Original story, November 2001.  Updated March 2002
News : Statements Of Amnesty International & PEN American Center On Mr. Siamak Pourzand , Iranian Journalist Disappearance After Arrest In Tehran On November 24, 2001.
However, it was announced by the security forces of the government weeks after his disappearance that Mr. Pourzand presently is in the Jails of Islamic Republic. Still no charges is made public and no legality for his detention - December 2001

The Following is the Letter of Mehrangiz Kar , Pourzand's wife , Attorney at Law, to Islamic Human Rights Commission _ July 25,2002

Family Statement On Siamak Pourzand Condition- April 23, 2002

اطلاعيه خانواده پورزند در باره وضعيت سيامک پورزند

19 ارديبهشت 1381

بدين وسيله به اطلاع می رساند:

سيامک پورزند روزنامه نويس قديمی ايران , 71 ساله که سوم آذرماه 1380 ربوده شد, بر پايه اخبار منتشره در روزنامه ايران به 8 سال حبس محکوم شده است. سيامک پورزند که هنوز بعد از 7 ماه معلوم نيست در کدام بازداشتگاه نگهداری می شود, اخيرا بعد از دو ماه بی خبری کامل با خواهرش در محل اداره اماکن واقع در خيابان مطهری ديدار کرده است. در اين ديدار نامبرده از حيث جسمی و روانی بشدت صدمه خورده و نحيف مشاهده شده بحدی که نگرانی در باره وضعيت او خواب و آسايش را از افراد خانواده ربوده است. بر خلاف اخبار منتشره در روزنامه های ايران بهيچوجه او را به زندان اوين منتقل نکرده اند و همچنان در شرايط نامطلوب در زندانی مجهول به سر می برد. وضع و حال او بخوبی حاکی از آن بوده که از خدمات پزشکی و امکانات رفاهی کاملا محروم مانده است. او در جريان ديدار با پارچه ای دهان خود را می پوشانده و می گفته : دندانم درد می کند.

سيامک پورزند هنوز تحت تاثير فشارهايی که بر او وارد می شود از قبول وکيل انتخابی  خانوده امتناع می کند. وکيل تعيينی دادگاه نيز يا فاقد اطلاعات لازم در باره موکل خود می باشد يا از ترس تن به روشنگری وحق طلبی نمی دهد. در هر حال و به لحاظ آنکه تا کنون کسی دسترسی به پرونده نداشته و معلوم نيست پرونده چگونه مفتوح شده و از سيامک پورزند تحت چه شرايطی اظهارات و اقارير اخذ کرده اند, همچنين به لحاظ وضعيت بسيار نامطلوب جسمي و روحی سيامک پورزند به خود اجازه می دهيم ا ز تمام نهادهای مرتبط با مراعات حقوق متهم و موازين حقوق بشر بخواهيم موضوع را پيگيری کنند و موجبات لازم را فراهم سازند تا دست کم سيامک پورزند با هزينه خانواده در يک بيمارستان فورا بستری و تحت درمان قرار گيرد. در غير اين صورت بسيار محتمل است برای پيشگيری از افشای رفتار غير قانونی و تخلفات عديده , اين زندانی را که از همه حقوق قانونی خود محروم مانده است همچنان در محروميت نگاه دارند و خبر مرگ او را که ناشی از بد رفتاری است انتشار دهند. اميدوار است سازمانهای داخلی و خارجی اين هشدار را جدی تلقی کنند.

                                                                                                         خانواده پورزند

The above information was supplied by Iran Committee.

Full story below.

Siamak Pourzand,70 years old, a freelance journalist was arrested in Tehran yesterday. His charges and whereabouts are unknown .Mr. Pourzand is a famous Iranian journalist . He is suffering from high blood pressure and heart ailments. He is taken by unknown people when he left his sister's house on Saturday November 24 .Police & Security offices deny his arrest. No doubt this is another attack on journalists by Iran Islamic Republic! We hope he does not turn out to be another victim of the new political serial killings! Mr. Pourzand is the manager of Tehran Cultural Center & the husband of Mehrangiz Kar . Ms. Kar is an attorney and a  human rights activist being persecuted for Berlin Conference speech. Now she is  temporarily allowed to treat her late stage  breast cancer in the United States.  

Siamak Pourzand, 70 Years Old Iranian Journalist
                                          Disappeared After Arrest, November 24, 2001.  
November 28, 2001
His Excellency Ayatollah Sayed 'Ali Chimney
Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran
c/o The Presidency
Palestine Avenue
Azerbaijan Intersection
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran

His Excellency Hojjatoleslam Sayed Mohammad Khatami
President of the Islamic Republic of Iran
c/o The Presidency
Palestine Avenue
Azerbaijan Intersection,
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran

His Excellency Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi-Shahrudi
Head of the Judiciary
Park-e Shahr
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran

His Excellency Hojjatoleslam 'Ali Younesi
Minister of Intelligence
Second Negarestan Street
Pasdaran Avenue
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran

Excellencies,

We are writing on behalf of the 2,700 writers who are members of PEN
American Center to express our grave and urgent concern about the
reported disappearance of Siamak Pourzand, manager of Majmue-ye
Farhangi-ye Honari-ye Tehran (The Tehran Cultural Center).

According to our information, Mr. Pourzand disappeared in Tehran on
Saturday, November 24, at around 9:00 p.m.  It is our understanding that
he left his sister's apartment in Abbas Abad, central Tehran, taking his
medicine, shoes, and keys that evening, and has not been heard from
since.  PEN received reports that Mr. Pourzand had stated to friends and
family that he had been followed by motorcycles and one or two cars in
the two weeks before he disappeared.  It is also our understanding that
neither the judiciary nor the Ministry of Intelligence have announced
his arrest.

PEN fears hi disappearance may be connected to the fact he runs
Majmue-ye Farhangi-ye Honari-ye Tehran, which has provided facilities
for artists, writers, and other intellectuals, including well-known
women's rights activists, for performance and to discuss their work.
Furthermore, we are particularly concerned for the well being of Mr.
Pourzand, husband of human rights lawyer and PEN Honorary Member
Mehrangiz Kar, as it is our understanding that he is of an advanced age
and is in poor physical condition.  We therefore appeal to your
Excellencies to conduct an urgent investigation into the disappearance
of Siamak Pourzand and to make the findings public.  Likewise, we
respectfully request that the judiciary or Ministry of Intelligence
clarify whether either body authorized the arrest of Mr. Pourzand.

Thank you for your attention.  We look forward to your response in this
matter.

Sincerely,


Anthony Appiah   
Chair, Freedom to Write Committee       

Larry Siems
Director, Freedom to Write and International Programs


Cc:
His Excellency Kamal Kharrazi
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Sheikh Abdolmajid Keshk-e Mesri Av
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran

Mohsen Mirdamadi Najafabadi
Parliamentary Committee
Article 90 Commission (Komisyon-e Asl-e Navad), Majles-e Shura-ye Eslami
Imam Khomeini Avenue
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran

Iranian Interests Section
2209 Wisconsin Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20007