We strongly condemn Iran’s detention of Iranian with dual nationality and urge for their unconditional freedom

Iran also recently lifted travel ban on Mehrnoush Solouki and since January 18 Solouki has been back in Paris. Kian Tajbakhsh and Parnaz Azima are free. On September 3, 2007-Haleh Esfandiari, who was released from a Tehran prison on Aug 21, has reportedly received her passport from Iranian authorities and left Iran.

To:  The Islamic Republic Of Iran

We strongly condemn Iran’s detention of Iranian with dual nationality and urge for their unconditional freedom. Also we urge Iran to lift travel bans on two journalists with dual nationality that Iran has banned from traveling back to their home countries.

Iran has detained two Iranian-American scholars, Kian Tajbakhsh and Haleh Esfandiari and holding them inside Tehran’s notorious Evin prison. Ali Shakeri, a peace activist, is also believed to be in detention, and most likely is abducted by Iranian Intelligence services. Also the government has confiscated the passports of two journalists Parnaz Azima and Mehrnoush Solouki, preventing from leaving Iran.

Iranian Judiciary, accused Haleh Esfandiari, Kian Tajbakhsh and Parnaz Azima of “Acting against national security by engaging in propaganda against The Islamic Republic Of Iran and spying on for foreigners.

Shakeri’s whereabouts still remains unknown and Iran the Judiciary informed that “he’s not in detention and there are no charges against him.”

The authorities have also banned two journalists with dual nationality from leaving Iran. Solouki, a journalist who has dual French and Iranian nationality, was detained on February 17 while making a documentary film about events following the 1988 ceasefire in the war between Iran and Iraq. She was held for a month at Evin prison by Information Ministry officials who also confiscated her notes and film, and then released on bail of 100 million Touman (US$100,000) on March 19. However, the authorities did not return her passport, preventing her from leaving Iran. Intelligence officials have summoned her for interrogation several times since her release.

Azima, a reporter for the Persian-language services of Radio Free Europe who holds both Iranian and American citizenship, is also being prevented from leaving Iran. Her passport was confiscated by the authorities in January 2007. On May 21, following the deposit of a large bail payment, the authorities refused to return her passport.

Iranian intelligence agents often bring politically motivated charges of “endangering national security” against activists and intellectuals. The detentions and travel bans are part of a broad crackdown being mounted against Iranian human rights activists, students, and labor organizers and etc by Iranian intelligence services.

Iranian government bear full responsibility for the health and safety of all those detained by the state, and that all detainees must be treated with dignity.

Sincerely,

The Undersigned

The We strongly condemn Iran’s detention of Iranian with dual nationality and urge for their unconditional freedom Petition to The Islamic Republic Of Iran was created by and written by Fariborz Shamshiri (fariborz1234567890@yahoo.com).  This petition is hosted here at www.PetitionOnline.com as a public service. There is no endorsement of this petition, express or implied, by Artifice, Inc. or our sponsors. For technical support please use our simple Petition Help form.