned, although none of them were hostile to the Islamic Republic. They were only independent and reform-minded.
I am addressing you from a land with an ancient civilisation, yet where some people have changed Darwin’s theory of survival of the fittest to that of ‘death of the fittest’. Many newspapers have been sent into darkness as soon as they have neared their professional maturity and wielded influence; as if a newspaper’s chances of survival grew dimmer the higher its print run, the more its number of readers and the stronger it became.
I am addressing you from a land, where newspapers are not seen as civil but rather as political institutions. Instead of the intelligentsia, press associations and people, it those that wield power - the rulers - who decide the fate of the press.
They fear freedom of the press. Here in Persia the power wielders have freedom of expression and the scope to slander, libel, threaten and imprison the dissidents.
There have been many instances where citizens have been prosecuted for having exercised their right to freedom of expression, despite having complied with the law of the land and human rights principles
Tonight, friends, I am addressing you from a land where I have personally been eye-witness to the tearful eyes of journalists, whose emotions and livelihood were plunged into crisis when their newspapers were banned. They whispered the question:
Would a factory or an organisation be shut down or a large number of people and an organisation destroyed if an individual allegedly committed an offence?
Yet, many newspapers were banned and their journalists detained before their guilt was established by any a fair judicial process.
I wrote back in 1999 that the closure of each newspaper is tantamount to murder and we that should organise a movement for the “collective commemoration” of banned newspapers and hold memorials on the anniversary of their ‘deaths’; we should build memorials for them to shine a light on the ugliness of the war on the press1.
Today, I say we should create a monument – similar to monuments in many countries for the fallen of the patriotic and liberation wars where their names are inscribed – for these banned newspapers, in order to prevent history from forgetting; to prevent the forgetting of history.
As a scholar and writer, who has simultaneously worked as journalist, occasionally as editor or advisor in the press for the past quarter of a century, who has been imprisoned for the second time for an anthology of articles in lawfully published newspapers of the country, and will return to prison next week at the conclusion of a temporary leave from prison for medical treatment.
I console myself with the thought that it is not only Persian journalists and writers but also journalists and heralds of freedom of expression in the UK and throughout the world who endeavour to prevent the forgetting of newspapers fallen on the path of knowledge and free flow of information.
I bring my address to a conclusion by citing the first and last stanzas from a poem of the great Persian intellectual and journalist, Ali Akbar Dehkhoda, which he wrote one hundred years ago to mourn Sur-Esrafil, the first martyr of Persian newspapers, who was hanged at the hand of tyranny:
O’ bird of dawn!
When the dark night,
Has finally ended its darkness,
Remember the dead candle, remember!
Expressing my gratitude to British Press Awards and wishing for a world of peace, tolerance and freedom of expression! To freedom, my friends!

Emaddedin Baqi

Baghi Family’s Report about His Latest Condition

2008-01-01T16:50:00.000-08:00

In the Name of God
After fourteen days of no news and extreme concern about Emadeddin Baghi’s condition, on Wednesday 26 December he was able to contact his family through a short phone call. He announced that he had been hospitalized in the Qamar Bani Hashem hospital in Tehran and his physical condition was better than in the morning of that day. Then, on the morning of Thursday, December 27th, with the help of security officials, Baghi’s family was able to meet with him, seeing that although he had become extremely thin and weak with God’s grace danger to his health had passed. He gave his family a detailed report of what had happened on Wednesday that is being recounted here for public knowledge:
At 8:00 a.m. of Wednesday, December 26 Mr. Baghi, while taking a shower in his small cell, experiences a nerve attack that manifested itself in the trembling of his hands and feet and fainting. With the help of his only cell mate he gradually regains consciousness but because of deteriorating physical conditions calls upon the staff in prison’s health center for help. Health center staff immediately tried to stabilize his blood pressure with a pill and sweetened water and attempted to take care of the burning sensation on his face and the paralysis condition that had overtaken parts of his feet and hands as Mr. Baghi was not able to bend his fingers. The health staff massaged his hands and feet and then attempted to take him with a wheelchair to the health center in order to stabilize his breathing through injection and giving him oxygen.
At this time, as was announced before, Mr. Saleh Nikbakht, Baghi’s lawyer, was waiting to see to him but because of Baghi’s critical condition the meeting was not possible and Nikhbakht was told that Mr. Baghi was being interrogated. However, with the relative improvement of his condition Mr. Baghi contacted his family and while speaking in a halting manner he informed his family about how he was saved from danger and requested Mr. Nikbakht’s return to prison. But in the span of time Mr. Nikhbakht returned to prison and was again told that Mr. Baghi was being interrogated again, Mr. Baghi had a second attack with severe trembling that now involved teeth clenching and locked hands. Heart tests also showed an undesirable condition. Symptoms of the second attack were nausea, dizziness, trembling of the whole body and locking of hands to the point that Mr. Baghi was unable to write a sentence. He had asked his cellmate for pen and paper in order to write his will but he was unable to hold on to the pen. At this time, according to Mr. Baghi, an ambulance was called and he was sent to Qamar Bani Hashem hospital. Until 10:00 p.m. he was held in the critical care unit and then moved to the relevant section as two agents of the Ministry of Intelligence joined the team of physicians. The physician in charge said that what happened to Mr. Baghi were panic attacks and because of the special physical and mental conditions of Mr. Baghi were extremely dangerous. Had the health officials in the Ward 209 of Evin prison not moved quickly, the second attack could have been disastrous.
When asked by the physicians and Intelligence Ministry agents about factors that impacted his condition, Mr. Baghi, along with a list of many problems, identified three main issues:
First factor: Mr. Baghi’s sensitivity to what happens in prison including the commotion he heard around 2:00 a.m in one of the nights in the cell next door, suggesting that a student had attempted to commit suicide and was only saved with the presence of an Intelligence Ministry agent. Hearing about the situation of the student who had claimed that he had been physically confronted twice made Mr. Baghi extremely upset. Hearing about the situation of other students also placed him under tremendous psychological strain which he relayed to prison officials.
Second factor: Along with fact that Mr. Baghi considers his imprisonment illegal, he also deems the conditions under which he is held as illegal. Mr. Baghi asked the Intelligence Ministry agents the reasons for being held in a separate ward if he has been sentenced to one year imprisonment for the articles he published ten years ago for which he received and served a four year sentence in 2003. He also pointed out that in the court in which the sentence was issues no one but Baghi and the judge, not even Baghi’s lawyer, was present. This is why he objected to the court procedures, relying on Article 129 of the criminal code, by remaining silent. On this basis, the decision rendered is without legal merit since according to the guidelines issued by the Expediency Council the legal process without a lawyer’s presence is not legal. Baghi also referred to the fact that a bail was set for 50 million toumans in relation to this one year sentence, nullifying the case for temporary detention. Assuming that he is spending his one year prison sentence, why should he be detained in a separate security prison? Why should he be kept illegally without a ruling for 21/2 months? This is while according to Article 574 of the Islamic penal code, those who engage in such violations against the accused must face 2 months to 2 years of detention or loss of employment. Baghi said that he had told the details of the violations involved to the assistant prosecutor and he had complained to the person in charge of Ward 209 about Mr. Baghi’s detention in that ward. The person in charge of prison had said that Mr. Baghi “is in our custody” while no where in law there such a thing as a “prisoner in custody.” This is why the assistant prosecutor announced that he will have a discussion with the interrogator of the special security branch and will begin the process of trying to get Baghi out of the separate detention center. But until Wednesday nothing had happened and this state of not knowing had impacted Mr. Baghi’s health.
Third Factor: throughout the 76 days of detention, every few days new individuals are placed in Mr. Baghi’s cell, apparently so that his closed cell would not be considered solitary. These individuals who are placed in Mr. Baghi’s cell in a limited and haphazard manner are typically anxious and weep and grieve much. Given Mr. Baghi’s sensitivity to the issues and rights of prisoners, he is bound to empathize and try to console them. Mr. Baghi’s psychological state is upset by the fact that he cannot do anything for them and arrested students. The physicians in the hospital have also referred to these stressful issues and, given the threat of recurrent attacks, have advised the ceasing or at least reduction of sources of stress.
Representatives of the Intelligence Ministry, after listening carefully to the physicians’ and Baghi’s reasons, promised to change the situation not only regarding Baghi’s incarceration in a separate prison but also regarding cases such as the suicide of the student and the situation of other students.
While Mr Baghi expressed his satisfaction with the way the prison health officials had fulfilled their legal obligations, he criticized the way his family was left concerned and without news for a night and half a day.
Baghi’s family also criticized the way the news about his situation was passed along. They saw the real harm in causing concern for the family and public opinion. After meeting or talking on the phone to Baghi directly, they pointed out that by keeping the news hidden initially all sorts of doubts were raised for the family regarding whether the health problem occurred during interrogations or under normal conditions.
Although Baghi’s family delivered him to prison healthy and now see him as thin and weak with at least two physical attacks, if they had been correctly informed about his condition they could have aided in detailed and correct relaying of information. At the same time, given Mr. Baghi’s physical condition and the words of physicians trusted by officials who have warned of the possibility of a repeat attack, which this time around may be more dangerous, and said that he should be kept away from stress and physical and psychological limitations, and given the promise by the representatives of those in charge regarding respect for Baghi’s right, his family hopes that conditions are prepared for his release so he can take care of his health in an atmosphere without stress.
Of course, according to the latest information of which the family was apprised while writing this statement, Mr. Baghi was returned to prison at sundown on Thursday and was transferred to the General Ward 350. We hope that this transfer paves the way for respect of Mr. Baghi’s rights and his release.
Emadeddin Baghi’s Family

Jailed Iran journalist hospitalised

2008-01-01T16:49:00.000-08:00

A prominent Iranian pro-reform journalist and rights activist who was jailed two months ago has been taken to hospital, an Iranian news agency said.

A friend of Emadeddin Baghi said in mid-October he had been jailed for one year of a previously suspended prison sentence for acting against national security and publishing classified documents.

ISNA news agency quoted the general director of prisons in Tehran province as confirming that Baghi was taken to a hospital but that he would be returned to jail on Wednesday evening, without making clear when he was hospitalised or why.

"His general condition was not good and he was taken to one of Tehran's hospitals," the official, Sohrab Soleimani, said.

Baghi, the founder of the Society for Defending Prisoners' Rights, was on October 14 sent to Tehran's Evin prison, where many other dissidents are held, his friend Issa Saharkhiz said at the time.

A Tehran court found Baghi guilty four years ago of writing critical articles and making speeches about the judiciary's poor treatment of prisoners and cases of defendants being given inadequate access to lawyers, Saharkhiz said.

Rights groups and diplomats say there is a broad crackdown on dissenting voices in the Islamic state, which is under Western pressure over its disputed nuclear programme.

The authorities deny such moves, saying they allow free speech.

Baghi was previously jailed for insulting Islamic sanctities.

He was released after three years in 2002.

Rights groups often complain that Tehran imprisons pro-reform writers, journalists and intellectuals without due legal process.

Iran denies holding political prisoners and routinely dismisses charges of rights abuses

Source: Reuters

Link

Jailed Iranian rights activist hospitalised: report

2008-01-01T16:48:00.000-08:00

TEHRAN (AFP) — Iranian human rights activist and anti-death penalty campaigner Emaddedin Baghi, held in jail for more than two months, has been hospitalised after suffering a nervous attack, his lawyer said Thursday.
"He has been receiving medical care since Wednesday afternoon when he was taken to a Tehran private hospital," lawyer Saleh Nikbakht told AFP.
"He collapsed twice in his cell in Wednesday morning... his doctor told me the attacks were caused by high nervous pressure," he said, adding that Baghi's condition was now normal.
Baghi has been in Tehran's notorious Evin prison since his arrest on October 12, when he was ordered to serve an outstanding one-year jail term for creating propaganda against the system.
Nikbakht said that according to his latest information, Baghi was still in hospital and had been allowed to meet his family there. He added his client was satisfied with speed of the reaction by the Evin authorities to his collapse.
"Baghi's general state was not good and he was transferred to one of Tehran's hospitals," the director general of Tehran province prisons, Sohrab Soleimani, was quoted as saying by the ISNA news agency late on Wednesday.
Baghi, who heads the Committee for the Defence of Prisoners' Rights, has already served several jail terms in Iran while also receiving awards from Western countries for his work.
According to the charges, Baghi obtained secret information from prisoners and then disseminated this information during seminars organised by his group.
He has publicly protested against the wave of hangings, many in public, that have swept Iran in recent months as part of a campaign the authorities say is aimed at improving security in society.
In September Baghi wrote an open letter to the heads of reformist parties -- including former president Mohammad Khatami and ex-parliament speaker Mehdi Karroubi -- complaining of their silence over the increase in hangings.
In 2005 he was awarded a top human rights prize by France for his work campaigning against the death penalty. New-York based Human Rights Watch (HRW) and the US State Department have both called for his release.
Capital offences in Iran include murder, rape, armed robbery, serious drug trafficking and adultery. The Islamic republic is currently believed to be the second most prolific applier of the death penalty worldwide after China.
Link

Human Rights Defender: Emadeddin Baghi

2008-01-01T16:47:00.000-08:00

In a recent AP report, Emadeddin Baghi, who was arrested on 15th October by the Iranian authorities for violating national security, had fainted while taking a shower in prison. The man is also an active campaigner for the past few years, against the death penalty, especially of those languishing in Iranian prison. The next year, he was given the French Human Rights Prize for his work against the death penalty. Emadeddin Baghi, considered one of Iran's leading dissident, has also voiced criticisms against the US for funding "democracy promotion" activities in Iran, as it gives the government a cover to clamp down on human rights activism in the country.
Link

Human Rights Defender: Emadeddin Baghi

2008-01-01T16:46:00.000-08:00

In a recent AP report, Emadeddin Baghi, who was arrested on 15th October by the Iranian authorities for violating national security, had fainted while taking a shower in prison. They believed that his current condition is due to a nervous breakdown.

In 2000, he had been sentenced to a three-year jail term for writings “against the regime”. He served a two year sentence then for his works on the series of murders involving Iranian intellectuals, and was detained again this October, for another year (from his last sentence) for continuing his activities, which were spreading, “propaganda against the system” and “publishing secret government documents” .

State repression has manifested itself in various forms and extended to include his family.

After being released in 2003, he has been summoned to court 23 times. His wife, Fatemeh Kamali Ahmad Sarahi and daughter, Maryam Baghi, were given three-year suspended prison sentences and five years of probation for participating in human rights workshops in Dubai in 2004.

The man is also an active campaigner for the past few years, against the death penalty, especially of those languishing in Iranian prison. He formed the Society for the Defense of Prisoners’ Rights, in 2003 and the Society of Right to Life Guardians in 2005 to tackle these issues. On the death penalty, he wrote to the authorities in 2006, including ex president, Mohammad Khatami, on the increased number of executions. By October 2007, Iran is officially reported to have carried out no less than 207 executions this year alone, a figure higher than 2006. Baghi has also voiced criticisms against “stoning” as a form of punishment for adultery in Iran.

As an intellectual, he has written 20 books, of which six has been banned in the country. The first book, “A Study About the Clerics” which called for a more open Islam that should be subjected to individual, rather than clerical interpretation was banned. “Realities and Judgments” which described the violent suppression of opposition in Iran, was published illegally and anonymously in 1991, and extensively destroyed by the government upon release. He is also a journalist, writing on mostly social and political issues for various newspapers and magazines since 1983.

As a recipient of the 2004 Civil Courage Prize, awarded by the Train Foundation, he was prevented from leaving the country to receive the award. The next year, he was given the French Human Rights Prize for his work against the death penalty. Human rights organisations, Reporters Without Borders; Human Rights Watch; and Amnesty International have all condemned his imprisonment as being politically motivated and measures to curb freedom of speech in Iran.

Emadeddin Baghi, considered one of Iran’s leading dissident, has also voiced criticisms against the US for funding “democracy promotion” activities in Iran, as it gives the government a cover to clamp down on human rights activism in the country.

===

References:

1. Jailed Iran rights activist in hospital, AP, 27 December 2007

2. Emadeddin Baghi, Wikipedia, extracted on 28 December 2007

3. Iran: Release Leading Defender of Prisoners’ Rights; Emadeddin Baghi Jailed Under Politically Motivated Charges, Human Rights Watch, 16 October, 2007

4. Prisoners’ Rights Activist Arrested and Detained, WorldPress.org, Niusha Boghrati, 16 October, 2007

5. Prominent Iranian Human Rights Defender Emaddedin Baghi Detained, Amnesty International USA, extracted on 28 December 2007

His writings:

1. Iran’s new era: nine lessons for reformers, OpenDemocracy, Emadeddin Baghi, 2 August 2005

2. Hope for Democracy in Iran, Washington Post, 25 October 25, 2004

3. More of his writings in English can also be found at Emadbaghi.com

link

Jailed Iran Rights Activist in Hospital

2008-01-01T16:44:00.001-08:00

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — The head of an Iranian human rights group jailed on security charges was sent to a local hospital after collapsing in a prison shower, his lawyer said Thursday.
Emadeddin Baghi passed out while taking a shower in prison and initially no one knew to which hospital he had been sent, his lawyer Saleh Nikbakhat told The Associated Press.
"Mr. Baghi was transferred to a local hospital after he complained about his health during a phone call from prison to his wife on Wednesday," he said.
"Doctors in hospital said he nearly broke down twice on Wednesday," Nikbakhat added. "They believe nervous pressure on Baghi led to the illness."
Nikbakhat, who visited Baghi in the hospital Thursday, said he was feeling better and will be back in prison by Friday.
Baghi, 45, was arrested in October on charges of violating national security. Authorities said that due to his ongoing activities, he had to serve the remaining year of an earlier prison sentence that had originally been suspended.
In 2003, Baghi was sentenced to three years in prison on similar charges of threatening national security, but he only served two years of the term.
Authorities have accused Baghi, who campaigns for the humane treatment of prisoners, of using his activism as a guise to cover anti-regime efforts.
Link

Media advocacy group RSF worried about health of jailed Iranian activist

2008-01-01T16:43:00.000-08:00

A Paris-based media advocacy group expressed concern Friday for the health of an Iranian activist jailed on security charges who was earlier this week rushed to hospital and urged authorities to release him from prison.
Reporters Without Borders said journalist and human rights activist Emadeddin Baghi was taken to hospital Wednesday, after suffering a "double heart attack" in the Evin prison in Tehran, where he has been held for the past 74 days.
He was taken back to a new wing cell of Evin on Thursday evening, the press freedom organization, known by its French initials RSF, said in a statement made available to The Associated Press.
Baghi, 45, was arrested in October on charges of violating national security. He is an active campaigner for prisoners' rights and against Iran's death penalty. In 2005, he was awarded the French government's human rights prize, RSF said.
Iranian authorities have said that due to Baghi's ongoing activities, he had to serve the remaining year of an earlier prison sentence that had originally been suspended. They accuse him of using his activism as a guise to cover anti-regime efforts.
"The conditions in which Baghi is being held are unacceptable," the RSF statement said. "He has been in solitary confinement ever since he was first taken to Evin, as if imprisonment was not already enough punishment. As his state of health has worsened steadily during the past two months, it is inconceivable that he should be expected to convalesce in prison."
Baghi's lawyer, Saleh Nikbakhat, said his client was rushed to hospital after collapsing in a prison shower Wednesday. RSF said Nikbakhat had told them Baghi's deteriorating health was mainly due to appalling prison conditions and harassment he has been subjected to during interrogations.
In 2003, Baghi was sentenced to three years in prison on similar charges of threatening national security, but only served two years of the term.
Iran recently released three Iranian-Americans after they spent about four months in Evin, a notorious prison on the northern outskirts of Tehran, on accusations of trying to stir up a revolution in the Islamic Republic.
A fourth Iranian-American also was allowed to leave the country after authorities confiscated her passport earlier this year. All four were charged with endangering national security — allegations they and their employers denied.
Human rights groups also have accused Iran of committing abuses against prisoners at Evin — a charge the government denies.
Link

Jailed Iran journalist hospitalised

2008-01-01T16:42:00.000-08:00

A prominent Iranian pro-reform journalist and rights activist who was jailed two months ago has been taken to hospital, an Iranian news agency said.

A friend of Emadeddin Baghi said in mid-October he had been jailed for one year of a previously suspended prison sentence for acting against national security and publishing classified documents.

ISNA news agency quoted the general director of prisons in Tehran province as confirming that Baghi was taken to a hospital but that he would be returned to jail on Wednesday evening, without making clear when he was hospitalised or why.

“His general condition was not good and he was taken to one of Tehran’s hospitals,” the official, Sohrab Soleimani, said.

Baghi, the founder of the Society for Defending Prisoners’ Rights, was on October 14 sent to Tehran’s Evin prison, where many other dissidents are held, his friend Issa Saharkhiz said at the time.

A Tehran court found Baghi guilty four years ago of writing critical articles and making speeches about the judiciary’s poor treatment of prisoners and cases of defendants being given inadequate access to lawyers, Saharkhiz said.

Rights groups and diplomats say there is a broad crackdown on dissenting voices in the Islamic state, which is under Western pressure over its disputed nuclear programme.
The authorities deny such moves, saying they allow free speech.

Baghi was previously jailed for insulting Islamic sanctities.
He was released after three years in 2002.

Rights groups often complain that Tehran imprisons pro-reform writers, journalists and intellectuals without due legal process.
Iran denies holding political prisoners and routinely dismisses charges of rights abuses.
- Reuters
Link

Jailed Iranian Journalist Taken to Hospital-Report

2008-01-01T16:41:00.000-08:00

Baghi was previously jailed for insulting Islamic sanctities. He was released after three years in 2002.
A prominent Iranian pro-reform journalist and rights activist who was jailed two months ago has been taken to hospital, an Iranian news agency said on Wednesday.
A friend of Emadeddin Baghi said in mid-October he had been jailed for one year of a previously suspended prison sentence for acting against national security and publishing classified documents.
ISNA news agency quoted the general director of prisons in Tehran province as confirming that Baghi was taken to a hospital but that he would be returned to jail on Wednesday evening, without making clear when he was hospitalised or why.
"His general condition was not good and he was taken to one of Tehran's hospitals," the official, Sohrab Soleimani, said.
Baghi, the founder of the Society for Defending Prisoners' Rights, was on Oct. 14 sent to Tehran's Evin prison, where many other dissidents are held, his friend Issa Saharkhiz told Reuters at the time.
A Tehran court found Baghi guilty four years ago of writing critical articles and making speeches about the judiciary's poor treatment of prisoners and cases of defendants being given inadequate access to lawyers, Saharkhiz said.
Rights groups and diplomats say there is a broad crackdown on dissenting voices in the Islamic state, which is under Western pressure over its disputed nuclear programme. The authorities deny such moves, saying they allow free speech.
Baghi was previously jailed for insulting Islamic sanctities. He was released after three years in 2002.
Rights groups often complain that Tehran imprisons pro-reform writers, journalists and intellectuals without due legal process. Iran denies holding political prisoners and routinely dismisses charges of rights abuses.
Link

Jailed Iran Rights Activist in Hospital

2008-01-01T16:40:00.000-08:00

TEHRAN, Iran — The head of an Iranian human rights group jailed on security charges was sent to a local hospital after collapsing in a prison shower, said his lawyer on Thursday.
Emadeddin Baghi passed out while taking a shower in prison and initially no one knew to which hospital he had been sent, his lawyer Saleh Nikbakhat said to The Associated Press.
"Mr. Baghi was transferred to a local hospital after he complained about his health during a phone call from prison to his wife on Wednesday," he said.
"Doctors in hospital said he nearly broke down twice on Wednesday," Nikbakhat added. "They believe nervous pressure on Baghi led to the illness."
According to his lawyer, who visited him in the hospital Thursday, Baghi is feeling better and will be back prison by Friday.
Baghi, 45, was arrested in October on charges of violating national security. Authorities said that due to his ongoing activities, he had to serve the remaining year of an earlier prison sentence that had originally been suspended.
In 2003, Baghi was sentenced to three years in prison on similar charges of threatening national security, but he only served two years of the term.
Authorities have accused Baghi, who campaigns for the humane treatment of prisoners, of using his activism as a guise to cover anti-regime efforts.
Link

Dangerously Ill Iranian Human Rights Defender Must be Released

2008-01-01T16:39:00.000-08:00

Human Rights First Organization
For Immediate Release: December 28, 2007
Krista Minteer (212) 845-5207
New York - Emadeddin Baghi, a leading Iranian human rights activist and journalist suffered an apparent heart attack on December 26 while being held in pre-trial detention in Tehran’s Evin Prison. He was moved to hospital, but the authorities returned him to prison the following day, where his health is at serious risk. Human Rights First is calling on the Iranian government to release Baghi immediately and unconditionally so that he can receive necessary medical care and resume his vital, legitimate work for human rights.

“Baghi has committed no crime and his continuing imprisonment, which threatens his life, is an outrage,” said Maureen Byrnes, Executive Director of Human Rights First.

Emadeddin Baghi was detained in October 2007 on charges of “endangering national security,” which relate to his activities as the head of a human rights organization, the Association to Protect Prisoners, that has documented cases of torture and abuse of prisoners in Iran and campaigned for reforms. He was previously arrested in 2003 and sentenced to three years’ imprisonment on similar charges for reporting on official involvement in the murders of opposition figures in the 1990s. He was released after two years, with the third year suspended.

Since his most recent detention, he has been held in solitary confinement in poor conditions, and according to his lawyer, subjected to harsh interrogation. These conditions have apparently contributed to the serious deterioration in his health. Baghi is 45 years old.

Baghi is the recipient of many international human rights awards including the 2004 Civil Courage Prize and the 2005 Human Rights Prize of the French Republic.
Link

Human Rights Activist, Jailed in Iran, Is Transferred to Hospital

2007-12-28T17:36:00.002-08:00

By NAZILA FATHI
Published: December 27, 2007
TEHRAN — A prominent human rights activist who has been jailed since October was transferred to a hospital Wednesday, according to his wife and the news agency ISNA.
The man, Emadedin Baghi, a reformist journalist who is in jail for the second time, was taken from the notorious Evin prison to a hospital in Tehran. His wife, Fatimeh Kamali, said in a telephone interview Wednesday that her husband had called her in the morning from prison and sounded as if he was barely conscious.
She said he could barely speak and kept repeating himself, but she was able to understand that he said he would have died had a prison official not recently found him. He also asked for his lawyer.
ISNA quoted the general director of prisons in Tehran Province, Sohrab Soleimani, as saying that Mr. Baghi was taken to a hospital but was expected to return to prison Wednesday evening. He did not provide any further information.
Mr. Baghi’s lawyer, Saleh Nikbakht, had traveled to the prison to meet with him in the morning before the phone call but was turned away by prison officials who said Mr. Baghi was being interrogated, Ms. Kamali said.
After the phone call, Ms. Kamali said she and Mr. Nikbakht rushed to the prison, where they saw an ambulance go in and quickly leave.
Although she and Mr. Nikbakht spent the rest of the day trying to get permission from judiciary officials to see Mr. Baghi, they never got approval, Ms. Kamali said.
Mr. Baghi was jailed in October, when he was summoned to appear before a court to answer accusations related to a nongovernmental organization he founded to fight for prisoner rights, his Web site says.
Prior to the October court date, he had received a one-year jail term for a speech he made in 2004 and a three-year suspended sentence on charges of acting against national security.
Mr. Baghi was in jail from 2000 to 2003 for making allegations about the role government officials played in the assassination of intellectuals in the late 1990s.
Ms. Kamali said Wednesday that prison officials had promised that her husband would call her back Wednesday, but she said he had not called as of late Wednesday evening.
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Severe Decline in Baghi's Health

2007-12-28T17:36:00.001-08:00

Last night I heard bad news about the health of my brother. Yesterday morning when he was taking shower in his solitary confinement, suddenly he left unconscious. When the prison authorities telephoned at his home, he couldn't talk with his wife. The only thing that he could say was this sentence : "if the prison authorities didn't rush to help me, I died and ceased to be alive". The point is that when his lawyer decided to meet him at the prison, he was informed by the authorities that Mr. Baghi is being interrogated and you are not permitted to meet him. At the same time he was ordered to give a call at home and tell his wife that : "notify Mr. Nikbakht to return home and leave the prison". We were informed that he was transferred to an unknown hospital in Tehran. His wife together with his daughter and his son-in-law and my brother's attorney in law were searching the hospitals of Tehran last night. Finally at 2 in the midnight they found the hospital but they were not permitted to meet him. we believe that he had a heart attack (despite we are not sure about this but guess)and was under severe pressure in the prison in a way that he couldn't talk to his wife. An intelligent agent on behalf of my brother talked to his wife. Today (Thursday) he will be taken to the prison again.
You know better than I do that when a person has a heart attack must be hospitalized for a couple of days and be taken care by the Doctors but after less than 24 hours he will be moved to the prison again.
This is an interview distributed in the web sites:
Emadeddin Baghi – the imprisoned head of defending prisoners' rights society- due to severe decline and deterioration in his health moved to the hospital on Wednesday night. Baghi in his last telephone call declared that he had a heart attack when he was taking shower and after that the prison authorities rushed to help and transfer him to the hospital.
The director general of Tehran prisons, Sohrab Soleimani, confirmed the news and added : "Wednesday night he will be returned to the prison. His general health was not favorable and transferred to one of the hospitals based in Tehran " .
According to the conferring and lobbying done, he is supposed to be taken care in the hospital till tomorrow (Thursday). He was first hospitalized in CCU and now due to his relative recovery he is being taken care in a general section.
This is while Mr. Karrobi had conferment and lobbying with Mohseni Ejei (intelligence minister), Ali Razini (court of justice minister) and Ali Mobasheri (the head of Tehran revolutionary court) for pursuing and knowing about the deteriorating situation of Mr. Baghi.
Also Mohammad Ghochani – Baghi's son in law- in an interview gave the following explanations:
Ghochani said: yesterday morning Mr. Nikbakht went to prison to meet baghi. But he was informed by the prison officials that Baghi is being interrogated and you are not allowed to meet him.
He added: two hours after Mr. Nikbakht left the prison; Mr. Baghi gave a phone call at home and informed the family of his deterioration in his health, that due to this, the telephone conversation interrupted. After that, we had a phone call to Evin Prison and urged the authorities that tell us know about Mr. Baghi's situation. We were told his lawyer can meet him.
Ghochani went on to say that unlike the prison officials' promise, Mr. Nikbakht together with Mr. Baghi's wife from 10/30 in the morning had been waiting for the permission to meet Baghi but after hours of delay they were not allowed to pay a visit to Baghi.
He continued saying that we are worried about his situation. If something bad happens to Mr. Baghi, it is the government officials' duty to take the responsibility.
Also Mrs. Kamali – Baghi's wife- had an interview with BBC World.
She said: "Mr. Baghi telephoned at home at 11 in the morning (Wednesday) from Prison but he was not able to talk and his only demand was to see his lawyer. I knew him from his "hello". I called him but no one answered to me. Again when I called him for the fourth time, I was notified that someone is telling baghi that you have to talk to your wife so that they understand that you are O.K. after this struggle, I heard that Mr. baghi is telling me "inform my lawyer to return to the prison". The interrogator told me on behalf of Baghi that he caught cold. That's it and he is o.k" .
Mrs. Kamali says: despite we hurriedly and rapidly rushed to the prison but we were not permitted to meet him and no one replied us.
Mrs. Kamali asks the question: "if he has severe decline in his health, why has he been interrogated? " she added that we couldn't receive any response from judicial officials. She said that this is the first time that I heard Mr. Baghi can not speak well. He spoke with low tone of voice that made me too worry.
This was bit of news about my brother. i will let you know soon more about him.

Khatami promised to help Baghi

2007-12-14T16:02:00.000-08:00

Etemad Daily Newspaper published the following news: A group of “pursuit board members” for Emadeddin Baghi’s release (elected by the Governing Board of the Defending Prisoners’ Rights Society) met with the ex-Iranian president Mr. Khatami. At this meeting, Mr. Khatami as well as notifying his awareness and cognizance about Baghi’s human rights activities (the head of DPRS), evaluated his civil endeavors as in the interest of the society (particularly, helping prisoners and their families) and assistance to the authorities (especially judiciary system). Besides, Khatami highlighting and emphasizing on Baghi’s good intention and his national and religious motivations in his human rights efforts expressed his sorrow for the way that Baghi was treated recently. …… Khatami promised to use the existing potential and actual means and possibilities to solve Baghi’s recent difficulty and act for rectifying this misunderstanding.

Emadeddin Baghi’s Mourning for Qeysar Aminpour / Qeysar’s Unwritten Poem

2007-12-13T15:32:00.000-08:00

Maryam Baghi
It was one of the spring days of this year. My father gave me the phone and said, “Qeysar Aminpour is on the line. He is reciting the poem ‘A Plan for Peace’ and you write.” I liked his poems and was happy by the fact that I was going to read his unpublished poem on the day of announcement for the establishment of The Center for Peace Seekers of Iran (Olive Society). He was ill and had to be admitted to the hospital. For this reason he could not be present to the get together to which he had been invited and I had to read his poem:
Martyr sleeping in earth
Said to himself
If conquest is this
That enemy is defeated
Why enmity is still around
Martyr sleeping in earth
Finger tipping in his blood and writing
Two or three words on stone
In the hope of real victory
Not in war
But over war
Today Qeysar Aminpour is gone. Taking flight to the land of eternal, as though he had experienced the flight before in his dreams:
Last night again
As though I saw myself in my dream
Opening wings in the sky
And soaring in between clouds
And as I leaped in the morning
In my bed
I saw a fistful of feathers
Then with disbelieving yawn
Laid hand on my tired shoulders
On my shoulders
As though empty place of something
Something like a wing
I was feeling
Today my father is not with us but he is around here. Tall walls have surrounded him so he would not be among us, not be in his society, since “enmity is still around,” since his pain, “although not like the pain of contemporary people” is “the pain of contemporary people” and others misunderstand his pain because….
It was 45 days that I had not seen my father. His one day trips were always hard for us and we had just gotten over his 3-year absence… I saw him, in person and took him in my embrace. Our greetings in front of the three supervising officials had not finished when he said, “When did Qeysar Aminpour passed away?” Aminpour was no longer more than a month. My father had nothing; no newspaper was given to him, not even a piece of paper and pen. He had just read about the passing away of Qeysar Aminpour in the old newspapers that he did not tell us how he had seen. He was so much in sorrow that in the short 20 minute meeting he remembered his last encounter with him; an encounter in which Qeysar Aminpour was feeling slightly ill and it was agreed that he would write a poem; a poem for “Right of Life.” This was a poem that he apparently never found opportunity to write when his earthly life ended.
My father wanted at least his condolences to reach Aminpour’s family. He did not have paper and pen to write a few sentences to console them. We had to relay his message.
The week after, when 51 days had passed since his arrest, we went to see him standing behind a glass barrier; only my mother and I and not my younger sisters who are pained because they cannot touch my father from behind the glass. My father was also not happy with this type of meeting but we had seen his thin body and his physical condition had become a concern. We wanted to see him one more time no matter what. It was raining and rain was turning into small snowflakes. Autumn leaves had covered the prison yard and we thought that my father would at least traverse the distance between his ward and the meeting hall with a car, will see the rain and snow which he likes and feel the change of season. I was telling myself that once I saw him I would tell him to say a few sentences for consoling Aminpour’s family so that I could relay them. Three times the curtain in the meeting hall went up and down and finally no prisoner entered the hall. The meeting time was over and my father did not come. We did not know why they told us that he is prohibited from meeting with family after all this wait!
***
Dear Aminpour! Pains like yours and my father’s are familiar to me. I walked the streets, closely look around. I speak to a variety of people and say hello. Yes, your pain is not the pain of contemporary people, it is another kind but it is their pain. I recite over and over this part of your “pain remembrance”:
My Pains
Although not like the pains of contemporary people
Are the pains of contemporary people
People whose skins’ wrinkles
Color of their cuffs
People whose names
Old covers of their birth certificates
Are in Pain
But with me all of my boned being
Simple moments of writing
Curves of my spirit
Tired shoulders of my pride
Exposed refuge of my heart is broken
Shoulder of my excuseless cries
Arms of my poetic feeling
Have been scarred
May your spirit be in joy; a spirit that is like life since being alive is not the only meaning of life:
Being after self is not meaning of love
In the same way being alive [not] meaning of life
Yes, dear, Ayeh Aminpour, departure for your father was arrival. He had said it himself:
We are waves and our union, is separation from self
The coast is an excuse, to depart is to arrived
He has arrived to the love for which he wrote a grammar. Accept the condolences of my father, I, and my family.
Source: Sharvand-e Emrouz

Baghi: I have no choice but to go on hunger strike

2007-12-06T14:01:00.000-08:00

In his letter to 5 government officials
Baghi: I have no choice but to go on hunger strike
Nourooz: Emadeddin Baghi’s family – the detained head of the association for defending prisoners’ rights- could finally meet him on Monday after 45 days. Baghi in this visitation – that caused to his family’s protest because of rude behavior of the investigator – announced that since then he has written 5 letters to judicial chief Ayatollah Shahroodi, Tehran ministry of justice, Intelligence ministry, the head of the parliament and the judge of his case. In these letters, Baghi described the process of his case as well as violations of his rights and has protested against his (way of) detention and place of his detention. Baghi in his letters has declared that he is not looking for raising tumult and kicking up a dust but if these lawlessness and spiritual and physical tortures continues to practice, there will remain no choice for him except to go on a hunger strike. Nourooz correspondent in an interview with Baghi’s spouse, asked questions about the situation of Baghi in prison.

Mrs. Kamali! What was the conditions and state of your meeting with Mr. Baghi?
Baghi’s lawyer took troubles (or pains) and submitted a request to meet him face-to-face. My daughters could hug their father after 45 days but they had a lump in their throat. Mr. Baghi had become too slim. He entered the meeting room with two agents. We thought they will go with him into the saloon and then will stand aside but surprisingly they ordered all the family to sit around a table. Then one of them stood over Mr. Baghi and the other stood over the family. Mr. Baghi took offence deeply and said: “we are transparent like all stages of my life and your rude behavior is offensive”. Mr. Baghi ignored them with his family’s request. Despite, these two agents were standing over all of us but unfortunately, at the time when we wanted to exit the saloon, they directed my daughters and me to a room to investigate us physically.
Their action was questionable and it seems to me a bit dubious; if they investigated us physically before meeting Baghi, their action was justifiable, for example they tried to prevent us not to give a written report to Baghi from our side. But it has a different meaning when investigating at the time of leaving. It means that they are taking preventive measures or precautions not to transfer or pass on Baghi’s written reports out of prison. This is while Baghi has been denied pen, pencil and papers. The situation was so harsh that my junior daughter told me: “Mummy! I became sad with this meeting. See my father is under severe pressures and tortures. Regarding to their full surveillance and screening, they fear from the fact that my father gives us a report about his terrible situation in the prison”.
We requested the prison authorities’ response after this rude investigation. But the woman who directed us to the room, commanded to stand in queue. Her offensive and impolite behavior with Mr. Baghi’s mother irritated my daughters. She searched my daughter’s handbag and her body. She dressed a hand glove and asked my daughter to strip her undergarment off. My daughter could not believe and looked at me surprisingly then told the woman agent: “what did you say?” when she reiterated domineeringly, my daughter became so angry and burst into crying and shouting. My daughter intensely protested and said: “I do not permit you to do this. Have you captured a smuggler? What do you fear from to deny a pen, pencil and a sheet of paper to my father? You had stood over us and kept your eyes on our mouth? With the presence of two agents how could we hide something? I will never let you insult me. Why don’t you treat and behave people in their dignity? Isn’t it enough to put pressure on my father and irritate him?”

My daughter cried too much in a way that impressed the family. I could hardly make her calm and quiet; particularly, Mr. Baghi’s elder brother had recently a cerebral apoplexy. Nervousness and excitement is harmful for him. He could hardly visit his brother. He was worried about the situation of his brother so that feels calm and relief by seeing him. But when he saw his brother and being turned his nieces, his situation became so bad. We think God has bestowed him again to his family.
I’m so sorry of all these unkindness and cruelty for a 20 minute visit. I don not know why they do not consider his reverence. I wish someone respond to this question. Regarding to the fact that Baghi has been denied a small sheet of paper, pen and pencil, how he can deliver something to us? This rude investigation whether by intelligence ministry or the prison authorities has no meaning but to psychologically irritate and infuriate the family.

- How was Mr. baghi’s Mental and physical situation?
His mental situation was great. We thought we have to enliven him considering 45 days in solitary confinement. But it was surprising that he invigorated his family and this led us to ignore the unkindness allowed to him. He is being held in solitary confinement for 45 days. He was unaware and uninformed about the news outside the prison. Yesterday he found an old newspaper and informed about the Death of Gheysar Aminpor (Iranian poet). He was impressed. He said “ I wish I knew about this soon and sent a letter of condolence to his family”. He commemorated Gheysar before being imprisoned because he was supposed to compose poetry about “the right to life”. Mr. Baghi has been told to receive newspapers since tomorrow (Tuesday) but we do not know what kind of newspaper.
Another issue which rose at the visit was Baghi’s request for a pen and a peace of paper to write a letter to government officials. First, they replied the pen is forbidden. But after his protest to their illegal act, he received a peace of paper and a pen only to write a letter to officials. The pen and paper confiscated after he wrote the letter. Baghi has written 5 letters to some government officials including, judicial chief, Tehran ministry of justice, intelligence ministry, head of the parliament and the judge of his case. In these letters he described the process of his case as well as violations of his rights committed by officials and announced that if these lawlessness and mental and physical tortures goes on to practice, I will have no choice except to go on a hunger strike.

Could you give a book or something to Mr. Baghi during you visit?
No, unfortunately. We took with us some food and fruits and 3 books but the authorities prevented to deliver them to Baghi. Of course, if all the facilities be given to him, but he is still being held in a closed cell. We don’t know why they are so persistent to keep him in such a situation.

Committee for Academic & Intellectual Freedom

2007-12-06T13:54:00.001-08:00

To: Ayatollah Sayyid ‘Ali Khamenei, Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran
cc.: Dr. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, President of the Islamic Republic of Iran
Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi, Head of the Iranian Judiciary
Mr. Mohammad Hassan Zia'ifar, Secretary of the Islamic Human Rights Commission

We are writing to express our grave concern regarding the arrest of Mr. Emadeddin Baghi on October 14, 2007, and his continued detention. Mr. Baghi is best known internationally as a prominent Iranian journalist, author, and intellectual, and as a leading human rights defender inside Iran as well as the founder (in 2003) of the Association for Defending the Rights of Prisoners in Iran--the pioneering organization of its kind in Iran, which defends the basic rights and human dignity of all prisoners and advocates the abolition of torture and the death penalty. Among other awards recognizing his immense contribution to defending human rights and promoting freedom of expression, Mr. Baghi is the recipient of the Northcote Parkinson Fund’s Civil Courage Award (2004) and the prestigious French National Consultative Commission on Human Rights Award (2005). Prior to his recent arrest, Mr. Baghi already had served a jail sentence from 2000 to 2003 for his journalistic activities and was subsequently subjected to regular intimidation and harassment by the authorities, ranging from the confiscation of his passport to “legal” proceedings against him and his family members.
Mr. Baghi consistently has spoken out against violent social change while promoting freedom of expression and greater democratic rights. In his unflagging endorsement of freedom of expression in Iran, Baghi steadfastly has condemned outside overt or covert state intervention in Iranian affairs. This includes his public rebuke of the US State Department’s allocation of funds for “pro-democracy” groups and human rights NGOs inside Iran. Baghi regards the allocation of such funds as nothing more than Washington’s subterfuge for promoting its own self-serving agenda which, in the process, falsely and undeservedly taints all human rights defenders and advocates of greater freedom of expression inside Iran as somehow beholden to and collaborating with US policy.
According to the available information, Mr. Baghi has been arrested by Iranian authorities to serve a suspended one-year sentence he received in 2004 for his journalistic activities as well as a new three-year sentence on additional charges of “propaganda against the state” and the “public disclosure of state secrets” (stemming from his activities in support of prisoners’ rights and his journalism). He is being held in solitary confinement in Evin prison--in the notorious detention facilities at the prison run by the intelligence ministry--and is denied basic prisoners’ rights, such as regular visitation rights, regular access to his lawyer, and reading and writing material, other than a small copy of the Quran he is allowed to keep.
Mr. Baghi’s arrest has been condemned by leading non-partisan, independent human rights groups and organizations promoting freedom of expression, such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, International PEN, Reporters without Borders, and the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH). As the leading international, non-partisan, academic organization devoted to Iran and Iran-related studies, the International Society for Iranian Studies Committee for Academic and Intellectual Freedom joins these other international organizations in condemning the arrest and detention of Mr. Baghi and calls on Iranian authorities to grant his immediate and unconditional release. We also ask the Iranian authorities to guarantee Mr. Baghi’s full access to his legal representative, his well-treatment, as well as visitation rights and regular phone calls to his relatives and friends while he remains in detention.
We also are extremely concerned by the intensifying trend in the harassment and detention of many other academics, researchers, and intellectuals in Iran over the past two years on arbitrary, trumped-up charges against them. These arrests and persecutory policies--ranging from the detention of numerous non-violent student activists to the dismissal of university faculty and other educators from their teaching posts on “ideological” grounds, denying formal educational opportunities to members of the Baha’i community, persecution of human rights defenders and journalists, the discretionary closure of many newspapers, the recent arrests of women’s rights activists, or the current trial behind-closed-doors of the French-Iranian student and filmmaker Mehrnoush Solouki--appear to be part of an organized, large-scale attempt by the authorities to further curtail freedom of thought and expression in Iran. As an academic organization committed to the promotion of freedoms of research, thought, and expression, we consider these alarming developments as a well-orchestrated official assault on the basic rights of individuals to freedom of thought and expression, which are guaranteed under the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran (Article 23) and protected by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (Articles 18, 19, and 21), to which the Islamic Republic of Iran is a signatory.
Your Excellency, we very much hope you will take appropriate measures to bring about the immediate and unconditional release of Mr. Baghi and other non-violent jailed journalists, academics, students, and human rights advocates and that you will guarantee the basic rights of freedom of thought, research, and expression in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Baghi Prohibited from Having Visitors; His Family Accused

2007-12-05T16:35:00.002-08:00

Norouz: Emadeddin Baghi, the detained head of the Association for Defending Prisoners Rights is prohibited from having visitors. This is while Baghi in his last family visit said that he had written letters to five officials regarding his interrogations and file and had declared that in case of the continuation of the current trend, he will have no other choice but to go on a hunger strike. On Monday, Fatemeh Kamali, Baghi’s wife, talked about her visit to the prison and receiving the news about the prohibition on Baghi having visitors.
Mrs. Kamali, today when you went to visit Mr. Baghi in prison, how were you treated and how did you become aware of his visitor prohibition?
After the improper encounter that we had last time and because of the extreme concern the family had regarding Baghi’s health, despite the fact that I had neither the inclination for a visit held in a meeting hall nor the necessary physical capability for it, I decided to go for the meeting. Along with my eldest, and Baghi’s mother and sister, we went for the visit. Our names were written and after climbing about 50 steps we reached the floor for the meeting. This was while I had relayed my knee problems via our respected lawyer to the first branch of the security court and even had a doctor’s note to give to the court.
Unfortunately in the meeting hall we heard and saw nothing but the suffering of the issues and problems visitors have. Three times, each time for about 20 minutes, the curtains went up and down and they did not bring Baghi. After questioning the person in charge about why we had been kept waiting, he said, “go down, Baghi has been prohibited form having visitors.” He said, “because of the problems of the previous meeting, I talked with the official in charge of the first security branch and he said not to allow a visit and refer them to the first branch.” When we asked why, they said “a complaint has been taken to the court from here and has been signed. As a result your visits have been halted.
We were astonished. In the improper encounter that we faced in the last meeting, one of the security officials repeatedly told Baghi’s sister: “Do not lodge a complaint against us. See! We have accompanied you up to here (meaning the meeting hall) and from here on [is in the hands] of prison officials and they are the one ones who behave this way.” And we did not lodge a complaint since we did not know an authority who could deal with the complaint in a just manner but, before us, the people who asked us not to complain against them lodge a complaint against us. What can be done about such a state of being wronged, such injustice. We did not expect them to speak affably to us, but complaint and creation of a file for Baghi’s daughters is really beyond the pale. The prohibition against visits for Baghi reminds me of the proverb that whoever reaches the judge earlier comes back satisfied. It is interesting that during the period of our bodily search and ill treatment only four or five people were present and after that by calling a few baton-wielding soldiers we were accompanied to the outside of prison by them. Now how is it that it said that the complaint that has been lodged has many signatures? Please somebody tell us to whom we should complain? I would like to know the nature of my husband’s crime that, now because of his children’s visit, a case is made against them as well. Is the fact that a girl did not allow her body to be searched in an obscene manner and raised her voice in protest against her being wronged a crime?
We express our deepest concern about Mr. Baghi health and in the light of the fact that he has become very weak and thin and in the previous meeting hinted at the use of white torture against him, we see prohibition against visitors as nothing but preventing information relay to his family. Mr Baghi himself has never been in favor of hunger strike. What path has been placed in front of him that he sees such an evident violation of his beliefs as the only possible path. Given this situation of lack of news, from our point of view, officials are responsible for anything that happens to him since we do not consider appropriate all the mental pressures placed on a prisoner and his family as well as lack of attention exhibited by officials to whom Baghi has written letters and those others that have not been addressed but know of the issue. Although we have always found refuge in God and this is the most worthy thing to do, it is not appropriate in an Islamic country to take constant refuge in God because of governmental institutions.
Have officials responded so far to Mr. Baghi’s letter?
So far there has been no response to his letter as he continues to be in a close cell and under interrogation.
Source: Norouz.

In Memory of Emadeddin Baghi

2007-12-05T16:35:00.001-08:00

With especial thanks to Dr. Faride Farhi

In Memory of Emadeddin Baghi
Hanif Mazroi
The news has come that Emadeddin Baghi (human rights activist) has been sentenced to prison again and has been sent to Evin. Baghi is among the few individuals who without attention to political or party or even religious issues has struggled for the freedom and human rights of detained human beings and for this reason is deserving of great respect.
I remember in the incident of the destruction of the Shariat Hosseiniyeh in Qom (13 February 2006), the government media made great effort to make light of this human calamity and many of them remained silent and represented some of the dervishes as dependent on foreigners and agent of sedition. Unbelievably, a source of emulation even confirmed the lies that were spread by the Kayhan daily (that the armed dervishes had used tear gas against people). That Kayhan lies is not at all a surprise but that a source of emulation relies on this falsehood is astonishing.
In any case, in this poisonous atmosphere, Emadeddin Baghi was among the few freedom-loving human beings who in a completely unbiased fashion revealed the hidden angles of the destruction of the Hosseiniyeh Shariat in Qom. I praise Baghi because he revealed the truth the way it was and now that he is going through an unjust imprisonment, I saw it necessary to write a few lines to honor his services for human rights and in sympathy with his concerned family.
I hope with due favor of the world’s only dispenser of justice Emadeddin Baghi’s freedom is made possible soon.
Click here for Emadeddin Baghi’s pieces about the calamity of the destruction of Hosseiniyeh Shariat in Qom:
Clash with dervishes (part I)
Clash with dervishes (Part II)
Interview with Emadeddin Baghi with BBC regarding the attack against Qom’s dervishes
Source: Solh-e Kol Weblog

For Whom My Eyes Await

2007-12-05T16:33:00.001-08:00

With especial thanks to Dr. Faride Farhi

For Whom My Eyes Await
Report of the Meeting of the Association of Iranian Journalists for Emadeddin Baghi
It had been a long time since the Association of Iranian Journalists had seen such a crowd. By mid-day of Thursday 15 November 2007, the reception area and yard were full. Ezzatollah Sahabi, Abdollah Nuri, Ebrahim Yazdi, Ahmad Haj Seyed Javadi, Mohammad Maleki (who had come from hospital), Mohsen Kadivar, Seyed Hashem Aghajari, Babak Ahmadi, Khashayar Deyhimi, Sussan Shariati, Hassan Yusefi Eshkevari, Mohammad Bastenegar, Mohammad Tavassoli, Issa Saharkhiz, Fariborz Raisdana, Mohammad Ali Amuyi, Ali Mazrui, Kambiz Noruzi, Seyed Mohammad Seifzadeh, Keyvan Samimi, Abolfatah Soltani, Hossein Ghazian, Mohammad Javad Mozaffar. Alireza Rajai, Saeed Madani, Hoda Saber, Reza Alijani, Yussef Azizi Banitaraf, Ali Akbar Mussavi Khoeini, Abdollah Momeni and many other social, civil, and journalism figures came to honor Emadeddin Baghi and say how hard it is to separate civil and political activity in Iran. Under conditions in which everything is considered political, is it possible not to be political? Of course, everyone bore witness to the fact that Baghi’s efforts to promote independent civil, social, and human rights activity had not only been not futile but had also been fruitful. And this was not only evident in the discussion but also in the meeting’s atmosphere that included a wide array of people that had gathered together with little political and factional commonality. From radicals to liberals, from Persian to Arab sat together without any difference and talked about human rights as strategy and tactic (Abdollah Momeni), spoke of workers rights (Fariborz Raisdana), warned against the repetition of historical conditions (Hashem Aghajari), expressed concern about global conditions (Ibrahim Yazdi), spoke of the situation of the student movement (Bahareh Hedayat). One asked about where to find protection (Yusefi Eshkevari), another was finding protection in the Declaration of Human Rights (Seyed Mohammad Seifzadeh). Words at times took the form of a legal report (Saleh Nikbakht), at times the tone was one of a political speech (Ezatollah Sahabi) and emotional at other times. A piece of memoir was read penned by Baghi in which he had mentioned all his friends; friends, who were imprisoned when Baghi was free, now that he is imprisoned and they are free and few years after the events of the past years, heard what their detained friend said and thought about them. Civil society representatives were many in the meeting, from the Association of Iranian journalists to the Association for Defending the Rights of Prisoners, Association for the Defense of Free Press, Defenders of Human Rights Center, and Alumni Association for Fostering Unity.
Mid-day Thursday ended when, after the words of Emadeddin Baghi’s daughter, a poem from Nima Yushij (whose birthday was around these days) became the occasion for the meeting’s ending:
Whether remember me or not
I do not ease your memory
My eyes await you
Night time
When shadows take on black tint
My eyes await you
Source: Shahrvand-e Emruz

Karrobi meeting Baghi’s Family

2007-11-30T13:12:00.000-08:00

With especial thanks to Naheed Hamdani
Director-general of Etemad Melli Party said: some behaviors that we do not accept should not lead to the detachment of the children of the revolution from the system and those who try to make the political sphere of the country radical should not be permitted to reach their goal.
According to “Jahan” and “Isna”, Mr. Karrobi during his short speech when meeting with Baghi’s family, in addition to his sympathy and commiseration with them honored and esteemed Baghi for his humanitarian activities. He added: even if there were questions about his activities from the side of security and judicial agents, they could find answer to their questions without detaining him.
Karrobi with regard to the current situation of the country and with reference to the issue that this year has been named the year of “national unity and solidity” added: the national unity is only obtainable and accessible when all the children of the Islamic revolution be active in all areas of social activities and gentlemen such as Mr. Baghi are the children of the revolution. I hope Mr. Baghi would be released soon.
He addressed Baghi’s family and added: those who try to make the political sphere of the country radical should not be permitted to reach their goal. We demand the government officials to alter and modify these activities.
Karrobi also declared: I hope we can solve the issues with dialogue. At the same time we demand the judicial official to meet Mr. Baghi’s rights either as an accused or convict.
Since the investigation has ended legally and the respectable investigator has received the last defenses of Mr. Baghi, therefore they should transfer him to the general cell together with other prisoners. And if he has been detained without logical reason and the bail has been set. So he must be freed. He went on to say that I would continue my dialogue and discussions with the authorities and do what I can do to defend Mr. Baghi’s rights.
At the meeting Mrs. Fateme Kamali (Mr. Baghi’s wife) delivered a report about Baghi’s situation and added: We together with his lawyer have demanded repeatedly the judicial authorities to meet and observe the judicial process. She on behalf of her husband said: Baghi’s request is to defend himself in a fair, just and open trial according to the article 168 of the Iranian Constitution. Mrs. Kamali went on to say that Baghi always believed there are rational, compassionate, sympathetic and kindhearted officials among the officials of the judicial system. They support and endorse the positive activities of civil society’s independent and benevolent figures.
She hoped that these rational and compassionate officials could prevent the deviation of the judicial cases such as Baghi’s case while we witness the endorsement of these benevolent officials in the judicial system concerning the “Association of the Defense of the prisoners’ Rights”. Mr. Baghi has preserved his affiliation with the Revolution Ideals (among which the rights of people is most important). He always believed in these ideals while carrying out his civil and human rights activities. He believes in God’s satisfaction but does not expect the ingratitude.

For Father / For whom my eyes await

2007-11-30T13:10:00.000-08:00

Maryam Baghi1
In the name of truth2
Whispered to me last night
How blessed the one who is now free
Alas afflicted hen’s heart
Entangled in hunter’s restrain
Do not utter these words, I said
Alas for you and I today
Our objective is to speak the truth
At the end our way will be triumphant!
On behalf of my family, I would like to thank and show gratitude to all those who have organized this meeting, all the journalists who out of respect for pen and thought have called upon others to join, and also all civil society activists that are present in this meeting.
In addition, I would like to thank the governing board of the Association of Iranian Journalists for making this meeting possible. In the past 25 years, since 1981, my father has always as a writer been a member of the Press’ large family and today the one year sentence for which he has apparently been imprisoned is for articles that he has written for the country’s reputable newspaper.
We have repeatedly expressed our objections to my father’s imprisonment through his lawyer as well as the family. My father continues to serve his one year sentence in prison but, for another case regarding the activities of a civil society institution (Society for Defending Prisoners’ Rights), is under interrogation and pressure in a closed cell, prevented from being moved to a general ward or freed on bail set by the magistrate. We object to this situation.
My father, in a short twenty minute meeting, proudly announced that he is ready for a public defense in a just court and demanded the convening of such a court as soon as possible on the basis of Article 168 of the Constitution.
My father sees himself as a prisoner of pen, thought, and his just actions (civil society, press and human rights activities). Yesterday, in the year that was named the year of “security and unity,” he was imprisoned by being accused of writing articles that apparently caused distress in the sleep of some, and was sentenced to prison. Today in the year that has been called a year of “national unity and Islamic solidity” he has again been sent to prison on the basis of the accusations of the same case. Of course, in truth, today the main accusation against him relates to the case of him being the conscious witness of civil society, watching the activities of the government, preparing and writing reports about the situation of those accused, and trying to reduce the sufferings of the accused and convicted. Unfortunately the names chosen for these years have been turned into misnomers due to the irresponsibility of some and it is precisely in these years that the rights of individuals are undermined.
In his short meeting, my father had concerns that went beyond him. He was worried about the arrest of students and was wondering whether in the period of his imprisonment execution orders were issued or implemented. Even in prison he was a vigilant watchdog over the performance of prison wardens and rulers and this concern is not a new concern but a perpetual issue for him. He has always considered the instrument of prison as ineffective. Last night I was glancing at my father’s daily journal and was reviewing his writings after freedom from his last imprisonment. I noticed that, whether inside or outside of the prison, he always worried about the behavior of those who ignored and continue to ignore individual human rights. He respected human beings and saw them as endowed with rights irrespective of their position as the accused or convicted and without attention to their aims and principles. Two days after his release from his last prison, he wrote:
If I disregard my joy in seeing my family happy, how can I be happy while so many individuals are imprisoned? Free-spirited thinkers such as Dr. Aghajari (who is serving multiple sentences and is imprisoned 30 kilometers from Hamedan which is hard for his family as well), Mr. Youssefi, and Mr. Eshkevari, competent researchers such as Abbas abdi and Hossein Ghazian, lawyers such Dadkhah, Soltani and Zarafshan, friends such as Akbar Ganji, prominent leaders of the student movement such as… Tabarzadi, and others such Sadr and Rostamkhani spend their prison sentences in places far away from their own cities. Siamak Purzand, the aged journalist, Mr. Eshraghi, the young and talented journalist, and many others whose memories fail my pen, and many others who I unfortunately do not know are in chain. Currently (2002) 110 journalists are imprisoned in the world. How can one be happy? My only happiness was in the suspension of house arrest for Ayatollah Montazeri. My feeling is like a person that has been transferred from solitary confinement to a general ward. The imprisonment approach to confront opposing thought is a worn out approach and in the contemporary world this knife is no longer sharp…They have to understand that the force of prison has not given answers anywhere in the world. Today there are countries with governments that are two to three hundred years old and are generally democratic and they have stayed in power because of this and they also have confidence in their future. But countries that are managed by force and prison, which one has endured and which one see a future for itself? The Islamic Republic is endowed with this exceptional chance that has come out of a great revolution with democratic mechanisms placed in its constitution. I hope this chance is not discredited. No government can be proud of imprisonment and I hope that the judicial officials act with more far-sightedness… I am not remorseful about prison and I hold no grudge in my heart. If necessary for pushing forward democracy and spirituality in Iran, I am ready to return to prison….
Now he has returned to prison for the same democracy and spirituality and with the same beliefs, of course even firmer. Unfortunately in the past few days there has been pressure on the press for covering the news about my father. They cannot even accept this limited coverage and are attempting in the same way they have done with my father to isolate the society. However, the convening of this meeting – even if it is not covered by the press – is reflective of the fact that the memory of Baghi remains (yad-e Baghi baghi ast). My father, in prison, never forgot anyone, did not drop a prisoner from his pen, and partook in everyone’s sorrow.
Whether remember me or not
I do not ease your memory
My eyes await you
Night time
When shadows take on black tint
My eyes await you

Emadeddin Baghi’s Bibliography

2007-11-30T13:09:00.000-08:00

With especial thanks and appreciation to Naheed hamdani
Emadeddin Baghi’s Bibliography
1- In Identification of Hezbe Ghaedine Zaman (1983)
An analytical and historical book about Hojjatieh association. Baghi has revised the book during recent years but has not succeeded in publishing the book. This book has been reprinted several times during 1983. It peaked to 85000 copies.
2- A survey about Rohaniat (1985)
A research based historical book about the history of the institution of Clergy. A meticulous collection but was not reprinted since then. Even the new version of the book was not permitted to publication.
3- A survey of Iran’s revolution
A historical and research oriented book about the Islamic republic Revolution (1991), with a brief about Iran’s contemporary history which was reprinted in 2003 with a new version.
4- Oral history of Islamic revolution (1994)
A research work in BBC and other foreign broadcasters’ narration from the beginning of the Islamic republic revolution.
5- Revolution and the struggle for life (1997)
A research based and historical book about capturing the US embassy in Tehran together with the documents of the action of the “Muslim Students Following Imam Khomeyni”.
6- An introduction to Islamic revolution’s historiography (1991)
A roundtable with the presence of Emadeddin Baghi, Asadollah Badamchian, Hatam Ghaderi and Sadegh Zibakalam concerning methods and theories of Islamic republic’s historiography
7- Iran’s Student’s Movement (1997)
An analytical book about the history of students’ activities in Iran from the beginning to the Islamic Republic Revolution. It was reprinted in the year 2000 with the new version.
8- History of Iran in Contemporary Era (1999)
A textbook written for the secondary school together with two other authors which was refused to be taught after a while.
9- Fara Dastan and Foro Dastan(2000)
Baghi’s memory of the events and the years that ended in the victory of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Revolution
10- The sociology of Imam Hossein’s Movement and the People of Kofe (2000)
A scientific and theoretical book about Ashora movement and behavioral psychology of the people of Iraq which has been translated into Arabic and published in Lebanon.

11, 12 – The Tragedy of Democracy in Iran (2 Vols.) (1999-2000)
Chronological book concerning the serial murdering of intellectuals is a unique book in its type. The second Vol. is a research work. The first Vol is the collection of the author’s articles in the media. These two books were banned publication.
13- For history (2000)
A collection of articles concerning intelligence ministry, security and assassination of Hajjarian and dialogue with him about intelligence ministry and serial murdering.
14- Oppositions’ Rights (2002)
A theoretical book containing Baghi’s articles in the reformist newspapers regarding freedom and oppositions’ rights and the rights of intellectuals.
15- Spring of the fourth pillar (2002)
The collection of Baghi’s articles, lectures and dialogues concerning gazettes and political development and his experiences of writing and management in the reformist gazettes
16- Place of Worship in the Era of Tradition and Modernity (2002)
A researched book and an encyclopedia about religious sociology which has been collected and published by the surveillance of Emadeddin Baghi and with the presence of many authors and researchers
17- Execution (E’dam) and Retaliation (Qesas) (2002)
Baghi’s scientific and religious defenses before the court concerning “execution and retaliation articles” and religious theories about the issue- the second Vol. which is an exploratory and theoretical book has been reviewed and revised but was not permitted publishing by the guidance ministry.
18- Contemporary Religious Discourses (2003)
A collection of Baghi’s articles and discourses regarding religious and cultural issues of the society, which has been printed in different newspapers.
19- The Birth of a Revolution (2003)
A sociological and scientific book about how in a society a revolution takes place. Sections of this book have been printed in Hamshahri newspaper serially.
20- The Clergies and the Power (2002)
A religious and sociological book about the relationship between religion and politics, clergies and the government, was not permitted publishing.
21- Criminal Justice (2002)
Translated into Persian by Emadeddin Baghi and Mohammad Hossein Baghi concerning the US Judicial system. Baghi in his previous sentence codified it in the prison.
22- Democratic Reform Movement in Iran (2003)
Baghi’s articles about political reforms in Iran from 1997 to 2004 were also published in the newspapers. In these articles the relationship between two concepts of reform and revolution has been discussed.
In protest of the denial of the permission for the publication of some of his books Baghi wrote an open letter to the guidance minister of Ahmadinejad government but received no answer. The titles of these books are as follows:
23- The Experience of Khomeyni (collections of articles and researches about Ayatollah khomeyni)
24- Lessons from Human Rights
25- The Right to Life (this book is going to be published by one of the human rights institutions in Afghanistan)
26- Secularism
27- The Modern City (a book about the “New Concept” from sociological perspective)
28- Religion and Human Rights

Of his articles, there is an article about the Issue of Executions of under -18. This article was first published in Ham Mihan newspaper and then translated by Amnesty International. At the same time, he has published many articles in different arenas such as sociology, history, politics, religion and human rights in the newspapers.

Support letters for Baghi:

2007-11-25T13:45:00.000-08:00

A group of Iran’s political and cultural activists protest to the detainment of Emaddin Baghi. Their open protest letter reads as below:
In the name of God the merciful, the compassionate
Last week Mr. Emaddin Baghi, a political activist, journalist and the chairman of the Defending prisoners’ rights center (society) was arrested and jailed.
He is a well-reputed figure and has been genuine supporter of the revolution, honest follower of the late Imam (May God rest his soul in peace), Muslim devotee intellectual and reform-minded person whose political record endorses his traits and personal characters.
It is doubtless that detaining such a political activist and Muslim character, in coincidence with forthcoming election campaign of the 8th parliament does not suggest a promising and pleasant future regarding the health of the election and liberty existence in the political ambiance of the country, particularly , it is reported that according to Tehran prosecuting office of the judicial branch the reason of his arrest dates back to a suspended verdict issued four years ago and one year later the “ suspense’ was removed from the verdict.
Anyone acquainted with judicial issues or even poorly familiar in this regard can not be convinced that a verdict which was ratified three years ago and so far, practically suspended becomes the excuse for arresting Mr. Baghi. To worsen the situation, he is blind folded, hand cuffed like any given defendant and taken to the judge for interrogation or prosecutor attorney and still is being kept in solitary confinement and so on… While as per the announcement of the judiciary officials he has been arrested to be punished for a suspended verdict issued 4 years ago. Today, the political circles of the country associate his arrest to his recent activities in Defending prisoners Rights center and lately protests to the way some of the verdicts were issues and executed as well as his protest to some faceless trends which try to intimidate and terrorize people and impose restriction on the political atmosphere in Iran on the heel of the election. In particular, it is reported that in one of his previous summon for interrogation, he was told that unless he shut down his defending prisoners rights Center ,he would be ended up in jail.
We, the following signatories condemn his arrest and implore the violating law against him and consider the detainment in line with imposing pressure on civil institutes and restricting socio –political freedom.
We call for immediate release of this reform minded political activist and return of his dossier to legal procedure. Among the many signatories, a few of them has been mentioned.
Names: Mohsen Armin, Marzieh Azarafza , Seyed Hashem Aghajeri , Morteza Alviri , Mohsen Aminzade ,Ahmad Borghani , seyed Mostafa Tajzade , Hamid Reza Jalaeepor , Ali Akbare Dadvar , Seyed Mohammad Salamati , Mohammad Atrianfar , Mohsen Kadivar, Ali Mazroee , etc.

Baghi's avoidance to be interrogated

2007-11-10T16:18:00.001-08:00

Today (Monday 14th of Aban= November 5, 2007), Emadeddin Baghi's family paid a visit to him at Evin prison. Talking to his family, Emaddeddin Baghi declared that he has been interrogated 14 times since he has been sent behind bars, 3 sessions at the revolutionary court and 11 of which at the prison by the security agents based at the prison.
Baghi announced that because the process of legal interrogation at the court is over, he has not replied to the interrogations at the prison since November 4, 2007 (13th of Aban, 1386) and he will merely defend himself before the fair court with the fair juries, according to Article 168 of the Constitution.
Baghi, who had been visiting his family after 24 days and only for 20 minutes from behind a glass cabin via telephone, expressed that "I have not accepted the charges" and has protested against the execution of one year prison sentence. He demanded the judiciary chief Ayatollah Shahroodi and the intelligence ministry Mr. Mohseni Ejei to read through the interrogation documents to find out how the interrogators of these two organizations treat and behave the prisoners and how they try to accuse and file illegal lawsuits against peoples. He says "I have the right to inform the public".
He is now being held in cell No. 209 (security cell headed by intelligent agents) in isolated conditions and without access to any newspaper, book or paper and pen, etc while prisoners who found guilty of embezzlement and economic charges have full access to refrigerator, Television and even laptop computers. Shameful is that when Baghi had found a very small sheet of paper on which he wrote the numbers of Koranic verses, the authorities took away even this small sheet of paper (baghi even in terrible situation of the prison is doing research on the koranic verses to extract verses about the execution to prove that Koran is against the execution. Meanwhile the only book which is available for him is a small pocket Koran). Yesterday's visit held in a depressing and terrible situation. The family's visit took place only after hours of delay and passing about 50 stairs. This happened while Mr. Baghi's wife had to undergo a surgery on her knees on 12th of Aban (November 3, 2007) which postponed her surgery after Mr. Baghi's imprisonment. We witnessed that there was a big difference (or let's say discrimination) between Baghi and other prisoners. He looked like a bearded man and was the only prisoner dressed in the prison cloth.
Baghi declared that I will never attend the cabin again to visit my family.
Baghi despite setting a bail by the court and despite executing 1 year prison sentence (which requires him to be at the general cell) but is still being kept in a closed and isolated cell along with another prisoner that his identity in unknown. Emad is accused of revealing secret information and documents of prisons in conferences and gatherings by the help of security prisoners. He is being interrogated for the statements and annual reports of his association about prisons' conditions around Persia.

Grand Ayatollah Montazeri criticizes the government for detaining Baghi
(This is part of his long speech)
At the meeting with the college students, Grand Ayatollah said: "Baghi has been sent behind bars due to hypocritical, insincere and deceitful charges and illegal lawsuits". He emphasized "what is Baghi's fault? Isn't he defending the rights of prisoners and their family? His sincere and pure efforts and endeavors were to help and assist the families whose bread winner is behind bars and that the prisoner can defend his/her own right".
Grand Ayatollah went on to say that Baghi didn't mind the prisoners are political or apolitical ones. Should these benevolent and compassionate people be kept in prisons or should we praise and admire them for their kind efforts? Do the activities of Baghi and the like and those who believe in human rights help to decline the foreign pressures over the country? These behaviors are illegal and should be prevented.

Biography

2007-11-10T16:08:00.000-08:00

To see more ClicK here

Emadeddin Baghi Interrogated without presence of attorney

2007-10-24T17:00:00.000-07:00

Handcuffed and dresses in prison cloths Emaddedin Baghi was taken from 209 Evin Prison to be interrogated in the first Branch of the public prosecutors office, on Monday 22 October.
His acting lawyer, Mr.Youssef Molaei, witnessed the scene by coincidence as he had approached the prison to visit his client.
According to section 3 of the 14th article of the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights, to which the Islamic regime is also a signatory, having a lawyer present during all stages of investigations is a principal right. Mr. Baghi, however, was deprived of this essential right.
In a separate short contact with his lawyer Mr.Baghi stressed that he was ridiculed and pressurized while in section 209 Evin prison, but expressed his determination to continue his activities regarding Human right violations in Iran.
We should remind our readers that charges targeted at this human right activist and journalist has been; to have propagated against the regime, and to have revealed highly sensitive government documents under the pretext of interviewing prisoners and discussing them in meetings and congregations and also to have been writing for the Association to Protect the Rights of Prisoners.
Mr. Emadeddin Baghi, had been arrested on 14 October, while attending convocation at the first branch of the Public Prosecutors’ Office, about his activities in the Association in Defense of Freedom of Press.
According to Mr.Bagis’ daughter, he had been asked for a 50million toman bail, to which he was reluctant at first but accepted considering the circumstances. Whilst the bail was being collected by his family, they were informed that Mr. Baghi had been removed to prison, to under take the previous 1 year sentence accorded to him.
Mr. Baghi has released a letter after his arrest in which he reveals pressures put on him and his family prior to his imprisonment. According to this letter, he had been deprived of teaching in the University, refrained from all media activities and interviews and contact with the press.
In his letter he has said that during the 25 years of his activities, as a researcher he had released articles and books, which had either been barred from publication or confiscated after being published.
Iranian Political Prisoners Association

“AYATOLLA H, TOGLI I L BAVAGLIO A LL’I R A N ”

2007-10-18T17:14:00.000-07:00

By: Claudio Gallo
La Stampa

Emadeddin Baghi, 45 anni, uno dei più noti attivisti per i diritti umani in Iran, è stato nuovamente arrestato, quattro giorni fa, nonostante la sentenza di condanna prevedesse una cauzione di oltre 50 mila dollari che l’imputato si apprestava a pagare.
Docente universitario, scrittore, giornalista, è stato in carcere dal 2000 al 2003 per le sue critiche al regime. Recentemente ha dato vita a un’associazione per i diritti dei carcerati e per l’abolizione della pena di morte.
In attesa che lo portassero nel famigerato carcere di Evin, ha scritto questa lettera, di cui pubblichiamo un estratto, alla massima autorità giudiziaria in Iran, l’ayatollah Shahroudi.

EMADEDDIN BAGHI
All’onorevole Ayatollah Seyyed Mahmoud Shahroudi Capo del sistema giudiziario della Repubblica Islamica dell’Iran.
(...) Durante la Rivoluzione del 1979 praticai l’abluzione per il martirio e scesi in strada, ma il martirio non scese su di me. Tra il 1982 e il 1983 sopravvissi a due tentativi di assassinio da parte dei terroristi dei Mojaheddin del popolo. Ci furono opportunità di martirio anche durante la guerra con l’Iraq, ma non si realizzarono.
Successivamente, i tre anni passati in prigione chiarirono che anche trent’anni in cella non avrebbero intaccato la mia volontà. Questo perché non ho mai fatto nulla che oltrepassasse il dettato della legge e dei miei diritti civili garantiti.
Ora, le chiedo come autorità responsabile della sicurezza dei cittadini, di riflettere su che cosa si potrebbe fare.
Le chiedo gentilmente di mettersi nei miei panni, quelli di una persona che si batte per la giustizia, e di dirmi che cosa avrebbe fatto in queste circostanze. Mi dica in che cosa la mia precedente situazione (di perseguitato) differisca dalla prigione. Che differenza ci sia a stare da una parte o dall’altra del muro. Mi dica dov’è la linea rossa. E come possa uno scrittore o un qualsiasi cittadino che voglia esercitare il diritto alla libera espressione delle sue idee, esporre una critica attraverso la scrittura e la parola. E come questa persona, il cui diritto di parlare e scrivere vale quello di chiunque altro di respirare e dissetarsi, possa esprimere le sue idee in modo da non essere trascinato ogni giorno in tribunale, e minacciato minacciato di finire in prigione per le proprie
convinzioni. Perché non sia possibile, come ho cercato di fare in questi anni, costruire
un’associazione per i diritti umani non governativa, non profit e non politica, che svolga legalmente le proprie attività, senza subire gravi minacce, esplicite e implicite, a me e alla mia famiglia.
Nonostante questa lettera parli del mio caso, la cosa più impostante è di informarla che la mia vicenda è insignificante di fronte a ciò che sta capitando a migliaia e migliaia di altri cittadini nel nostro Paese. In questo senso dovrebbe essere informato su cosa succede nel Paese in cui lei detiene la più alta responsabilità in qualità di capo del sistema giudiziario ed è responsabile di qualsiasi oppressione si verifichi al suo interno. Secondo l’insegnamento islamico, l’Imam Ali dice
che un musulmano quando sente del furto della cavigliera di una ragazza ebrea deve essere pronto a dare la sua vita.
Onorevole Ayatollah Shahroudi, secondo l’articolo 156 della Costituzione, il sistema giudiziario dev’essere il protettore dei diritti sociali e individuali del cittadino.
È responsabile della realizzazione della giustizia e della promozione della legittima libertà. Lei ha recentemente promulgato la circolare sui diritti dei cittadini che è diventata legge negli ultimi
giorni del sesto Parlamento. Più tardi, lei ha proposto di stabilire un tribunale dei diritti umani (o del cittadino). È per questa ragione che la informo con questa lettera e aspetto la sua risposta.
Teheran 10 ottobre 2007

LASTAMPA

For Baghi

2007-10-18T17:10:00.000-07:00

Mostafa Izadi
The news has it that Emadeddin Baghi, the head of the Association for Defending Prisoners’ Rights and a prolific writer in the fields of politics and religion has been imprisoned to serve a previous one-year sentence. Baghi has had such experiences for years and if it wasn’t for his prison visits he would not be as aware of what happens in those wards and cells.
There are still many aspiring elites who, even during the oppressive monarchic era, did not see and do not know what prison is and what these four walls do with a prisoner. But Baghi in the past and present has seen, tasted, and knows. Hence, it was incumbent upon him both to set up an association in defense of prisoners (all prisoners) and bring together compassionate people to defend defenseless people, himself taking the helm of the organization.
Baghi is not a rowdy and noisy person, but has a pen for which he pays high costs. The reality is that some see decency in not hesitating in stating what they consider to be right. A critical disposition, particularly when under in its light people’s problems are relayed to authorities or public opinion, is among divine blessings. The ability to critique, particularly against powerful elements, requires courage. A courageous mindset is one of God’s best blessings. What should be done when these qualities are embedded in a commitment based on faith and religious honor?
Should these divine blessings be suppressed or left silent? Does any free-spirited individual, or a religious or intelligent one, accept that because the expression of this courageous and critical mindset has costs, it should not be put to work? Isn’t it [true] that every Muslim for the sake of placing value on Divine blessings should fortify his or her courageous mindset? And isn’t [true] that each Muslim based on the injunction to propagate virtue and avoid vice is obligated not to back away even slightly from this critical and courageous disposition? Furthermore, everywhere everyone insists on the necessity of criticism to exist. Of course, it is entirely clear that those facing criticism, particularly when they have the instruments and tools for confronting the critic, interpret criticism as weakening and do what they have done with Baghi. Right now I am not sitting in a court house to say on what basis Emadeddin Baghi’s conviction and imprisonment has been issued but with the close familiarity that I have with this dear accused [I will state that] I do not consider him to be one who would like to spend his fine disposition in the weakening and destruction of a phenomenon such as an Islamic order.
These slogans in defense of prisoners, defense of human rights, and also his interpretations of other value-based concepts are neither to gain power nor for overthrow; rather the intent is to reform which is one of the most sacred of intents.
Let us assume that Baghi, not for one but ten years, goes among those for whose improved conditions an association has been created. What will be lessened from Baghi and what will be added to those who oppose him?
The world knows that Baghi and those who think like him are neither criminal nor a burden to society, requiring them to be taken away and placed in fetters so that they no longer commit a crime. Rather, he and those who think like him are critics and object to the existing conducts in the running of the society. They are also endowed with literacy and an objecting pen. Isn’t it better to deal with him and those like him in a different way? It takes an open mind, clear heart, and humility to hear and think about words such as those uttered by Baghi and, if the thinking is that he is mistaken, to sit in discussion with him. This way there is no need for confinement, and no utility for branding or banners. Most importantly, [there will be] no horn blown, with thousand and one calumnies, in the international media, particularly in the opposition and enemy media, against our system and the men in charge of our country.

link: E’temad-e Melli

HRW calls for release of jailed Iranian human rights advocate

2007-10-17T17:36:00.000-07:00

Human Rights Watch on Tuesday called on the Iranian government to free human rights activist Emadeddin Baghi, who has been campaigning against the death penalty in his country.
The New York-based rights group also called on Iran to drop what it called politically motivated charges against the prisoner.
Baghi, who heads the Committee for the Defense of Prisoners' Rights and has already served several jail terms in Iran, was arrested Sunday in Iran and charged with spreading propaganda and publishing secret documents, his lawyer said.
According to the charges, Baghi obtained secret information from prisoners detained in security prisons and then disseminated this information during seminars organized by his group, the lawyer said.
A former journalist, Baghi over the last months has publicly protested against the wave of hangings, many in public, that have swept Iran as part of a campaign by the authorities they say is aimed at improving security in society.
"The Iranian government should applaud Baghi for his efforts on behalf of prisoners' rights, not arrest him," said a statement by Joe Stork, Middle East and North Africa deputy director at Human Rights Watch.
In 2005 Baghi was awarded a prize for human rights by France for his work campaigning against the death penalty.

link: the raw story

HRW calls for release of jailed rights advocate

2007-10-17T17:32:00.000-07:00

AFP

WASHINGTON - Human Rights Watch on Tuesday called on the Iranian government to free human rights activist Emadeddin Baghi, who has been campaigning against the death penalty in his country.
The New York-based rights group also called on Iran to drop what it called politically motivated charges against the prisoner.
Baghi, who heads the Committee for the Defence of Prisoners’ Rights and has already served several jail terms in Iran, was arrested Sunday in Iran and charged with spreading propaganda and publishing secret documents, his lawyer said.
According to the charges, Baghi obtained secret information from prisoners detained in security prisons and then disseminated this information during seminars organized by his group, the lawyer said.
A former journalist, Baghi over the last months has publicly protested against the wave of hangings, many in public, that have swept Iran as part of a campaign by the authorities they say is aimed at improving security in society.
“The Iranian government should applaud Baghi for his efforts on behalf of prisoners’ rights, not arrest him,” said a statement by Joe Stork, Middle East and North Africa deputy director at Human Rights Watch.
In 2005 Baghi was awarded a prize for human rights by France for his work campaigning against the death penalty.

link: khaleej times

US calls for release of Iranian rights activist

2007-10-17T17:04:00.000-07:00

WASHINGTON (AFP) — The United States called Wednesday for the immediate release of Iranian human rights activist Emadeddin Baghi and other jailed freedom campaigners in the Islamic republic.
Washington also urged arch rival Iran "to treat its prisoners humanely."
Baghi, who heads the Committee for the Defense of Prisoners' Rights and has already served several jail terms, was arrested Sunday in Iran and charged with spreading propaganda and publishing secret documents, his lawyer said.
According to the charges, Baghi obtained secret information from prisoners detained in security prisons and then disseminated this information during seminars organized by his group, the lawyer said.
"We stand with those defending the rights of the Iranian people and call upon the government of Iran to treat its prisoners humanely and release Baghi and other human rights activists, including Mansour Osanloo and Mohammed Salehi, immediately," said Tom Casey, a State Department spokesman.
Baghi's arrest demonstrates Tehran's "disregard for Iranian citizens campaigning for their basic rights," he said.
He said Baghi's efforts to expose mistreatment of prisoners and highlight the recent increase in executions in Iran "should be lauded, not condemned" by the Iranian government.
A former journalist, Baghi over the last months has publicly protested against the wave of hangings, many in public, that have swept Iran as part of a campaign that authorities say is aimed at improving security in society.
In 2005 France awarded Baghi a human rights prize for his work campaigning against the death penalty.

link: AFP

Human Rights Defender Detained in Iran

2007-10-17T16:57:00.000-07:00

US Department of State
Press Statement
Tom Casey, Deputy Spokesman
Washington, DC
October 17, 2007

The Iranian regime’s arrest of Emadeddin Baghi, head of the Organization for the Defense of Prisoners’ Rights, demonstrates its disregard for Iranian citizens campaigning for their basic rights. The regime accuses him of being a threat to national security for condemning its ongoing mistreatment of prisoners. Baghi has already served time in Iran’s prisons and been subject to travel bans – all for drawing attention to the recent increase in executions in Iran, and for calling for humane treatment of prisoners. His work to protect the rights of others should be lauded not condemned.
We stand with those defending the rights of the Iranian people and call upon the Government of Iran to treat its prisoners humanely and release Baghi and other human rights activists, including Mansour Osanloo and Mohammed Salehi, immediately.

link: u.s. department of state

Iran: Release Leading Defender of Prisoners' Rights

2007-10-17T16:44:00.000-07:00

Emadeddin Baghi Jailed Under Politically Motivated Charges
By: Human Rights Watch
Published: Oct 17, 2007 at 07:54
Iranian authorities should immediately release prominent human rights defender Emadeddin Baghi and drop the politically motivated charges against him, Human Rights Watch said today.
On October 14, Baghi responded to a summons to appear before an interrogator at Branch 1 of the Security Unit of the General and Revolutionary Public Prosecutor's Office. The court charged him with "propaganda against the system" and "publishing secret government documents" for his activities as president of the Society for the Defense of Prisoners' Rights, a nongovernmental organization that he founded in 2003.
"The Iranian government should applaud Baghi for his efforts on behalf of prisoners' rights, not arrest him," said Joe Stork, Middle East and North Africa deputy director at Human Rights Watch.
After Baghi's arrest, court officials set a bail of 500 million rials (approximately US$50,000). While Baghi's family was in the process of posting bail, Evin prison authorities arrived at the courthouse and announced that Baghi had to serve a 2003 suspended sentence. The court authorities revoked the bail, and prison officials immediately transferred Baghi back into detention.
In 2003, Judge Babayee of Branch 6 of the Revolutionary Court sentenced Baghi to a one-year suspended term for "endangering national security" and "printing lies" in his book, The Tragedy of Democracy in Iran.
In 2000, a Revolutionary Court sentenced Baghi to a three-year prison term on charges of "endangering national security" for his writings about the serial murder of dissident intellectuals in Iran in the late 1990s. He served two years of that sentence, and one year was suspended.
Baghi's family and lawyers report that since his release in 2003, the authorities have summoned Baghi to court 23 times.
In July, Branch 6 of the Revolutionary Court sentenced Baghi, as well as his wife and daughter, to suspended three-year sentences for their work documenting and publicizing human rights violations in Iran's court systems and prisons.
Emadeddin Baghi also founded the Society of Right to Life Guardians in 2005, an organization that aims to abolish the death penalty in Iran. His two organizations produce reports on the situation of Iranian prisoners and gather data about death penalty cases in Iran.

link: yuba net

Amnesty International condemns continued repression of human rights defenders

2007-10-16T17:40:00.000-07:00

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL

Public Statement

AI Index: MDE 13/117/2007 (Public)
News Service No: 198
16 October 2007

Iran: Amnesty International condemns continued repression of human rights defenders
Amnesty International today again expressed its deep concern at continuing repression of human rights defenders and civil society activists in Iran which has deepened in recent months.

Imprisonment of Emaddedin Baghi
One of Iran's best known human rights defenders, Emaddedin Baghi, the head of the Association for the Defence of Prisoners Rights and leading anti-death penalty campaigner, was detained on 14 October when he attended a session before Branch 14 of the Revolutionary Court in Tehran. His lawyers were not allowed to attend the session with him. Although bail of 50 million Iranian Touman (USD 53,619) was reportedly set for his release, when his family attempted to meet the bail, the judge apparently refused to accept it.

He was detained on the basis of a suspended sentence of one year's imprisonment handed down in 2002. It is not clear where Emaddedin Baghi is currently being held.

Emaddedin Baghi also faces other politically motivated criminal charges: in July 2007 he was sentenced to three years' imprisonment, two of which related to the charge of meeting and colluding to commit offences against national security, and one year to the charge of propaganda against the system for the benefit of foreign and opposition groups. His lawyer said that the evidence against him included media interviews and letters to the authorities regarding Ahwazi Arabs sentenced to death in connection with lethal bomb explosions in Khuzestan province. Four other people, including Emaddedin Baghi's wife and daughter were sentenced to three years' imprisonment, suspended for five years, in the same case. Their charges were said to relate to their participation in a human rights conference held in the United Arab Emirates. All remained free pending appeal.

Amnesty International considers the charges against Emaddedin Baghi to be politically motivated and aimed at silencing the human rights defender's criticism of the human rights situation in Iran. The organisation considers him a prisoner of conscience and is calling for his immediate and unconditional release.

Women's rights activists
Activists in the Campaign for Equality who are demanding an end to legalised discrimination against women in Iran are also continuing to face harassment and arrest. Most recently, 21 year-old Ronak Safazadeh was arrested in Sanandaj, the capital of Kordestan province, on 9 October 2007. Ronak Safazadeh is a member of the Campaign for Equality, as well as a member of Azar Mehr, an NGO in Sanandaj. On 8 October, she had attended a meeting on the International Day of the Child in Sanandaj, during which she had collected signatures in support of the Campaign for Equality. The following day, security officials reportedly came to her house at 08.20, confiscated her computer, copies of the Campaign's petition and a booklet produced by the Campaign, and then detained Ronak Safazadeh. After six days, her mother was permitted a brief telephone conversation with her daughter. It is not clear where she is being held.

In September, at least 25 people (including five members of the Campaign's Education committee who had travelled from Tehran) were arrested during an educational workshop held by the Campaign in a private house in Khorramabad, Lorestan province. Of these 22 were released later that night, after being questioned about the Campaign's activities; the other three, Reza Dolatshah, Bahman Azadi, and Khosrow Nasimpour, who are social activists in the city of Khorramabad were released the following day, although they were beaten while in custody.

Women's rights activists are also continuing to face trial proceedings in connection with their activities. Shadi Sadr and Mahboubeh Abbasgholizadeh were both recently summoned to court. Both were among 33 women arrested in March 2007during a peaceful gathering outside a court where five other women were on trial. They were released on bail after two weeks in detention. Farideh Ghayrat, a lawyer, told the Iranian Students' News Agency (ISNA) on 14 October that their case was under consideration by the Special section for security of the Tehran General and Revolutionary Prosecutor's Office, and that the charge against her clients was acting against national security, although it had not been confirmed that it was connected to the March gathering outside the courtroom, although she expected this to be the case.

In September, journalist Bahman Ahmadi Amou'i was sentenced to six months' imprisonment, suspended for two years, after being convicted of acting against state security. He had been detained for a week following a peaceful demonstration in June 2006 which called for equal rights for women. The evidence against him reportedly included a number of open letters to Iran's parliament, or Majles, that he had signed, including one supporting the June 2006 demonstration.

Trade Unionists
According to the Iranian Teachers' Association, dozens of the hundreds of teachers arrested during peaceful demonstrations earlier in 2007 have been sentenced to dismissal or exile. At least two have received suspended prison sentences: Mohammad Reza Rezai-Gorkani and Rasul Badaqi received two-year and three-year suspended sentences respectively. Their lawyer, Hushang Purbabai, told ISNA on 9 October that both were convicted of acting against national security.

A strike by workers at the Haft Tapeh Sugar Plant in Khuzestan Province, who had reportedly received no wages or benefits for over three months, was forcibly broken up by security forces on 3 October. The workers had staged a series of around 15 strikes over more than a year. In August, they had written an open letter to the International Labour Organization, announcing their determination to continue strike action if their demands, which include the right to participate in the election of their own representatives, were not met. There are unconfirmed reports that at least two workers, Ramazan Alipour and Fereydoun Nikofar, were arrested after being summoned to an Intelligence Ministry facility.

According to the Kurdistan Human Rights Organization, five Kurdish workers' activists have reportedly been sentenced to three months imprisonment and 40 lashes for "disturbing public security". The sentences were suspended for 3 years, during which time they have reportedly been banned from meeting "prominent" political and social figures. They had reportedly been detained for several days earlier in the year during a demonstration protesting at the arrest of another workers' rights activist, Mahmoud Salehi in April 2007.

Kurds
Kurdish human rights defenders have reported a new wave of arrests and sentences of civil society and student activists. For example, Yasser Gholi, the former head of the Kurdish Democratic student's union who had been banned from studying, was reportedly arrested on 10 October in Sanandaj by security forces that also searched his home and confiscated his computer and other personal items. Ako Kordnasab, a journalist with the newspaper Gerefto, has reportedly been sentenced to three years' imprisonment for espionage.

Amnesty International continues to call on he Iranian authorities to uphold the rights to freedom of association and expression and to end its repression of human rights defenders. The organization urges the authorities to implement the measures provided for in the United Nations General Assembly's Declaration on human rights defenders, adopted in 1998. The full name of General Assembly Resolution A/RES/53/144 is the 'Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms' and can be viewed at: http://daccessdds.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N99/770/89/PDF/N9977089.pdf?OpenElement
Amnesty International continues to campaign for the release of all prisoners of conscience, for those accused of offences to be tried in full accordance with international fair trial standards and without recourse to the death penalty, and for all reports of torture or other ill-treatment of prisoners to be rapidly, thoroughly and independently investigated and for any officials responsible for torturing or abusing prisoners to be brought to justice.

link: AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL

Iran human rights activist held

2007-10-16T17:31:00.000-07:00

Frances Harrison

Human rights groups both inside Iran and abroad have condemned the arrest of one of the country's most outspoken and high profile human rights activists.
Journalist Emadeddin Baghi was arrested on Sunday when he responded to a court summons and has been denied bail.
The watchdog Reporters Without Borders has called for his release.
The state-run Iranian news agency quoted an official saying Mr Baghi's family had taken part in meetings to discuss toppling the government.
The imprisonment of Mr Baghi has raised fears that the Iranian government has decided to take a tougher line with its critics to silence them.
Mr Baghi has been a tireless campaigner for human rights in Iran despite having his passport confiscated, his newspaper closed, suspended prison sentences passed against his wife and daughter and being jailed himself.
He runs the Association for Defending the Rights of Prisoners which monitors allegations of torture and works for the abolition of the death penalty in Iran.
Reports say an earlier suspended sentence against Mr Baghi was converted into imprisonment which meant he could be denied bail.

International appeals
He has also now been accused of publishing secret government documents obtained with the help of prisoners on security charges.
His family have no idea where he is being held but fear he is in solitary confinement, which is routine in political cases.
Reporters Without Borders have issued a statement urging all democratic countries firmly to condemn the arrest and calling for the release of all Iranian prisoners of conscience, whom it says are increasing in number by the month.
Reformist students in Iran, whose colleagues have also been jailed in recent months, have come out in support of Mr Baghi, calling him one of the very few active defenders of human rights there.
Some observers worry this latest incident means the Iranian government is changing its approach towards prominent human rights activists and instead of harassing and intimidating them intends to put them behind bars.

link: BBC News

Iran human rights activist held

2007-10-16T16:56:00.000-07:00

Frances Harrison
BBC News
Human rights groups both inside Iran and abroad have condemned the arrest of one of the country's most outspoken and high profile human rights activists.
Journalist Emadeddin Baghi was arrested on Sunday when he responded to a court summons and has been denied bail.
The watchdog Reporters Without Borders has called for his release.
The state-run Iranian news agency quoted an official saying Mr Baghi's family had taken part in meetings to discuss toppling the government.
The imprisonment of Mr Baghi has raised fears that the Iranian government has decided to take a tougher line with its critics to silence them.
Mr Baghi has been a tireless campaigner for human rights in Iran despite having his passport confiscated, his newspaper closed, suspended prison sentences passed against his wife and daughter and being jailed himself.
He runs the Association for Defending the Rights of Prisoners which monitors allegations of torture and works for the abolition of the death penalty in Iran.
Reports say an earlier suspended sentence against Mr Baghi was converted into imprisonment which meant he could be denied bail.

International appeals
He has also now been accused of publishing secret government documents obtained with the help of prisoners on security charges.
His family have no idea where he is being held but fear he is in solitary confinement, which is routine in political cases.
Reporters Without Borders have issued a statement urging all democratic countries firmly to condemn the arrest and calling for the release of all Iranian prisoners of conscience, whom it says are increasing in number by the month.
Reformist students in Iran, whose colleagues have also been jailed in recent months, have come out in support of Mr Baghi, calling him one of the very few active defenders of human rights there.
Some observers worry this latest incident means the Iranian government is changing its approach towards prominent human rights activists and instead of harassing and intimidating them intends to put them behind bars.
BBC News

Prisoners' Rights Activist Arrested and Detained

2007-10-16T16:54:00.000-07:00

Niusha Boghrati
Worldpress.org correspondent
October 16, 2007

Prominent Iranian rights activist and leading prisoners' rights advocate Emadeddin Baghi was detained and imprisoned on Sunday, Oct. 15. Baghi, head of the Committee for the Defense of Prisoners' Rights and a renowned Iranian investigative journalist, had previously served a three-year term in prison for his writings in the reformist press. He was summoned to Tehran's revolutionary court on the charges of "propaganda against the Islamic Republic" and "divulging state secret information."
According to his lawyer, Saleh Nikbakht, Baghi was then detained on a previously suspended charge of "acting against national security" due to his writings on the chain of murders involving Iranian intellectuals. A sentence of one year in prison, which has now been applied to the Iranian activist, had been dropped after Baghi spent three years in prison in 2002.
Baghi, along with Akbar Ganji, was among the most prominent journalists who began to shed light on the origin and true sources of the chain of murders during the 1990's. The killing of intellectuals in Iran, which involved the stabbing deaths of some prominent writers and political activists, occurred before the reformists took power in Tehran.

link: Worldpress

Revolutionary court detains leading human rights advocate and journalist

2007-10-15T17:42:00.000-07:00

(RSF/IFEX) - Reporters Without Borders strongly condemns the arrest of journalist Emadeddin Baghi on a charge of "propaganda against the government." Baghi is a leading advocate of the rights of prisoners of conscience in Iran.
"Baghi’s arrest is an example of the strategy of harassment and pressure being used against journalists by the Iranian authorities, who are trying to silence the growing number of voices who are demanding the legitimate right to a free and independent press," the press freedom organisation said.
Reporters Without Borders added: "We urge all democratic countries to firmly condemn Baghi’s arbitrary arrest and we call for the release of all of Iran’s prisoners of conscience, who are growing in number by the month."
Baghi was arrested on 14 October 2007 when he responded to a summons to report to a Tehran revolutionary court. The summons listed new charges against him. His lawyer said he is now accused of propaganda against the government and "publishing secret government documents obtained with the help of prisoners held for security violations in special centres."
This is by no means the first time Baghi has been arrested. He first went to prison in 2000, when he was given a three-year sentence for "attacking national security." A Tehran revolutionary court sentenced him to another year in prison on 9 November 2004 for writing a book that accused the Iranian authorities of involvement in the murders of intellectuals and journalists in 1998. His newspaper, “Joumhouriat”, was closed by the government in 2003. An anti-death penalty campaigner, he won a French government human rights prize in 2005.
On 31 July, a Tehran revolutionary court sentenced him to three years in prison for “activities against national security” and "publicity in favour of the regime’s opponents" but he was not required to serve the sentence immediately. At the same time, his wife, Fatemeh Kamali Ahmad Sarahi, and his daughter Maryam Baghi, were given three-year suspended prison sentences and five years of probation for taking part in a series of human rights workshops in Dubai in 2004. The charges were "meeting and colluding with the aim of disrupting national security."
He told Reporters Without Borders on the eve of 14 October’s court appearance: "I am convinced they will not let me walk free from the courtroom. They want to ban my activities, although they are legal, and to silence all the independent voices in this country." The court initially decided to release Baghi on bail of 50 million toumen (approx. 40,000 euros), but then reversed its decision. The location of his detention remains unknown.
For further information contact Hajar Smouni, RSF, 5, rue Geoffroy Marie, Paris 75009, France, tel: +33 1 44 83 84 84, fax: +33 1 45 23 11 51, e-mail: [Email], Internet: http://www.rsf.org
link: protectionline

Iran detains human rights activist

2007-10-15T17:34:00.000-07:00

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — The head of an Iranian human rights group was arrested on charges of violating national security, official media reported on Sunday.
The state-run Islamic Republic News Agency said members of Emadeddin Baghi's family had taken part in meetings that were arranged by the opposition to topple Iran's Islamic regime.
"Baghi was doing his activities against national security under the cover of defending prisoners' rights," IRNA quoted an unnamed official as saying.
Baghi is the head of a prisoners' rights group and has accused authorities of mistreating inmates.
In 2003, he was sentenced to three years in prison on similar charges of violating national security. He served two years and one year was suspended.
FIND MORE STORIES IN: Iran | Iran | Tehran | IRNA | Republic | Iranian-Americans | Emadeddin Baghi
"Now, the suspended term will go into force," the official was quoted as saying. IRNA did not provide more details.
Calls to Baghi's office, his family and judicial officials were not immediately returned.
Iran recently released three Iranian-Americans after they spent about four months in prison on accusations of trying to stir up a revolution in the Islamic Republic.
A fourth Iranian-American whose passport had been confiscated also was allowed to leave the country. All four were charged with endangering national security — allegations they and their employers denied.

link: usatoday

Tehran imprisons prominent human rights activist

2007-10-15T17:29:00.000-07:00

Los Angeles Times-Washington Post
Published: October 15, 2007, 23:03
Tehran: Iranian authorities imprisoned one of their nation's most prominent human rights activists on Sunday after he appeared at a court appointment, said his lawyer.
Emad Al Deen Baghi, a writer who has campaigned vigorously against the death penalty in Iran, was taken into custody during a hearing in Tehran's Revolutionary Court, which tries those charged with political crimes.
Baghi's relatives said the court imposed a previously suspended one-year sentence on state security charges and denied bail. His lawyers said they were barred from the courtroom.
"We were not allowed today to be present during the investigation," said Saleh Nikbakht, one of Baghi's two attorneys.
Nikbakht said Baghi had told him he had been accused of revealing classified information. It was not immediately clear where the dissident was being held.
Authorities were angered recently by his outspoken opposition to the death penalty for Iranians of Arab descent convicted for taking part in a series of bombings in the province of Khuzestan. Baghi opposes capital punishment in all cases.
Baghi was born to a religious family in Karbala in 1962. A former Islamic seminary student, he supported Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution. He turned against the regime in the 1980s, writing books critical of the clerical establishment.
His wife, activist and writer Fatemeh Kamali, tried to post bail for her husband on Sunday, but the bid was refused by the court, Nikbakht said.

link: gulf news

Emadeddin Baghi’s Arrest

2007-10-15T17:27:00.000-07:00

By: Dr. Faride Farhi
Hawaii University

One of Iran’s leading human rights activists, Emadeddin Baghi, was arrested on Sunday after a court summons. His lawyer, Saleh Nikbakht, reported that a previous 2003 one-year suspended sentence was changed into imprisonment, making it possible for the government to deny bail. Baghi also faces a 3-year sentence for action against national security and propaganda against the system. Additionally, there are apparently new charges that have been filed, which include publication of “secret government documents of information gathered from prisoners of security prisons.”

Baghi had been expecting his arrest for a while as the drumbeat of charges against him had intensified in the past few months. But his actual arrest may be a reflection of the extent to which Ahmadinejad’s administration is moved by short-term expediency and paranoia. In the past few months, more prisoners arrested for their thoughts and writings have actually been released than arrested. So Baghi’s arrest, along with the previous arrest of Hadi Qabel, a cleric and head of the Qom Branch of the reformist Islamic Iran’s Participation Party, may be the harbinger of a shift and future arrests to come.

Emad Baghi is a soft-spoken, patient, but persistent man. He was arrested several years ago and spent 2 ½ years in prison for a variety of cooked up charges that essentially revolved around the Iranian government’s distaste for his critical and investigative writings. But he came out of prison determined and with a mission. The result of this determination was the establishment of the Association for Defending Rights of Prisoners in Iran, a human rights organization dedicated to improving the condition of prisons as well as protecting the rights of all prisoners (not merely political ones). Also of deep concern to Baghi was the number of and justification for executions in Iran.

Identifying himself as a human rights activist and not a political player, Baghi has been critical of external attempts to politicize the human rights issue in Iran and turn it into an instrument to be utilized in the US-Iran conflict. Instead, he has consciously engaged various government organs, particularly the Judiciary, to push for prisoners’ rights as well as prevent executions.

His position has been simple: human rights violations are essentially government violations and can only be stopped by the government. Hence, engaging with the government, pointing out violations of Iran’s own constitution, laying out a human rights-based interpretation of Islamic principles and practices, and pushing for new laws that assure the implementation of human rights are the way to go. His take, he once told me sitting in his Tehran office, is that no matter who is or will be in power, “Emad Baghi will be doing the same thing”: pointing out human rights violations, demanding the implementation the already assured human rights guarantees in the Iranian constitution, and pushing for new laws that improve on deficient laws.

Baghi’s patient and persistent approach has meant that more than anyone else in Iran he has been cognizant of violations usually missed by others. He has not only attempted to keep track of every single person imprisoned for political activities but also prison conditions and practice of torture in Iran's provinces, the exact number of people on the death row, the arbitrary manner and justifications for the execution of prisoners with criminal record and so on. Relying on the volunteer work of a cadre of Iran’s most amazing human rights lawyers, the Association for Defending Rights of Prsioners in Iran has engaged with authorities not only on a case by case basis but intellectually, laying out, for instance, the problematic way sentences such as stoning have been meted out in the name of Islam.

Baghi has also been cognizant of traditions and societal practices that have intensified the legal quandaries of the Islamic justice system. On the widespread practice of capital punishment, for instance, Baghi has discussed the extent to which the law of retribution (qessas) is further fueled by the desire to take revenge by the kin of the injured party. He has called for laws that moderate this urge for individual revenge but has also encouraged the media to take on the task of talking about the cultural pitfalls of this retribution-based approach to justice. Baghi has even not shied away from publicly chastising reformist organizations for their silence about the recent executions of a number of people identified by the government as “thugs and hoodlums.”

The arrest of Baghi is obviously sad and outrageous for what it is. But it also suggests a shift of approach by Ahmadinejad’s paranoid government from the harassment of well-known human rights activists to their arrest. In a just publicized private letter written to Ayatollah Seyyed Mahmoud Shahroudi, Iran’s head of the Judiciary, Baghi lays out the variety of hidden tactics the government has used, ranging from physical intimidation to harassment of his family, economic pressures, forced unemployment, passport confiscation, ransacking of his office and so on, to limit his activities. Baghi is very clear that years of listening and documenting human rights violations suggest that these are rather common tactics. But Baghi’s letter is also a testimony to the strength of the human rights movement in Iran. The Baghis of Iran will neither leave nor give up what they consider to be their mission, no matter how hard the government tries.

Ahmadinejad’s administration has made a decision that Baghi’s imprisonment is probably the only way to silence him for now. But knowing Baghi, this very short term expedient approach will neither weaken his resolve nor the resolve of many others who respect his path.

link: Informed Comment: Global Affairs

Iran imprisons human rights activist - Los Angeles Times

2007-10-15T17:23:00.000-07:00

Iranian authorities imprisoned one of their nation's most prominent human rights activists Sunday after he appeared at a court appointment, said his lawyer. Emadeddin Baghi, a writer who has campaigned vigorously against the death penalty in Iran, was taken during a hearing in Tehran's Revolutionary Court, which tries those charged with political crimes. Baghi's relatives said the court imposed a previously suspended one-year sentence on state security charges and denied bail. His lawyers said they were barred from the courtroom. "We were not allowed today to be present during the investigation," said Saleh Nikbakht, one of Baghi's two attorneys.

link: latimes

Iran detains prisoners' rights advocate on national security charges

2007-10-15T17:19:00.000-07:00

Jaime Jansen at 6:58 AM ET

[JURIST] Emadeddin Baghi [personal website], founder of Iran's Society for Defending Prisoners' Rights [advocacy website], was arrested on charges of violating national security, the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency reported Sunday. An unnamed government official told IRNA that Baghi and family members had participated in opposition meetings designed to overthrow Iran's Islamic regime. Specifically, Baghi has been charged with "spreading propaganda against the regime and publishing secret government documents." Baghi allegedly obtained confidential documents from prisoners and then made those documents available to the public.

Baghi, who has already been accused of mistreating inmates, was reportedly working "against national security under the cover of defending prisoners' rights." He was arrested in 2003 on different charges of violating national security, and already served two years of a three-year prison sentence. The third year of the sentence was suspended, but Baghi will now begin serving that term. Recently, Baghi has been publicly protesting hangings in Iran [JURIST report] and openly criticized heads of reformist parties for not reacting to the hangings. AP has more. AFP has additional coverage.

link: school of law

Iran Arrests Prisoners' Rights Activist

2007-10-15T17:17:00.000-07:00

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — The head of an Iranian human rights group was arrested on charges of violating national security, official media reported on Sunday.
The state-run Islamic Republic News Agency said members of Emadeddin Baghi's family had taken part in meetings that were arranged by the opposition to topple Iran's Islamic regime.
"Baghi was doing his activities against national security under the cover of defending prisoners' rights," IRNA quoted an unnamed official as saying.
Baghi is the head of a prisoners' rights group and has accused authorities of mistreating inmates.
In 2003, he was sentenced to three years in prison on similar charges of violating national security. He served two years and one year was suspended.
"Now, the suspended term will go into force," the official was quoted as saying. IRNA did not provide more details.
Calls to Baghi's office, his family and judicial officials were not immediately returned.
Iran recently released three Iranian-Americans after they spent about four months in prison on accusations of trying to stir up a revolution in the Islamic Republic.
A fourth Iranian-American whose passport had been confiscated also was allowed to leave the country. All four were charged with endangering national security — allegations they and their employers denied.

link: Iran

Iran detains human rights activists on security charges, news agency says

2007-10-15T17:14:00.000-07:00

Iran detains human rights activists on security charges, news agency says

The Associated Press
Sunday, October 14, 2007
http://www.iht.com/bin/printfriendly.php?id=7884020

TEHRAN, Iran: The head of an Iranian human rights group was arrested on
charges he violated national security, official media reported on Sunday.

The state-run Islamic Republic News Agency quoted an unnamed official as
saying that Emadeddin Baghi, the head of a prisoner rights' group, had been
detained.

IRNA said members of Baghi's family had taken part in meetings that were
arranged by the opposition to topple Iran's Islamic regime.

"Baghi was doing his activities against national security under the cover of
defending prisoners' rights," IRNA quoted the unnamed official as saying.

The report did not elaborate on the meetings.

In 2003, Baghi was sentenced to three years in prison on similar charges. He
served two years and one year was suspended.

"Now, the suspended term will go into force," the official was quoted as
saying. IRNA did not provide more details.

Baghi has criticized authorities for allegedly mistreating prisoners. Calls
to Baghi's office, his family and judicial officials were not immediately
returned.

Iran recently released three Iranian-Americans after they spent about four
months in prison on accusations of trying to stir up a revolution in the
Islamic Republic. A fourth Iranian-American also was allowed to leave the country after authorities confiscated her passport earlier this year. All four were
charged with endangering national security - allegations they and their
employers denied.
link: osint

Leading Rights Activist Jailed

2007-10-15T17:11:00.000-07:00

Washington Post
Iranian authorities imprisoned one of their nation's most prominent human rights activists Sunday after he appeared at a court appointment, his attorney said.
Emadeddin Baghi, a writer who has campaigned vigorously against the death penalty in Iran, was taken into custody during a hearing in Tehran's Revolutionary Court, which tries those charged with political crimes.
Baghi's relatives said the court imposed a previously suspended one-year sentence on state security charges and denied bail. His lawyers said they were barred from the courtroom.
Authorities were angered recently by Baghi's outspoken opposition to the death penalty for Iranians of Arab descent convicted of taking part in a series of bombings in the southwestern province of Khuzestan.
Washington Post

Freed Iran Advocate Recalls His Jailing

2007-10-15T17:08:00.000-07:00

TEHRAN, Oct. 15 — A prominent human rights advocate was jailed here on Sunday after an appearance before the Revolutionary Court, which handles political crimes, Iranian news media reported Monday.
The dissident, Emadeddin Baghi, was imprisoned on a previously suspended one-year term on charges of acting against state security. Previously, Mr. Baghi, a journalist who has written for reformist newspapers here, spent three years in jail for pro-democracy articles.
After his release in 2003, Mr. Baghi founded a group called the Organization for the Defense of Prisoners’ Rights and campaigned against capital punishment, which is widely applied in Iran. The daily newspaper Etemad reported Monday that Mr. Baghi had come under increasing pressure recently to end his activities

link: the newyork times

Iran imprisons leading dissident at court hearing

2007-10-15T16:47:00.000-07:00

By Borzou Daragahi and Ramin Mostaghim, Los Angeles Times
TEHRAN - Iranian authorities imprisoned one of the nation's most prominent human-rights activists yesterday after he appeared at a court appointment, his lawyer said.
Emadeddin Baghi, a writer who has campaigned vigorously against the death penalty in Iran, was taken into custody during a hearing in Tehran's Revolutionary Court, which tries those charged with political crimes.
Baghi's relatives said the court imposed a previously suspended one-year sentence on state security charges and denied bail. His lawyers said they were barred from the courtroom.
"We were not allowed . . . to be present during the investigation," said Saleh Nikbakht, one of Baghi's two lawyers.
Nikbakht said Baghi had told him he had been accused of revealing classified information. It was not immediately clear where the dissident was being held.
Authorities were angered recently by his outspoken opposition to the death penalty for Iranians of Arab descent convicted for taking part in a series of bombings in the southwestern Iranian province of Khuzestan.
Baghi opposes capital punishment in all cases.
He is also being accused of insulting Iran's leaders, according to the Iranian Students' News Association .
Baghi was born to a religious family in the Iraqi shrine city of Karbala in 1962. A former Islamic seminary student, he supported Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution.
He turned against the regime in the 1980s, writing books critical of the clerical establishment. He has written more than 20, most of them banned in his homeland. He was convicted on charges of apostasy and endangering state security in 2000 and spent nearly three years in prison.
As soon as Baghi got out, he founded the Center for the Defense of Prisoners' Rights, which advocates for the abolition of the death penalty. Several years ago, authorities handed him the one-year suspended sentence, which had been hanging over his head since.
In 2004, he was granted the $50,000 Civil Courage Prize, an international award inspired by Russian author Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn. However, Baghi was barred by Iranian authorities from leaving the country to collect the award.
His wife, activist and writer Fatemeh Kamali, tried to post bail for her husband yesterday, but the bid was refused by the court, Nikbakht said.
the boston globe

Iran Arrests Prisoners' Rights Activist

2007-10-14T17:03:00.000-07:00

Associated Press
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — The head of an Iranian human rights group was arrested on charges of violating national security, official media reported on Sunday.
The state-run Islamic Republic News Agency said members of Emadeddin Baghi's family had taken part in meetings that were arranged by the opposition to topple Iran's Islamic regime.
"Baghi was doing his activities against national security under the cover of defending prisoners' rights," IRNA quoted an unnamed official as saying.
Baghi is the head of a prisoners' rights group and has accused authorities of mistreating inmates.
In 2003, he was sentenced to three years in prison on similar charges of violating national security. He served two years and one year was suspended.
"Now, the suspended term will go into force," the official was quoted as saying. IRNA did not provide more details.
Calls to Baghi's office, his family and judicial officials were not immediately returned.
Iran recently released three Iranian-Americans after they spent about four months in prison on accusations of trying to stir up a revolution in the Islamic Republic.
A fourth Iranian-American whose passport had been confiscated also was allowed to leave the country. All four were charged with endangering national security — allegations they and their employers denied.
link: Associated Press

Iran jails journalist on security charge - friend

2007-10-14T17:00:00.000-07:00

REUTERS
Sun Oct 14, 2007 8:22pm IST

TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran jailed a prominent pro-reform journalist and rights activist, Emadeddin Baghi, on Sunday for acting against national security, a close friend said.
Baghi, the founder of the Society for Defending Prisoners' Rights, was sent to Tehran's Evin prison, where many other dissidents are held, Issa Saharkhiz told Reuters.
"Today Baghi was sent to prison from the court for a one-year term of a previously suspended jail sentence," Saharkhiz said, adding that he was being detained for acting against "national security" and publishing classified documents.
Iranian news agencies also quoted Baghi's lawyer confirming that he had been jailed for violating national security.
A Tehran court found Baghi guilty four years ago of writing critical articles and making speeches about the judiciary's poor treatment of prisoners and cases of defendants being given inadequate access to lawyers, Saharkhiz said.
Rights groups and diplomats say there is a broad crackdown on dissenting voices in the Islamic state, which is under growing Western pressure over its disputed nuclear programme. The authorities deny such moves, saying they allow free speech.
Baghi was previously jailed for insulting Islamic sanctities. He was released after three years in 2002.
Judicial officials were not available to comment on Baghi's arrest.
Baghi's best-selling books about so-called chain killing of intellectuals, during which four activists were murdered by "rogue" Intelligent Ministry agents, have also been banned in the Islamic state. Continued…
(LINK: http://in.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idINIndia-29989620071014 )

Rights groups often complain that Tehran imprisons pro-reform writers, journalists and intellectuals without due legal process. Iran denies holding political prisoners and routinely dismisses charges of rights abuses.
Reformist politicians said Baghi's arrest was an attempt to intimidate pro-reform activists in Iran ahead of the 2008 parliamentary elections in March.
"The government wants to silence its critics. They will jail more pro-reform activists," said a former government official, who asked not to be named.
Two prominent pro-reform newspapers, Ham Mihan and Sharq, both critical of the government, have been shut down in the past months.
Since 2000, the Press Supervisory Board and judiciary have closed more than 100 publications, accusing many of being "pawns of the West". Many subsequently reopened under different names. A handful of opposition newspapers still publish
link: REUTERS

Interview

2007-10-13T17:23:00.000-07:00

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Biography

2007-10-13T17:21:00.000-07:00

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2007-10-13T16:10:00.000-07:00

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2007-10-13T16:08:00.000-07:00

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2007-10-13T16:06:00.000-07:00

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2007-10-13T16:04:00.000-07:00

Sentencing of Mr. Emadeddin Baghi, his wife and his daughter

2007-08-02T17:26:00.000-07:00

IRN 006 / 0807 / OBS 088
Sentencing / Hindrance to freedoms of expression and movement
Iran
August 2, 2007
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 Islamic Republic of Iran.
Description of the situation:
The Observatory was informed by the Iranian League for the Defence of Human Rights (LDDHI) of the sentencing on July 31, 2007 of Mr. Emadeddin Baghi, a journalist involved in the defence of human rights, to three years in prison and of the suspended sentences on his wife, Mrs. Fatemeh Kamali Ahmad Sarahi, editor of the now-closed monthly Jameh-e-no, as well as his daughter, Ms. Maryam Baghi.
According to the information received, Mr. Baghi was condemned by the Tehran Revolutionary Court on July 31, 2007, for articles he had written in the Jomhouriat newspaper, of which he had been the editor-in-chief until it was closed down by the authorities in September 2004. The articles called for the defence of persons who were sentenced to death in the southern Khozestan region. He was condemned for “activities against national security” and “publicity in favour of the regime’s opponents”.
On the same day, his wife and his daughter were given three-year suspended prison sentences and five years of probation for “meeting and colluding with the aim of disrupting national security”, after taking part in a series of human rights workshops in Dubai in 2004.
Mr. Baghi, his wife and his daughter have appealed their sentence. As a consequence, Mr. Baghi is not presently detained.
Over the past years, Mr. Baghi and his wife have been subjected to repeated acts of harassment due to their human rights activities. In particular, Mr. Baghi has already been detained from 2000 to 2003 for “attacking national security” in relation to articles he had written on human rights and against the death penalty. On leaving prison, he set up an organisation to defend the rights of prisoners of conscience, the Society for Defending Prisoners’ Rights. Moreover, his passport was confiscated on October 4, 2004, on the eve of his travel to Montreal, where he had planned to participate in the 2nd World Congress Against Death Penalty which was held from October 6 to 9, 2004. He has been banned from leaving the country since then and was accordingly prevented from going to France in December 2005 in order to receive the Human Rights Prize which had been awarded to him by the French National Consultative Commission on Human Rights (Commission Nationale Consultative des Droits de l’Homme - CNCDH)[1].
The Observatory expresses its deepest concern over the constant repression of human rights defenders in Iran, and urges the Iranian authorities to conform to Article 6(b) of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on December 9, 1998, which states that “everyone has the right, individually and in association with others [... to] freely to publish, impart or disseminate to others views, information and knowledge on all human rights and fundamental freedoms”.
The Observatory further wishes to recall that Iran had committed to “uphold the highest standards in the promotion and protection of human rights”[2] by presenting its candidacy to the Human Rights Council 2006 election and insisted in this regard on the fact that the country had “continuously put great efforts into safeguarding the status and inherent dignity of the human person as well as the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms”[3]. In order to ensure the continuation of these efforts, the Observatory strongly urges the Islamic Republic of Iran to conform with international human rights standards.
Actions requested:
Please write to the authorities in Iran urging them to:
1. Guarantee in all circumstances the physical and psychological integrity of Mr. Emadeddin Baghi, Mrs. Fatemeh Kamali Ahmad Sarahi and Ms. Maryam Baghi;
2. Ensure that Mr. Emadeddin Baghi, Mrs. Fatemeh Kamali Ahmad Sarahi and Ms. Maryam Baghi be granted a fair trial in appeal so that all the charges against them be dropped as the merely aim at sanctioning their human rights activities;
3. Ensure Mr. Baghi’s right to freedoms of expression and movement, in compliance with international human rights standards;
4. Put an end to all acts of harassment against all Iranian human rights defenders;
5. Conform with the provisions of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, especially its Article 1, which states that “everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to promote and to strive for the protection and realisation of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels”, above-mentioned Article 6(b) 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 and 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”;
6. More generally, ensure in all circumstances the respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and with international and regional human rights instruments ratified by Iran.
Addresses:
· Leader of the Islamic Republic, His Excellency Ayatollah Sayed Ali Khamenei, The Office of the Supreme Leader, Shoahada Street, Qom, Islamic Republic of Iran, Faxes: + 98.21.649.5880 / 21.774.2228, Email: info@leader.ir / istiftaa@wilayah.org / webmaster@wilayah.org;
· President, His Excellency Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the Presidency, Palestine Avenue, Azerbaijan Intersection, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran, Fax: + 98.21.649.5880, E-mail: dr-ahmadinejad@president.ir;
· Head of the Judiciary, His Excellency Mr. Mahmoud Hashemi Shahrudi, Ministry of Justice, Park-e Shahr, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran, Fax: +98.21.879.6671 / +98 21 3 311 6567, Email: Irjpr@iranjudiciary.com;
· Minister of Foreign Affairs, His Excellency Mr. Manuchehr Motaki, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sheikh Abdolmajid Keshk-e Mesri Av, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran, Fax: + 98.21.390.1999, 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 in Brussels, avenue Franklin Roosevelt, 15 A. 1050 Bruxelles, Belgium, Fax: + 32 2 762 39 15. Email: iran-embassy@yahoo.com.
Please also write to the diplomatic mission or embassy of Iran in your respective country.
***
Paris - Geneva, August 2, 2007
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
The Observatory, a FIDH and OMCT venture, is dedicated to the protection of Human Rights Defenders and aims to offer them concrete support in their time of need. The Observatory was the winner of the 1998 Human Rights Prize of the French Republic.
To contact the Observatory, call the emergency line:
E-mail: Appeals@fidh-omct.org
Tel and fax FIDH + 33 (0) 1 43 55 20 11 / +33 1 43 55 18 80
Tel and fax OMCT + 41 (0) 22 809 49 39 / + 41 22 809 49 29
[1] See 2004 and 2005 Annual Reports of the Observatory.
[2] See 2004 and 2005 Annual Reports of the Observatory.
[3] See http://www.un.org/ga/60/elect/hrc/iran.pdf.

link: World Organisation Against Torture