Thursday, August 23, 2007
Iran: Statement by Political, Cultural and Social Activists on the Continuous Detention of Students
Statement by Political, Cultural and Social Activistson the Continuous Detention of Students[1]
The [Iranian] civil society, especially the students, workers, and journalists, have come under mounting pressure being accused of soft revolution, agitation of public, insult to all that is sacred. In an open letter to the head of the Judiciary family member of some of the imprisoned students have stated that their sons had been tortured both physically and mentally including unethical actions, long term sleep deprivation, lashing, threatening them with rape, for the purpose of obtaining information.
On the basis of defeated strategy of rule by fear and intimidation and pressuring the students and obtaining compulsory information, they can not defeat the student and pro-democracy movement. These events have occurred at a time when:
1) Human Rights charter of the United Nations which Iran is a signatory, bars ill-treatment of prisoners for the purpose of obtaining information.
2) The constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran based on the articles below clearly guarantees the rights of the people:
a. No authority has the right to abrogate legitimate freedoms, not even by enacting laws and regulations for that purpose, under the pretext of preserving the independence and territorial integrity of the country. (Article 9)
b. The formation of parties, societies, political or professional associations, ……is permitted …….. No one may be prevented from participating in the aforementioned groups, or be compelled to participate in them. (Article 26)
c. Public gatherings and marches may be freely held, provided arms are not carried and that they are not detrimental to the fundamental principles of Islam (article 27)
d. Innocence is to be presumed, and no one is to be held guilty of a charge unless his or her guilt has been established by a competent court. (article 37)
e. All forms of torture for the purpose of extracting confession or acquiring information are forbidden. (article 38)
We, the signatories of this statement:
1) Protest the illegal arrest of students, workers, human rights defenders and handing out heavy sentences without the presence of an attorney and Jury and find it unconstitutional.
2) With respect to the fact that the investigations of the three students of Amir Kabir University have ended, we demand for their immediate release until the formation of the court and proclaim that in respect to the knowledge of physical and mental pressure of the students, they be not taken directly to the court from prison. Judiciary must respect this legal demand to avoid continuous pressure of the students and protect the student’s rights.
3) Demand from the authorities to arrange for the students to meet with elected attorneys and doctors that are respected by the families.
4) Demand for the formation of an independent and well-respected truth commission to look into the charges of “forced confession” in regards to the students in an open and neutral court with the presence of attorneys.
22nd of August 2007
Signatory of 680 names
[1] Translated by United Republicans of Iran. Visit us at http://www.iranrepublic.org/
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