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AMNESTY
INTERNATIONAL
Public Statement
AI Index: MDE 13/019/2003
(Public)
News Service No: 166
9 July 2003
Iran: Student activists and demonstrators must be treated in
accordance with international human rights standards
Published
Amnesty International is concerned at yesterday's arrest of student
leaders Reza Ameri Nassab, Ali Moghtadari and Arash Hashemi who may have
been targeted solely for the peaceful expression of their political
views. All three were arrested after they took part in an open press
conference held at the offices of Daftar-e Tahkim-e Vahdat (Office for
Strengthening Unity, or OCU) on the anniversary of the 18 Tir (9 July
1999) student demonstrations. During the press conference they
criticized restrictions on freedom of expression and association in
Iran. They were said to have been forced to the ground and thrown into
three separate vehicles and taken to an unknown destination. Ali
Moghtadari was reportedly released the same evening.
Such arrests are part of a
pattern of human rights violations
targeting student protests and demonstrations since the 18 Tir
demonstrations.
Since 11 June 2003, up to
4000 demonstrators have been arrested
of which approximately 2000 may remain in detention without charge or
trial. At least 65 individuals are said to have been charged, although
the charges have not been made public.
Many of these detainees
appear to have been targeted for
demonstrating peacefully. Amnesty International considers them prisoners
of conscience and calls for their immediate and unconditional release.
Amnesty International also calls for anyone charged with a recognisable
criminal offence to be given prompt fair trial.
The authorities should take
immediate measures to ensure that
student activists and peaceful demonstrators are treated in accordance
with international human rights standards.
Background
Following the July 1999 students' demonstrations in Tehran, Ahmad
Batebi, Abbas Deldar, Javid Tehrani, Mehrdad Lohrasebi, Akbar and
Manuchehr Mohammadi and scores of other student demonstrators were
arbitrarily arrested. Dozens of them faced torture and ill treatment in
incommunicado detention. They, like student leader Ali Afshari, were
imprisoned following manifestly unfair trials. In the past few days,
Ahmad Batebi and Manuchehr Mohammadi have been removed from Evin prison
and taken to an unknown location.
Nearly 80 students living in
student dormitories in the Amir
Abad area of Tehran demonstrated 11 June against draft proposals to
privatize universities in Iran, fearing that tuition fees would rise as
a result. They were joined by local residents and the demonstration
reportedly escalated and became increasingly politicized. Organized
groups of non-uniformed, plainly clothed individuals widely called in
Iran the lebas shakhsi-ha (the plain-clothed) began to attack the
demonstrators and police intervened to end the clashes. As the
demonstrations grew over the following nights, units of the Special
Forces (Nirou-ye Vijeh) were deployed to disperse demonstrators.
However, there were reports that the Special Forces permitted some of
the lebas shakhsi-ha to attack peaceful demonstrators and that in
certain instances, excessive force was used to break up the
demonstrations.
Amnesty International has
repeatedly urged the authorities to
address human rights violations committed against demonstrators but has
not to date received any reply to date.
To view the 14 July 1999 press statement IRAN: The Authorities must
guarantee fundamental rights (AI INDEX: MDE 13/18/99; News Service:
134/99), please see:
http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGMDE130181999?open&of=ENG-IRN
To view Amnesty International's appeal on behalf of Ahmad Batebi, please
see:
http://web.amnesty.org/web/content.nsf/pages/gbr_iran
To view the report Iran: a legal system that fails to protect freedom of
expression and association a(AI Index MDE 13/045/2001), please see:
http://web.amnesty.org/web/content.nsf/pages/gbr_iran_freedom
Public Document
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For more information please call Amnesty International's press office in
London, UK, on +44 20 7413 5566
Amnesty International, 1 Easton St., London WC1X 0DW. web:
http://www.amnesty.org
For latest human rights news view http://news.amnesty.org
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