Friday, December 01, 2006
AI: Arbitrary arrest/ possible prisoner of conscience/ medical concern
PUBLIC AI Index: MDE 13/129/2006
29 November 2006
Further Information on UA 08/06 (MDE 13/002/2006, 9 January 2006) and follow-up (MDE 13/094/2006, 17 August 2006) - Arbitrary arrest/ possible prisoner of conscience/ medical concern
IRAN Mansour Ossanlu (m), Head of the Union of Workers of Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company (Sherkat-e Vahed)
Mansour Ossanlu, the Head of the Union of Workers of the Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company (the Union), was re-arrested on 19 November. He is detained in Evin prison, and has reportedly not had access to his lawyer. He is reportedly not receiving medical treatment for a serious eye complaint.
On 19 November, Mansour Ossanlu was arrested outside his home by members of the security forces, who were reportedly in plain clothes. His place of detention was initially unknown. Prior to his arrest he had received a court summons ordering him to attend Branch Four of the Special Court for Government Employees on 20 November.
On 26 November, Mansour Ossanlu appeared at Branch 14 of the Revolutionary Court for initial investigations by the Prosecutor. No specific charges are said to have been mentioned in the court. Mansour Ossanlu’s lawyer was reportedly not present during the court session.
The Minister of Justice and spokesperson for the Judiciary stated a few days after Mansour Ossanlu’s arrest that he had been re-arrested because he had failed to hand himself over to the prison authorities when an arrest order and summons was issued for him. However, his legal representatives have said that Mansour Ossanlu did not receive an arrest order or summons to return to prison: he had only received an order to attend court on a date after his arrest, 20 November.
Mansour Ossanlu is detained in section 209 of Evin prison. His family have been able to visit him once, and his wife was also able to speak to him when she attended the court session on 26 November. Mansour Ossanlu is suffering from a serious eye complaint. His eye had been operated on a few days prior to his arrest, and was still bandaged when he was arrested. He is unable to see properly, and is believed to not have had access to medical treatment inside prison.
Mansour Ossanlu was among 12 officials from the Union who were arrested by police at their homes on 22 December 2005, apparently in connection with their peaceful trade union activities. He was released on 9 August 2006 after payment of bail amounting to 150,000,000 Toumans (approximately US$163,000). He was said to be awaiting trial on charges, the exact nature of which were not known, but which may include "propaganda against the system" through leaflets and interviews with foreign anti-government radio stations, and "acting to disturb internal state security" by establishing links with hostile opposition groups and foreign countries. If he is detained solely in connection with his peaceful exercise of his internationally recognized right to form and join trade unions or to freedom of expression, he is a prisoner of conscience, and should be released immediately and unconditionally.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible, in Persian, Arabic, English or your own language:
- asking why Mansour Ossanlu was re-arrested on 19 November, and asking to be informed of the details of any charges that he is facing;
- calling for Mansour Ossanlu to have immediate and regular access to his lawyers, and continued and regular access to his family;
- expressing concern that Mansour Ossanlu is reportedly not receiving the medical treatment he requires for a serious eye complaint, and calling for him to be given immediate access to any necessary medical treatment;
- expressing concern that he may be held solely on account of his peaceful trade union activities, in which case he should be released immediately and unconditionally;
- reminding the authorities of their obligations under the ICCPR, Article 22 (1) of which provides for the right to form and join trade unions.
APPEALS TO:
Leader of the Islamic Republic
His Excellency Ayatollah Sayed ‘Ali Khamenei, The Office of the Supreme Leader
Shoahada Street, Qom, Islamic Republic of Iran
Email: info@leader.ir OR istiftaa@wilayah.org
Fax: +98 251 774 2228 (mark "FAO the Office of His Excellency, Ayatollah al Udhma Khamenei")
Salutation: Your Excellency
Minister of Intelligence
Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejeie
Ministry of Intelligence, Second Negarestan Street, Pasdaran Avenue, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Email: iranprobe@iranprobe.com
Salutation: Your Excellency
COPIES TO:
President
His Excellency Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
The Presidency, Palestine Avenue, Azerbaijan Intersection, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Email: dr-ahmadinejad@president.ir
via website: 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 10 January 2007.********
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