Banned Books Week
IRAN
Mahboubeh Abbasgholizadeh
editor accused
Mahboubeh Abbasgholizadeh, is director of the Iranian NGO Training Center, formed to assist the
growing Non-Governmental Organization community in Iran. She also is editor-in-chief of Farzaneh,
“a journal of women’s studies and research in Iran and Muslim societies”. Both endeavours support
recognition of women’s rights and promotion of international human rights standards.
Mahboubeh Abbasgholizadeh was arrested on 1 November 2004. Her personal effects reportedly were seized and the authorities sealed her office. Tehran’s Chief Prosecutor reportedly authorized the arrest but appears to have failed to give any reason for it. A month later she was released on bail, with no trial date set. She reportedly is banned from travel and faces vaguely worded charges, including “spreading lies” & propaganda, having “illicit relations” and “relations with foreigners”,
and being improperly dressed (without headscarf) and possesing alcohol. If she is imprisoned, Amnesty International would consider her a prisoner of conscience.
Until the last week of her detention (in Evin Prison), she was held in solitary confinement in a secret detention center, under harsh conditions. Her interrogation apparently placed her under extreme mental and emotional pressure. She was questioned about her presentations at international meetings, including the European Social Forum and the Asia-Pacific NGO Forum on Beijing+10 in July 2004, and her connections with international women’s rights activists. Judicial interrogators told her threateningly that her daughter would be brought in if she did not cooperate.
Denying Mahboubeh Abbasgholizadeh access to her family, to immediate availability of legal counsel, and to the outside world contravened provisions of the UN Body of Principles for the Protection of All Persons under Any Form of Detention or Imprisonment. Failure to hold a prompt and open trial contravenes Iran’s obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
On 25 December 2004, Mahboubeh Abbasgholizadeh and at least four other journalists appeared before a presidential committee charged with listening to citizens’ complaints about failures to guarantee rights set out in Iran’s constitution. On 3 January 2005, Tehran’s Chief Prosecutor held a press conference expressly to deny allegations of mistreatment and once again threatened to prosecute those who made statements that they were abused to extract “confessions” and “apologies”.
On or around 16 February 2005, the Head of the Judiciary met with Mahboubeh Abbasgholizadeh and other former detainees. He ordered the cases to be brought under the control of his office and promised to bring those responsible to justice. There has been no known progress, however.
Politely expressing concern about the administration of justice in Iran — and in particular that the human rights violations suffered by Mahboubeh Abbasgholizadeh following her arrest apparently remain uninvestigated and unpunished — please call for immediate action to resolve this case in accordance with international standards.
His Excellency Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
The Presidency
Palestine Avenue, Azerbaijan Intersection
Tehran
Islamic Republic of Iran
Iranian Interests Section
2209 Wisconsin Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20007
Fax: 202-965-1073
Salutation: Your Excellency
Airmail postage abroad: 80¢
