URGENT ACTION APPEAL
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10 March 2006
UA 57/06
Death penalty/fear of imminent execution
IRAN:
Dr Awdeh Afrawi (m), aged 52
Nazem Bureihi (m)
Aliredha Salman Delfi (m)
Ali Helfi (m)
Ali Manbouhi (m)
Jaafar Sawari (m)
Risan Sawari (m), teacher
Mohammad Ali Sawari (m), teacher
Moslem al-Ha'i (m)
The nine men named above, all members of Iran's Arab
minority, have reportedly been sentenced to death for
their alleged involvement in bomb explosions in the
city of Ahvaz, in Khuzestan province, which took
place in October 2005. It is not known exactly what
they were convicted of, but they are feared to be in
imminent danger of execution. Two other men
have already been executed. Seven have been shown
''confessing'' on local television, with one other
mentioned as a participant in the bombings, and
another reportedly convicted of the same offence.
According to the Minister of Justice, 45 people have
been arrested in connection with the October
explosions. On 14 February, the Minister of
Justice told the state news agency IRNA that seven of
them had been convicted on charges including ''enmity
with God (mohareb, for which the penalty is death),
corruption on earth and murder'' and that their
sentences would be announced shortly. On 20 February,
the Prosecutor General reportedly said that ''some of
those convicted in this case have been sentenced to
death, including the two main culprits, whose
presence in the recent Ahvaz incidents was proved and
their execution verdict is definite''. On 21
February, in a statement to IRNA commenting
on this report, the Minister of Justice stated that
only two had been sentenced to death and these
sentences were under review by the Supreme Court. He
noted that ''the seven convicts have not all
committed crimes that call for the death penalty.''
Although seven men were said to have been convicted
of involvement in the October bombings, nine men were
shown ''confessing'' on Khuzestan Provincial TV on 1
March. Among them were Mehdi Nawaseri and Ali Awdeh
Afrawi, who were hanged in public the following
morning; Dr Awdeh Afrawi (father of executed Ali
Awdeh Afrawi); Aliredha Salman Delfi; Ali Manbouhi;
Jaafar Sawari; Ali Helfi, Nazem Burehi, and Risan
Sawari.
Ali Manbouhi, Ali Helfi and Nazem Bureihi have
reportedly been in custody since 2000, when they were
arrested on charges of ''insurgency'' and each
sentenced to 35 years' imprisonment. However
they also featured in the ''confessions'' footage.
There are unconfirmed reports that they may soon face
a retrial on charges of mohareb and murder.
Dr Awdeh Afrawi is a psychologist at Ahvaz's Shahid
Chamran hospital. He and and his son were reportedly
arrested in Ahvaz shortly after the October 2005
explosions. Risan Sawari was reportedly arrested in
April 2005, released and arrested again in September.
Jaafar Sawari and Aliredha Salman Delfi were
reportedly arrested in September 2005.
Mehdi Nawaseri was reportedly arrested on 19 October
and Mohammad Ali Sawari on or around 4 November.
Moslem al-Ha'i was mentioned during the
''confessions'' as a participant in the bombings, but
it is not known when he was arrested.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Iran's Arab community live mainly in the Khuzestan
region, which borders Iraq. It is strategically
important because it is the site of much of
Iran's oil reserves, but the Arab population does not
feel it has benefited as much from the oil revenue as
the Persian population. Historically the Arab
community has been marginalized and discriminated
against. Tension has mounted among the Arab
population since April 2005, after it was alleged
that the government planned to disperse the country's
Arab population or to force them to relinquish their
Arab identity. Hundreds have been arrested and there
have been reports of torture. Following bomb
explosions in Ahvaz in June and October 2005, which
killed at least 14 people, and explosions at oil
installations in September and October, the cycle of
violence in Khuzestan province has intensified,
with hundreds of people reportedly arrested. Further
bombs exploded on 24 January 2006, killing at least
six people and were followed by further mass arrests.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as
quickly as possible:
- expressing grave concern that the nine men (naming
them) may be in imminent danger of execution;
- urging the Iranian authorities to commute their
death sentences immediately;
- asking for details of the men's trial proceedings,
including the specific charges against them, whether
they have been granted access to independent lawyers
of their choice, and, if indeed convicted and
sentenced to death, whether they have been allowed to
appeal against their convictions and sentences, as
required by Article 14 (5) of the International
Covenant on Civil and Political Rights;
- acknowledging that governments have a
responsibility to bring to justice those suspected of
criminal offences, but stating your unconditional
opposition to the death penalty, as the ultimate
cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment and violation
of the right to life.
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
Fax: 011 98 251 7 774 2228 (mark ''FAO the Office of
His Excellency, Ayatollah al Udhma Khamenei'')
Email: i...@leader.ir; istif...@wilayah.org
Salutation: Your Excellency
Head of the Judiciary
His Excellency Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi
Ministry of Justice
Park-e Shahr
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Email: ir...@iranjudiciary.org (mark ''Please forward
to His Excellency Ayatollah Shahroudi'') via the
judiciary website:
www.iranjudiciary.org/feedback_en.html
Salutation: Your Excellency
COPIES TO:
President
His Excellency Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
The Presidency
Palestine Avenue, Azerbaijan Intersection
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Fax: 011 98 21 6 649 5880
Email: dr-ahmadine...@president.ir;
via website: www.president.ir/email
Minister of the Interior
Hojjatoleslam Mustafa Purmohammadi
Ministry of the Interior, Dr Fatemi Avenue, Tehran,
Islamic Republic of Iran
Email: ravabetom...@moi.gov.ir
Fax: 011 98 21 8 896 203; 011 98 21 8 899 547;
011 98 21 6 650 203
Iran does not presently have an embassy in this
country.
Instead, please send copies to:
Iranian Interests Section
2209 Wisconsin Ave NW
Washington DC 20007
Phone: 202 965 4990
Fax: 202 965 1073
Email: reque...@daftar.org
Please send appeals immediately. Check with the
Colorado office between 9:00 am and 6:00 pm,
Mountain Time, weekdays only, if sending appeals
after April 20, 2006.
Amnesty International is a worldwide grassroots
movement that promotes and defends human rights.
This Urgent Action may be reposted if kept intact,
including contact information and stop action date
(if applicable). Thank you for your help with this
appeal.
Urgent Action Network
Amnesty International USA
PO Box 1270
Nederland CO 80466-1270
Email: u...@aiusa.org
http://www.amnestyusa.org/urgent/
Phone: 303 258 1170
Fax: 303 258 7881
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END OF URGENT ACTION APPEAL
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