In a statement on 13 July 1999, made prior to a rally held in his support on 14 July by the Organization of Islamic Propaganda (Sazman-e Tabliqat-e Islami), Seyyed Ali Khamene'i, the 'guardian of divine jurisprudence' and the 'leader' of the regime of the Islamic Republic, stated that those arrested in the course of the pro-democracy demonstrations will be considered mohareb (those who wage war against God) and mofsed (corrupters on earth), undefined crimes which carry the death sentence. The green light for this position had already been given on the same day in a statement issued by Mohammad Khatami, the President of the Islamic Republic, after a meeting of the Supreme National Security Council. At the rally Ayatollah Hassan Ruhani, the secretary general of the Supreme National Security Council, reiterated the need to press such charges. On Sunday 19 July, Ayatollah Ali Akbar Nateq Nuri, the speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, demanded the instant execution of the prisoners concerned. On the following day, Jomhuri Islami, a newspaper belonging to Seyyed Ali Khamene'i, further condemned those arrested as mohareb and mofsed.

In view of the danger posed by these charges, and the arbitrary character of justice and the use of summary trials for non-conformists and secular activists in the Islamic Republic, there is deep concern over the fate of prisoners, some of whose names are listed in the attached memorandum, and who may be punished as scapegoats.

Considering that the prisoners in question, including the members of the Central Council of the Mellat-e Iran Party and its general secretary Mr Khosrow Seif and students like Mr Manuchehr Mohammadi, who has been forced to make false confessions under duress before the public in the media, are prisoners of conscience and victims of suppression;

Considering that there are many others arrested prior to the recent events, including the 13 innocent Jewish citizens who were arrested around 21 March 1999 (see Amnesty International Urgent Action 21 July) who are in equal danger;

In view of the Islamic Republic's commitment, as stated in the Commission on Human Rights Resolution of 16 April 1999 (E/CN.4/1999/L.27), 'to promote respect for the rule of law, including the elimination of arbitrary arrest and detention and to reform the legal and penitentiary system and bring it into line with international human rights standards in this field';

In view of 'the continuing violations of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, as reported by the Special Representative, in particular the high number of executions, cases of torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment … the failure to meet international standards in the administration of justice … and the use of national security laws to deny the rights of the individual' (E/CN.4/1999/32, 28 December 1998);

You are respectfully requested to use your good offices and authority to:

1. Do your utmost, as a matter of urgency, to put a stop to this wave of serious assault upon human life and dignity and to ensure that the international community takes appropriate measures to protect the security of those who are engaged in the struggle to establish democracy in Iran;

2. Seek urgent clarification of the whereabouts of those detained and to demand that they are humanely treated and unconditionally freed from captivity;

3. Urge the authorities to investigate the killings and the serious assaults on the students and on the public in the course of the events following 8 July and to bring to justice all those responsible;

4. To form a special international commission to also include observers from non-governmental human rights bodies to investigate present events and the political murders of Dariush and Parvaneh Foruhar, Mohammad Mokhtari, Mohammad Ja'far Puyandeh, Majid Sharif, which, despite claims to the contrary, have so far been purposefully neglected, and to bring those responsible to justice;

5. Refer the question to the Security Council as a matter threatening the security and peace of the people of Iran and the surrounding area which would also call for the establishment of a competent international criminal tribunal to hear cases of crimes against humanity which will help to ensure that such crimes are not repeated.

Yours faithfully

Hedayat Matine-Daftary

Former Vice-President of the Iranian Bar Council

cc:

Mr Maurice D. Copithorne, Q.C., The UN Special Representative for Iran

Her Excellency Mary Robinson, The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights

Amnesty International

Human Rights Watch