MDE 13/032/2007
Further Information on 113/05 (MDE 13/021/2005, 6 May 2005) and follow-up (MDE 13/027/2005, 15 June 2005 ; MDE 13/033/2005, 12 July 2005 ; MDE 13/066/2005, 4 November 2005)
22 March 2007
Lawyer and human rights defender Nasser Zarafshan was released from Evin Prison on 15 March.
Hehad been sentenced to five years’ imprisonment on 19 March 2002, after a secret trial before a military court. He was tried because of his role in representing the families of two political activists murdered in November 1998, during a series of killings which came to be known in Iran as the "serial murders". At least 18 people, including former senior Ministry of Intelligence officials, were tried in connection with the murders, in a case which attracted wide publicity and controversy within Iran.
Although Nasser Zarafshan was released after completing his sentence, he has said that he may still have to serve another 20 days in detention, relating to the extension of some of the medical leave he had eventually been granted.
While he was in custody, Nasser Zarafshan’s health deteriorated and he was not immediately afforded adequate medical treatment. He suffers from a chronic kidney condition which required specialist treatment outside the prison.
Nasser Zarafshan is reportedly now in good health, and has expressed his gratitude to Amnesty International and all those who have campaigned for his release. He plans to renew his membership of the Bar Association in Tehran and to reopen his office.
Amnesty International believes that Nasser Zarafshan was a prisoner of conscience, detained solely for his legitimate activities as a lawyer and for the peaceful expression of his beliefs.
No further action is requested from the UA network. Many thanks to all who sent appeals.
Communication Mars-Avril 2007
Nous rappelons aux nouveaux inscrits qu’à tout moment vous pouvez retrouver, entre autres choses, le B.A BA du participant aux actions urgentes (AU), des informations sur la genèse d’une AU, des indications sur comment écrire, comment aborder une AU, et bien d’autres précisions sur cette technique d’action chère à Amnesty, ici :
http://www.amnestyinternational.be/doc/rubrique822.html
Les récentes bonnes nouvelles
République Démocratique du Congo : l’ordre illégal d’arrêter l’avocat Joseph Dunia Ruyenzi a été annulé le 23 février. Au tribunal, le procureur général de Goma, qui avait introduit le recours au nom de Maître Dunia, a cité l’Action urgente lancée par Amnesty International comme un exemple de l’indignation de la communauté internationale devant l’ordre de faire arrêter l’avocat. Joseph Dunia Ruyenzi tient à remercier les membres d’Amnesty International qui se sont mobilisés pour lui (réf : AFR 62/007/2007).
Pakistan. Samiullah Baloch a été relâché de prison le 10 décembre 2006 après plusieurs mois de détention, de torture et de cellule d’isolement pour avoir eu le malheur d’être le frère du sénateur et secrétaire à l’information du Parti national du Baloutchistan. Celui-ci a écrit aux militants d’Amnesty pour les remercier de leurs appels : « Je suis particulièrement touché par l’action d’Amnesty International en faveur de mon frère et vous remercie du fond du coeur pour votre mobilisation et vos efforts qui ont mené à sa libération. »
L’avortement est un droit. Parlementaires, changez la loi !