Iran: Stop the execution of Farzad Kamangar

international | rights, freedoms and repression | other press Monday August 18, 2008 18:23 by pat c

Here is the case of Farzad Kamangar. teacher, trade unionist, human rights activist. Sentenced to death by a kangaroo court. You can help to save his life. Full text at link.

Farzad Kamangar, a 33-year old teacher and trade unionist from the Kurdistan Province of Iran, is at risk of execution following an unfair trial.In recent weeks, Education InternationaI has written to the Iranian Government to request a fair trial for Farzad Kamangar and other union activists who are under arrest. In spite of joint efforts from various national and international organisations to have death sentence of Farzad Kamangar communted, it was upheld by the Supreme Court on 11 July 2008. In addition, Iranian trade union colleagues and human rights activists who show solidarity with Farzad are being subjected to pervasive intimidation by the Iranian authorities.

Kamangar, who worked as a teacher in rural areas and was a human rights activist, is accused of being a terrorist through his alleged affiliation to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, PKK. According to his lawyer, Khalil Bahramian, there is no evidence to justify the judgement that Kamangar has “endangered national security”. His lawyer, who was not permitted to defend him, says Farzad’s trial was not in accordance with article 168 of the Iranian Constitution: “Political and press offences will be tried openly and in the presence of a jury, in courts of justice.” In this case, only one judge reviewed the case within five minutes and the defendant was not allowed to speak.

A support committee composed of members of the Teacher Trade Association, former colleagues of Kamangar and human rights attorneys, including Nobel Prize winner Shirin Ebadi, was established on July 21, 2008 to defend the civil rights of Farzad Kamangar and to undertake legal actions to have his death sentence commuted. Following the first meeting of the Committee, three teachers were arrested and taken to the Intelligence Detention Centre in Sanandaj, in the Iranian province of Kurdistan. Two – Hassan Ghorbani and Kaveh Rostami– are still in detention, while the third, Ahmad Ghorbani, was released on bail after two weeks. Farzad’s supporters and their family members are regularly intimidated through phone calls by the Ministry of Intelligence and National Security.

What you can do:

Write to the Iranian authorities: appeal to the Iranian government to:

* review the case of Farzad Kamangar and to give further clarification about the charges against him;

* commute Farzad’s death sentence;

* desist from the use of torture;

* allow Farzad Kamangar to have unimpeded contact with his family and his lawyer;

* stop the harassment of the relatives of Farzad Kamangar and of the Committee to Stop Farzad Kamangar’s Death Sentence;

* be open for a peaceful dialogue regarding the professional concerns of teachers in Iran.

Please send appeals to:

President Islamic Republic of Iran
His Excellency Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
Palestine Avenue, Azerbaijan Intersection
Tehran 13168-43311
Islamic Republic of Iran
E-mail: dr-ahmadinejad@president.ir

Chief of State
His Excellency Ayatollah Sayed Ali Khamenei,
The Office of the Supreme Leader
Islamic Republic Street - Shahid Keshvar Doust Street,
Tehran
Islamic Republic of Iran
E-Mail: info@leader.ir / Fax: +98-21 649 5880

Minister of Justice
Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi
Office of the Head of Justice
Pasteur St., Vali Asr Ave., South of Serah-e Jomhouri
Tehran 13168-14737
Islamic Republic of Iran
E-Mail: info@dadgostary-tehran.ir / Fax: +98-21 879 6671/640 4018 or 4019