The Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organisation (UNPO) has appealed to Luis Alfonso de Alba, the President of the UN Human Rights Council, to call on the Iranian regime "to cease in the use of the death penalty as a weapon of fear and oppression" following this week's killing of four Ahwazi Arab opposition activists.
The organisation, which lobbies on behalf of groups representing Iran's Ahwazi, Azeri and Kurdish minorities, also urged de Alba to call on Iran to "uphold its obligations with regard to civil and political rights, including the provision of equal rights to ethnic, religious and minority groups in Iran."
UNPO has suggested the establishment of an investigation team, mandated by the UNHRC, to "consider the series of arrests, trials, and executions, with findings reported to the UN General Assembly."
In his letter to de Alba, UNPO General Secretary Mario Busdachin wrote that "In the wake of this series of executions, UNPO is particularly alarmed at the systematic targeting of ethnic Ahwazi Arabs and the fact that the Iranian Judiciary in many of the cases conducts secret trials, effectively denying the defendants the most fundamental of legal rights ...
"UNPO remains deeply concerned by the routine arrest and execution of Iran's dissidents and has repeatedly called for international action to address the deteriorating human rights situation faced by the Ahwazi Arab population of Iran."
The UNPO is among a number of organisations calling for an end to the execution of Ahwazi Arab activists. Since Wednesday's executions, appeals have been issued by Amnesty International , Human Rights Watch and the Ahwaz Human Rights Organisation .
Labels: death penalty , human rights , UN
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10 January, 2007
UNHCR: Iran must stop executions of Ahwazi Arabs
The following is a press release published by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in relation to Iran's planned execution of seven Ahwazi Arabs:
Philip Alston, the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, Leandro Despouy, the Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, and Manfred Nowak, the Special Rapporteur on torture, issued the following statement today. They are independent experts appointed by the United Nations Human Rights Council.
The UN Human Rights Council's experts on extrajudicial executions, independence of judges and lawyers and torture today urged the Iranian Government to "stop the imminent execution of seven men belonging to the Ahwazi Arab minority and grant them a fair and public hearing".
Philip Alston, Leandro Despouy and Manfred Nowak, the UN independent experts, called the attention of the international community to the case of ten men who were sentenced to death after a secret trial before a court in the Western Iranian province of Khuzestan. Their lawyers were not allowed to see the defendants prior to their trial, and were given access to the prosecution case only hours before the start of the trial. The lawyers were also intimidated by charges of "threatening national security" being brought against them. The convictions were reportedly based on confessions extorted under torture. "The only element of the cases of these men not shrouded in secrecy was the broadcast on public television of their so-called confessions", Mr. Nowak said.
The three experts indicated that in August and November 2006 they had sent two letters to the Government of Iran, bringing the allegations of unfair trial and torture to their attention and seeking clarification from the Government. No reply to these letters was ever received. Instead, three of the ten men were executed in mid-December with no regard for the strong concerns expressed on behalf of the UN Human Rights Council. On Monday, January 8th, 2007, the authorities in Ahwaz, the capital of Khuzestan province, informed the families of the remaining seven men that they would be executed within the next few days.
"We are fully aware that these men are accused of serious crimes, including having tried to overthrow the Government after having received military training by US and UK forces", the UN experts said. "However, this cannot justify their conviction and execution after trials that made a mockery of due process requirements."
Background
The three men executed in mid-December (named Malek Banitamim, Abdullah Solymani and Ali Matorizadeh) and the seven reportedly at imminent risk of execution are part of a larger group of Ahwazi Arab activists arrested in June 2006 on charges of having received training in Iraq by officials of the United States of America, the United Kingdom and Israel, and of having returned to Iran with the intent to destabilize the country, to sabotage oil installations and to overthrow the Government. In the course of the year 2006, the Special Rapporteur on summary executions has raised his concerns regarding unfair trials on capital charges also with regard to ten other Ahwazi Arabs, as well as other Iranians accused of violently opposing the Government. The Government of Iran systematically refuses to provide information and engage in a dialogue on these matters with the independent experts, violating its obligations under the procedures of the Human Rights Council.
Iran is a party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and has a legal obligation to respect its provisions. While the Covenant allows it to retain the death penalty, it prescribes that capital punishment can only be imposed after a trial satisfying the strictest fair trial guarantees. These include the right to a fair and public hearing, the right not to be compelled to confess guilt, and the right to "adequate time and facilities for the preparation of ones defence" with the assistance of a lawyer of ones own choosing.
In their correspondence with the Government of Iran, the UN independent experts also expressed their concerns about the charges of "mohareb", which according to the reports published in the Iranian media triggered the application of the death penalty in these cases. "Mohareb" can be translated as "being at war with God" and is a charge typically waged by the Iranian prosecutors against political dissidents, critics of the Government and persons accused of espionage. This charge carries with it the risk of being too vague to satisfy the very strict standards of legality set by international human rights law for the imposition and execution of the death penalty.
The names of the seven men at imminent risk of execution are reported as Ghasem Salami, Mohammad Lazem Kaabpour, Abdolamir Farjolah Kaab, Alireza Asakereh, Majad Albughbish, Abdolreza Sanawati, and Khalaf Dohrab Khanafereh.
UNHCR press release
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The following is a press release published by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in relation to Iran's planned execution of seven Ahwazi Arabs:
Philip Alston, the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, Leandro Despouy, the Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, and Manfred Nowak, the Special Rapporteur on torture, issued the following statement today. They are independent experts appointed by the United Nations Human Rights Council.
The UN Human Rights Council's experts on extrajudicial executions, independence of judges and lawyers and torture today urged the Iranian Government to "stop the imminent execution of seven men belonging to the Ahwazi Arab minority and grant them a fair and public hearing".
Philip Alston, Leandro Despouy and Manfred Nowak, the UN independent experts, called the attention of the international community to the case of ten men who were sentenced to death after a secret trial before a court in the Western Iranian province of Khuzestan. Their lawyers were not allowed to see the defendants prior to their trial, and were given access to the prosecution case only hours before the start of the trial. The lawyers were also intimidated by charges of "threatening national security" being brought against them. The convictions were reportedly based on confessions extorted under torture. "The only element of the cases of these men not shrouded in secrecy was the broadcast on public television of their so-called confessions", Mr. Nowak said.
The three experts indicated that in August and November 2006 they had sent two letters to the Government of Iran, bringing the allegations of unfair trial and torture to their attention and seeking clarification from the Government. No reply to these letters was ever received. Instead, three of the ten men were executed in mid-December with no regard for the strong concerns expressed on behalf of the UN Human Rights Council. On Monday, January 8th, 2007, the authorities in Ahwaz, the capital of Khuzestan province, informed the families of the remaining seven men that they would be executed within the next few days.
"We are fully aware that these men are accused of serious crimes, including having tried to overthrow the Government after having received military training by US and UK forces", the UN experts said. "However, this cannot justify their conviction and execution after trials that made a mockery of due process requirements."
Background
The three men executed in mid-December (named Malek Banitamim, Abdullah Solymani and Ali Matorizadeh) and the seven reportedly at imminent risk of execution are part of a larger group of Ahwazi Arab activists arrested in June 2006 on charges of having received training in Iraq by officials of the United States of America, the United Kingdom and Israel, and of having returned to Iran with the intent to destabilize the country, to sabotage oil installations and to overthrow the Government. In the course of the year 2006, the Special Rapporteur on summary executions has raised his concerns regarding unfair trials on capital charges also with regard to ten other Ahwazi Arabs, as well as other Iranians accused of violently opposing the Government. The Government of Iran systematically refuses to provide information and engage in a dialogue on these matters with the independent experts, violating its obligations under the procedures of the Human Rights Council.
Iran is a party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and has a legal obligation to respect its provisions. While the Covenant allows it to retain the death penalty, it prescribes that capital punishment can only be imposed after a trial satisfying the strictest fair trial guarantees. These include the right to a fair and public hearing, the right not to be compelled to confess guilt, and the right to "adequate time and facilities for the preparation of ones defence" with the assistance of a lawyer of ones own choosing.
In their correspondence with the Government of Iran, the UN independent experts also expressed their concerns about the charges of "mohareb", which according to the reports published in the Iranian media triggered the application of the death penalty in these cases. "Mohareb" can be translated as "being at war with God" and is a charge typically waged by the Iranian prosecutors against political dissidents, critics of the Government and persons accused of espionage. This charge carries with it the risk of being too vague to satisfy the very strict standards of legality set by international human rights law for the imposition and execution of the death penalty.
The names of the seven men at imminent risk of execution are reported as Ghasem Salami, Mohammad Lazem Kaabpour, Abdolamir Farjolah Kaab, Alireza Asakereh, Majad Albughbish, Abdolreza Sanawati, and Khalaf Dohrab Khanafereh.
UNHCR press release
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11 December, 2006
Iran/Syria: Ahwazis in fear after news of deportation and deaths
The following report was published by IRIN, a UN humanitarian news and information service - click here for the original article
Ethnic Arab (Ahwazi) refugees from Iran now living in Damascus have expressed fear as news emerged that Syria has deported three more Ahwazi activists to Iran, where they face torture and execution.
Three Ahwazi activists, thought to be imprisoned in Damascus since their arrest in April, were deported to Iran in May, Sima Watling of Amnesty International's East Gulf team told IRIN on 6 December.
Watling said relatives of two of the men, Rasool Mazra - whose family has resettled in Norway - and Taher Mazra - whose family was prevented from leaving Syria for Sweden in October - had received telephone calls from the men to say they were being held in Karoun Prison, in Ahvaz, the capital of Khuzestan.
On 7 December, a source who spoke directly to the family of Taher Mazra told IRIN that Taher Mazra was, indeed, forcibly returned from Syria to Iran in May. The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Rasool Mazra had also called his family in Khuzestan to say he was imprisoned and was facing imminent execution.
Both men had been recognised as refugees by the office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Laurens Jolles, acting head of the UNHCR in Damascus, said that despite numerous requests, the agency had been unable to obtain information about the status of the Ahwazis arrested in Syria.
"Syria is aware that its own constitution prevents the deportation of refugees to countries where they will face persecution, as do international laws," he said.
Both men are members of the Ahwazi Liberation Organization (ALO), the Ahwazis' leading political opposition movement, and according to their families they had been tortured since their recent captivity in Iran.
The third Ahwazi, Jamal Obaidy (pictured), Chair of Ahwazi Student Union in Syria, is also believed to have been deported to Iran, though no contact has been made with his family. Neither Iran nor Syria have confirmed or denied any of the three returns.
The UNHCR in Damascus is currently unable to confirm that Rasool Mazra, Jamal Obaidy and Taher Mazra have been deported from Syria to Iran.
The news followed two similar cases of deportation.
Faleh Abdullah Mansuri, the 60-year-old head of the ALO who holds Dutch citizenship, was also arrested by Syrian security in April while he was visiting an Ahwazi friend in Damascus.
Syrian authorities confirmed earlier this year that Mansuri, also a UNHCR recognised refugee, was deported to Tehran in May at the request of Iran, just a few weeks before the two countries signed a landmark agreement on military and security cooperation.
Mansuri is now reportedly in prison in Tehran, facing a sentence of death by hanging imposed on him in 1988 by a military court, apparently in connection with his activities as a member of the ALO.
Saeed Saki, also a member of the ALO and a UNHCR refugee, had been due to be resettled in Norway when he was arrested and extradited to Tehran. Only high-level intervention from international officials prevented his execution, and he remains imprisoned in Iran.
Since an uprising by Ahwazis in April 2005 - a two-month campaign of civil unrest that culminated in a bomb attack on an oil installation east of Ahvaz - Iran has intensified its campaign against the Ahwazis, detaining more than 25,000, executing at least 131 while more than 150 have disappeared, according to the US-based Ahwazi Human Rights Organisation.
Amnesty International report that following the uprising hundreds of Khuzestan's Arabs were arrested, some were reportedly tortured, and at least two men were executed following unfair trials.
A source at the Iranian embassy in Damascus, speaking on condition of anonymity, denied that any prisoners of conscience had been extradited from Syria to Iran.
"There is an agreement between Syria and Iran that any Iranian who has been jailed in Syria for a crime can be transferred to complete his sentence in Iran," he said. "But no prisoners of conscience have been handed over to Iran by Syria."
Ahwazi refugees first began arriving in Iraq and Syria in the 1980s during the Iran/Iraq war as Tehran accused them of supporting Baghdad.
The past two years has seen concern rising about the deteriorating human rights situation in Khuzestan where activists estimate some 1.5 million Arabs have been driven off their land by a series of vast state-sponsored industrial projects, coupled to massive organised influxes of Persian workers and their families.
According to human rights organisations, individuals promoting Arab rights in Khuzestan have been targeted, and access to the region has been denied to foreign and local journalists.
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The following report was published by IRIN, a UN humanitarian news and information service - click here for the original article
Ethnic Arab (Ahwazi) refugees from Iran now living in Damascus have expressed fear as news emerged that Syria has deported three more Ahwazi activists to Iran, where they face torture and execution.
Three Ahwazi activists, thought to be imprisoned in Damascus since their arrest in April, were deported to Iran in May, Sima Watling of Amnesty International's East Gulf team told IRIN on 6 December.
Watling said relatives of two of the men, Rasool Mazra - whose family has resettled in Norway - and Taher Mazra - whose family was prevented from leaving Syria for Sweden in October - had received telephone calls from the men to say they were being held in Karoun Prison, in Ahvaz, the capital of Khuzestan.
On 7 December, a source who spoke directly to the family of Taher Mazra told IRIN that Taher Mazra was, indeed, forcibly returned from Syria to Iran in May. The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Rasool Mazra had also called his family in Khuzestan to say he was imprisoned and was facing imminent execution.
Both men had been recognised as refugees by the office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Laurens Jolles, acting head of the UNHCR in Damascus, said that despite numerous requests, the agency had been unable to obtain information about the status of the Ahwazis arrested in Syria.
"Syria is aware that its own constitution prevents the deportation of refugees to countries where they will face persecution, as do international laws," he said.
Both men are members of the Ahwazi Liberation Organization (ALO), the Ahwazis' leading political opposition movement, and according to their families they had been tortured since their recent captivity in Iran.
The third Ahwazi, Jamal Obaidy (pictured), Chair of Ahwazi Student Union in Syria, is also believed to have been deported to Iran, though no contact has been made with his family. Neither Iran nor Syria have confirmed or denied any of the three returns.
The UNHCR in Damascus is currently unable to confirm that Rasool Mazra, Jamal Obaidy and Taher Mazra have been deported from Syria to Iran.
The news followed two similar cases of deportation.
Faleh Abdullah Mansuri, the 60-year-old head of the ALO who holds Dutch citizenship, was also arrested by Syrian security in April while he was visiting an Ahwazi friend in Damascus.
Syrian authorities confirmed earlier this year that Mansuri, also a UNHCR recognised refugee, was deported to Tehran in May at the request of Iran, just a few weeks before the two countries signed a landmark agreement on military and security cooperation.
Mansuri is now reportedly in prison in Tehran, facing a sentence of death by hanging imposed on him in 1988 by a military court, apparently in connection with his activities as a member of the ALO.
Saeed Saki, also a member of the ALO and a UNHCR refugee, had been due to be resettled in Norway when he was arrested and extradited to Tehran. Only high-level intervention from international officials prevented his execution, and he remains imprisoned in Iran.
Since an uprising by Ahwazis in April 2005 - a two-month campaign of civil unrest that culminated in a bomb attack on an oil installation east of Ahvaz - Iran has intensified its campaign against the Ahwazis, detaining more than 25,000, executing at least 131 while more than 150 have disappeared, according to the US-based Ahwazi Human Rights Organisation.
Amnesty International report that following the uprising hundreds of Khuzestan's Arabs were arrested, some were reportedly tortured, and at least two men were executed following unfair trials.
A source at the Iranian embassy in Damascus, speaking on condition of anonymity, denied that any prisoners of conscience had been extradited from Syria to Iran.
"There is an agreement between Syria and Iran that any Iranian who has been jailed in Syria for a crime can be transferred to complete his sentence in Iran," he said. "But no prisoners of conscience have been handed over to Iran by Syria."
Ahwazi refugees first began arriving in Iraq and Syria in the 1980s during the Iran/Iraq war as Tehran accused them of supporting Baghdad.
The past two years has seen concern rising about the deteriorating human rights situation in Khuzestan where activists estimate some 1.5 million Arabs have been driven off their land by a series of vast state-sponsored industrial projects, coupled to massive organised influxes of Persian workers and their families.
According to human rights organisations, individuals promoting Arab rights in Khuzestan have been targeted, and access to the region has been denied to foreign and local journalists.
Labels: Amnesty , Mansouri , refugees , UN
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02 December, 2006
Iran accuses Canada of spying after UN vote
The Iranian regime is seeking retribution for the UN General Assembly's condemnation of its atrocious human rights record ( click here for more information ) and has launched an astonishing attack on the Canadian government, which sponsored the UN resolution.
The regime has accused the Canadian embassy in Tehran of espionage and has threatened to close down the diplomatic mission. It also tabled a resolution condemning Canada over its treatment of aboriginals and immigrants, which was rejected by a margin of 170-6. Iran only managed to muster the support of some of the world's most notorious human rights abusers - Cuba, North Korea, Syria, Burma and Belarus - indicating its increasingly isolated status. Even its new-found ally Venezuela refused to back the Iranian position.
In an interview with the BBC's Persian Service, Canadian Foreign Office spokesman Rodney Moore claimed that the espionage claims and the attacks on Canada's human rights record were baseless. He said the Iranian claims were retaliation for international condemnation of Iran's treatment of women and ethnic and religious minorities as well as poor standards of justice ( click here for the BBC interview ). Canada's relations with Iran have been strained since a Canadian photographer, Zahra Kazemi, was tortured to death in Iran's notorious Evin Prison in 2003.
Nasser Bani Assad, spokesman for the British Ahwazi Friendship Society (BAFS), said: "Ahwazi Arabs and other ethnic groups in Iran can only dream of having the political autonomy and cultural freedom Canada's Innuit enjoy. Canadian federalism is a model for a diverse multi-ethnic society like Iran. It is therefore ironic that Iran is condemning Canada for its treatment of minorities, given Iran's record of systematic abuse of Ahwazi Arabs and other non-Persian ethnic groups which at times has led to ethnic cleansing, particularly in Al-Ahwaz and Balochistan."
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The Iranian regime is seeking retribution for the UN General Assembly's condemnation of its atrocious human rights record ( click here for more information ) and has launched an astonishing attack on the Canadian government, which sponsored the UN resolution.
The regime has accused the Canadian embassy in Tehran of espionage and has threatened to close down the diplomatic mission. It also tabled a resolution condemning Canada over its treatment of aboriginals and immigrants, which was rejected by a margin of 170-6. Iran only managed to muster the support of some of the world's most notorious human rights abusers - Cuba, North Korea, Syria, Burma and Belarus - indicating its increasingly isolated status. Even its new-found ally Venezuela refused to back the Iranian position.
In an interview with the BBC's Persian Service, Canadian Foreign Office spokesman Rodney Moore claimed that the espionage claims and the attacks on Canada's human rights record were baseless. He said the Iranian claims were retaliation for international condemnation of Iran's treatment of women and ethnic and religious minorities as well as poor standards of justice ( click here for the BBC interview ). Canada's relations with Iran have been strained since a Canadian photographer, Zahra Kazemi, was tortured to death in Iran's notorious Evin Prison in 2003.
Nasser Bani Assad, spokesman for the British Ahwazi Friendship Society (BAFS), said: "Ahwazi Arabs and other ethnic groups in Iran can only dream of having the political autonomy and cultural freedom Canada's Innuit enjoy. Canadian federalism is a model for a diverse multi-ethnic society like Iran. It is therefore ironic that Iran is condemning Canada for its treatment of minorities, given Iran's record of systematic abuse of Ahwazi Arabs and other non-Persian ethnic groups which at times has led to ethnic cleansing, particularly in Al-Ahwaz and Balochistan."
Labels: UN
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27 November, 2006
Iran: human rights organisations launch on-line appeal
Below is a joint appeal to the global human rights community by the Human Rights Activists in Iran (H.R.A.I), the Committee Defense for Human Rights in north-west of Iran (H.RN.W.I), the Kurdish Human Rights defense organization (R.M.M.K) and the Ahwazi Human Rights Organization (A.H.R.O) concerning the situation of the Evin Prison in Iran. Click here to sign the petition .
To: The Secretary General of the United Nations, The UN Human Rights Council , Amnesty International, Human Rights watch
An appeal to all Human Right Organizations of the World
Section 209 of Evin Prison in Iran is run by the Ministry of Intelligence of the Islamic Republic and except for the ministry agents no other government bodies have any control over the prison affairs.
During the last years many of Iran political prisoners have died in this Section under torture and many others kept in it have ended up being executed by firing squads or hanged. At this moment of time hundreds of similar prisoners are kept in this Section and the Ministry of Intelligence would not allow their names to be added to the long list of Iran political prisoners.
Most of these prisoners are held in solitary confinement and are constantly interrogated while under physical and psychological torture. The families of these prisoners very rarely have any information about the health or conditions of their loved ones, who are most of the time handcuffed and blindfolded, are denied of medical care and legal representation and do not even know on what charges they have been arrested. In Section 209 of Evin Prison even the very own repressive rules of the regime are not followed.
Those currently held at the Section include political dissidents, human rights activists, students, trade union officials and workers, as well as many other Iranians from all walks of life.
The following people are among the prisoners at Section 209:
Ali Akbar Mussavi Khoini, Dr. Saeed Masoori, Ahmad Batebi, Kayvan Rafii, Kianoosh Sanjari, Dr. Kayvan Ansari, Abulfazl Jahandar, Kheirullah Derakhshandi, Abdullah Al Mansouri, Ayatollah Kazemi Boroujerdi and many of his followers, as well as many prisoners from other provinces of Iran who have been transferred to Evin from their local prisons.
We, the undersigned, would therefore urge the Secretary General of the United Nations, the UN Human Rights Council, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch to assign a special investigating committee to visit Section 209 of Evin Prison in Iran and publish a report on their findings.
1- Human Rights Activists in Iran (H.R.A.I)
2- Committee Defence for Human Rights in North-West of Iran (H.R.N.W.I)
3- Kurdish Human Rights defence organization (R.M.M.K)
4- Ahwazi Human Rights organization (A.H.R.O)
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Below is a joint appeal to the global human rights community by the Human Rights Activists in Iran (H.R.A.I), the Committee Defense for Human Rights in north-west of Iran (H.RN.W.I), the Kurdish Human Rights defense organization (R.M.M.K) and the Ahwazi Human Rights Organization (A.H.R.O) concerning the situation of the Evin Prison in Iran. Click here to sign the petition .
To: The Secretary General of the United Nations, The UN Human Rights Council , Amnesty International, Human Rights watch
An appeal to all Human Right Organizations of the World
Section 209 of Evin Prison in Iran is run by the Ministry of Intelligence of the Islamic Republic and except for the ministry agents no other government bodies have any control over the prison affairs.
During the last years many of Iran political prisoners have died in this Section under torture and many others kept in it have ended up being executed by firing squads or hanged. At this moment of time hundreds of similar prisoners are kept in this Section and the Ministry of Intelligence would not allow their names to be added to the long list of Iran political prisoners.
Most of these prisoners are held in solitary confinement and are constantly interrogated while under physical and psychological torture. The families of these prisoners very rarely have any information about the health or conditions of their loved ones, who are most of the time handcuffed and blindfolded, are denied of medical care and legal representation and do not even know on what charges they have been arrested. In Section 209 of Evin Prison even the very own repressive rules of the regime are not followed.
Those currently held at the Section include political dissidents, human rights activists, students, trade union officials and workers, as well as many other Iranians from all walks of life.
The following people are among the prisoners at Section 209:
Ali Akbar Mussavi Khoini, Dr. Saeed Masoori, Ahmad Batebi, Kayvan Rafii, Kianoosh Sanjari, Dr. Kayvan Ansari, Abulfazl Jahandar, Kheirullah Derakhshandi, Abdullah Al Mansouri, Ayatollah Kazemi Boroujerdi and many of his followers, as well as many prisoners from other provinces of Iran who have been transferred to Evin from their local prisons.
We, the undersigned, would therefore urge the Secretary General of the United Nations, the UN Human Rights Council, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch to assign a special investigating committee to visit Section 209 of Evin Prison in Iran and publish a report on their findings.
1- Human Rights Activists in Iran (H.R.A.I)
2- Committee Defence for Human Rights in North-West of Iran (H.R.N.W.I)
3- Kurdish Human Rights defence organization (R.M.M.K)
4- Ahwazi Human Rights organization (A.H.R.O)
Labels: human rights , Mansouri , refugees , UN
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22 November, 2006
Syria sends more Ahwazi Arab refugees to their death
The Syrian Human Rights Committee (SHRC) has denounced the deportation of another group of Ahwazi citizens living in Syria to Iran in a press released issued this week (
click here to download
).
Human rights organisations and the UNHCR have received credible reports that Syria deported three more UNHCR-registered refugees in addition to Saeed Saki and Faleh Abdullah Al-Mansouri (a Dutch national): Taher Mazrae, Rasool Ali Mazrae and Jamal Obaidawi (pictured).
An SHRC media spokesman claimed that Syria have breached its obligations under human rights conventions that commit it to protect recognised refugees. Syria had agreed to host the refugees and permit them to carry out their political activities. The SHRC spokesman called on the Syrian authorities to cease breaking its human rights obligations and to use their influence on Iran to release the Ahwazi detainees.
Amnesty International has previously condemned the deportation of Ahwazi Arab refugees as a violation of international law.
Currently, 11 Ahwazi Arabs are awaiting execution in Iran. Last week, four more Ahwazis - Risan Sawari, Aqil Sawari, Mohammad Ali Sawari and Jafar Sawari - were sentenced to death.
Related stories:
Iran/Netherlands: Dutch Ahwazi activist in Evin prison torture chamber - 19 October
UNHCR deeply concerned about Ahwazi refugees in Syria - 16 September
UNPO: "Iran Must End Repression against Minority Groups" - 15 August
"Syria has violated international law" - Amnesty International - 11 August
Ahwazi Arabs unite against Syrian "treachery" - 11 August
Netherlands abandons Dutch Ahwazi activist - 11 August
Syria deports Ahwazis to Iran, including Dutch national - 9 August
Ahwazis face arrest, deportation and execution - 1 July
UNPO highlights plight of Ahwazis on International Refugee Day - 20 June
UNHCR calls on Syria not to extradite Ahwazi refugees - 6 June
Syria releases three Ahwazis, but four remain in custody - 19 May
Kuwaiti newspaper publishes call for an end to Syria's anti-Ahwazi policy - 18 May
Syria's deportation scandal - 16 May
Lebanese democrats support Ahwazis - 16 May
Ahwazi Arabs arrested in Syria on Iran's request - 13 May
More arrests of Ahwazi Arabs in Syria - 15 May
Ahwazis arrested in Syria - 1 May
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The Syrian Human Rights Committee (SHRC) has denounced the deportation of another group of Ahwazi citizens living in Syria to Iran in a press released issued this week (
click here to download
).
Human rights organisations and the UNHCR have received credible reports that Syria deported three more UNHCR-registered refugees in addition to Saeed Saki and Faleh Abdullah Al-Mansouri (a Dutch national): Taher Mazrae, Rasool Ali Mazrae and Jamal Obaidawi (pictured).
An SHRC media spokesman claimed that Syria have breached its obligations under human rights conventions that commit it to protect recognised refugees. Syria had agreed to host the refugees and permit them to carry out their political activities. The SHRC spokesman called on the Syrian authorities to cease breaking its human rights obligations and to use their influence on Iran to release the Ahwazi detainees.
Amnesty International has previously condemned the deportation of Ahwazi Arab refugees as a violation of international law.
Currently, 11 Ahwazi Arabs are awaiting execution in Iran. Last week, four more Ahwazis - Risan Sawari, Aqil Sawari, Mohammad Ali Sawari and Jafar Sawari - were sentenced to death.
Related stories:
Iran/Netherlands: Dutch Ahwazi activist in Evin prison torture chamber - 19 October
UNHCR deeply concerned about Ahwazi refugees in Syria - 16 September
UNPO: "Iran Must End Repression against Minority Groups" - 15 August
"Syria has violated international law" - Amnesty International - 11 August
Ahwazi Arabs unite against Syrian "treachery" - 11 August
Netherlands abandons Dutch Ahwazi activist - 11 August
Syria deports Ahwazis to Iran, including Dutch national - 9 August
Ahwazis face arrest, deportation and execution - 1 July
UNPO highlights plight of Ahwazis on International Refugee Day - 20 June
UNHCR calls on Syria not to extradite Ahwazi refugees - 6 June
Syria releases three Ahwazis, but four remain in custody - 19 May
Kuwaiti newspaper publishes call for an end to Syria's anti-Ahwazi policy - 18 May
Syria's deportation scandal - 16 May
Lebanese democrats support Ahwazis - 16 May
Ahwazi Arabs arrested in Syria on Iran's request - 13 May
More arrests of Ahwazi Arabs in Syria - 15 May
Ahwazis arrested in Syria - 1 May
Labels: Mansouri , refugees , UN
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UN General Assembly Criticises Iran's Discrimination of Minorities
The UN General Assembly overwhelmingly voted in favour of a resolution proposed by the Canadian government which criticised Iran's appalling human rights record and its treatment of ethnic minorities (
click here for details
).
The motion (A/C.3/61/L.41), which received the support of 70 governments on Tuesday, expressed "serious concern at the continuing harassment, intimidation and persecution of human rights defenders, non-governmental organizations, political opponents, religious dissenters, webloggers and union members, among others." It comes just days after the European Parliament gave a damning indictment of the regime's human rights record, highlighting the planned execution of 11 Ahwazi Arab political activists.
The General Assembly also voiced "serious concern at a persistent failure in Iran to comply fully with international standards in the administration of justice â including the absence of due process of law, the refusal to provide fair and public hearings, and the denial of the right to counsel by detainees."
The motion also highlights "increasing discrimination and other human rights violations against ethnic and religious minorities" and calls on Iran to eliminate discrimination based on religious, ethnic or linguistic grounds. Women's rights and political freedoms were also under attack, according to the UN. The General Assembly encouraged the UN Human Rights Council and various Special Rapporteurs to pursue their work regarding Iran, and for the Assembly to continue its examination of the situation at its sixty-second session.
The Iranian regime reacted angrily to the international community's condemnation of its human rights record, with its representative calling the motion "another politically motivated exercise pursued by the Government of Canada to serve its narrow political purposes and interests," although he did not identify what those interests were. Rather than address the General Assembly's concerns, the Iranian representative alleged that Canada had "a questionable human rights record, particularly concerning indigenous peoples." He added that "the draft consisted of baseless accusations and unfounded claims, and the situation it described in Iran was predicated on the sponsor's illusions and fantasies." Signalling the regime's defiance, Iran's UN representative claimed that criticism of the country's human rights violations "could diminish prospects for cooperation and understanding on human rights."
Countries supporting the resolution included all the members of the European Union. North Korea, Zimbabwe and Uzbekistan voted with Iran against the motion.
Meanwhile, British Members of the European Parliament have also called on UN Secretary General to intervene against the ethnic cleansing of Ahwazi Arabs ( click here for details ).
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The UN General Assembly overwhelmingly voted in favour of a resolution proposed by the Canadian government which criticised Iran's appalling human rights record and its treatment of ethnic minorities (
click here for details
).
The motion (A/C.3/61/L.41), which received the support of 70 governments on Tuesday, expressed "serious concern at the continuing harassment, intimidation and persecution of human rights defenders, non-governmental organizations, political opponents, religious dissenters, webloggers and union members, among others." It comes just days after the European Parliament gave a damning indictment of the regime's human rights record, highlighting the planned execution of 11 Ahwazi Arab political activists.
The General Assembly also voiced "serious concern at a persistent failure in Iran to comply fully with international standards in the administration of justice â including the absence of due process of law, the refusal to provide fair and public hearings, and the denial of the right to counsel by detainees."
The motion also highlights "increasing discrimination and other human rights violations against ethnic and religious minorities" and calls on Iran to eliminate discrimination based on religious, ethnic or linguistic grounds. Women's rights and political freedoms were also under attack, according to the UN. The General Assembly encouraged the UN Human Rights Council and various Special Rapporteurs to pursue their work regarding Iran, and for the Assembly to continue its examination of the situation at its sixty-second session.
The Iranian regime reacted angrily to the international community's condemnation of its human rights record, with its representative calling the motion "another politically motivated exercise pursued by the Government of Canada to serve its narrow political purposes and interests," although he did not identify what those interests were. Rather than address the General Assembly's concerns, the Iranian representative alleged that Canada had "a questionable human rights record, particularly concerning indigenous peoples." He added that "the draft consisted of baseless accusations and unfounded claims, and the situation it described in Iran was predicated on the sponsor's illusions and fantasies." Signalling the regime's defiance, Iran's UN representative claimed that criticism of the country's human rights violations "could diminish prospects for cooperation and understanding on human rights."
Countries supporting the resolution included all the members of the European Union. North Korea, Zimbabwe and Uzbekistan voted with Iran against the motion.
Meanwhile, British Members of the European Parliament have also called on UN Secretary General to intervene against the ethnic cleansing of Ahwazi Arabs ( click here for details ).
Labels: UN
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14 November, 2006
UNPO Call to Stop Public Executions of Ahwazi Arabs in Iran
Below is an article from the UNPO website -
click here to download the original
UNPO has issued appeals to Philip Alston, the United Nations' (UN) Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary, or Arbitrary Executions, and Mrs. Louise Arbour, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on the public executions of 11 Ahwazi Arabs sentenced to public hanging. The Ahwaz Human Rights Organization (AHRO), has also issued appeals to several MEPs; Hon. Ms. Angelika Beer, Chairwoman of the Iran Delegation in the European Parliament; Hon. Mr. Josep Borrell Fontelles, President of the European Parliament, Member of European Parliament (MEP); Elmar Brok, Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee; Hélène Flautre; Paolo Casaca; and Baroness Nicholson of Winterbourne, urging immediate action to halt the executions.
Among the 11 ethnic Arab-Iranian (Ahwazi-Arabs) rights activists, just Monday, November 13, 2006, Saeed Hamedan confessed to insurgency on Iranian TV, indicating that he will be among the executed. Unlike the other ten sentenced to die, he has not been sentenced by Iranian courts, making his execution the consequence of an illegal summary judgment by Iranian authorities. All 11 Ahwazi Arabs were convicted after one-day secret trials that were internationally condemned. Early Monday, the forced confessions of the 10 convicted Ahwazi Arabs, among the 19 Ahwazis convicted for mohareb (enmity with God) after being originally convicted of terrorism offences, were broadcast on Iranian television.
British and European Parliamentary members contacted by the British Ahwazi Friendship Society (BAFS) - including Green MEPs Caroline Lucas and Jean Lambert, Labour MP Chris Bryant, and Conservative MP Michael Gove - condemned the executions and urged the European Commission to take action immediately. Not only were confessions obtained under torture, but the ten men were denied access to their lawyers, and many of their lawyers were arrested for complaints regarding the unfair, secret trials. Two Ahwazis among those sentenced to death were in prison, serving time for the crime of insurgency, when the bomb attacks they were allegedly involved in occurred. The Iranian Judiciary failed to provide dates and details of the trials of 9 of the convicted men.
Dr. Lucas stated that the policy of the Iranian government towards the Ahwazi Arabs was one of ethnic cleansing, and asked the United Nations (UN) and European Union (EU) to investigate the systematic practice of imprisoning and executing Ahwazis. The Ahwazis, an indigenous Arab group, comprise 3 percent of Iran's population. Residing mainly in the southwestern Iranian province of Khuzestan, they are a majority in Al-Ahwaz, which contains most of Iran's oilfields. In the last year alone, it is reported that 25,000 Ahwazis have been arrested, 131 executed, and 150 have disappeared. Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, have reported on the imprisonment of Ahwazi children along with their mothers, a tactic used to coerce Ahwazi men who are politically active to turn themselves in. The Iranian government has also banned political parties, trade unions, student groups, and the right of Arabs to stand for election.
UNPO remains deeply concerned about the imminent executions and the ongoing situation for the Ahwazi Arabs in Iran. UNPO General Secretary Marino Busdachin appealed to Commissioner Arbour and Special Rapporteur Alston to:
- urge Iran to stop the execution of the 11 convicted men and grant fair trials to the 19 men convicted of the bombing;
-call upon the Iranian government to cease its execution of Ahwaz Arabs for peaceful protest; and
-address the issue of unfair trials and extrajudicial and summary executions of the indigenous Ahwaz Arab people.
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Below is an article from the UNPO website -
click here to download the original
UNPO has issued appeals to Philip Alston, the United Nations' (UN) Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary, or Arbitrary Executions, and Mrs. Louise Arbour, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on the public executions of 11 Ahwazi Arabs sentenced to public hanging. The Ahwaz Human Rights Organization (AHRO), has also issued appeals to several MEPs; Hon. Ms. Angelika Beer, Chairwoman of the Iran Delegation in the European Parliament; Hon. Mr. Josep Borrell Fontelles, President of the European Parliament, Member of European Parliament (MEP); Elmar Brok, Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee; Hélène Flautre; Paolo Casaca; and Baroness Nicholson of Winterbourne, urging immediate action to halt the executions.
Among the 11 ethnic Arab-Iranian (Ahwazi-Arabs) rights activists, just Monday, November 13, 2006, Saeed Hamedan confessed to insurgency on Iranian TV, indicating that he will be among the executed. Unlike the other ten sentenced to die, he has not been sentenced by Iranian courts, making his execution the consequence of an illegal summary judgment by Iranian authorities. All 11 Ahwazi Arabs were convicted after one-day secret trials that were internationally condemned. Early Monday, the forced confessions of the 10 convicted Ahwazi Arabs, among the 19 Ahwazis convicted for mohareb (enmity with God) after being originally convicted of terrorism offences, were broadcast on Iranian television.
British and European Parliamentary members contacted by the British Ahwazi Friendship Society (BAFS) - including Green MEPs Caroline Lucas and Jean Lambert, Labour MP Chris Bryant, and Conservative MP Michael Gove - condemned the executions and urged the European Commission to take action immediately. Not only were confessions obtained under torture, but the ten men were denied access to their lawyers, and many of their lawyers were arrested for complaints regarding the unfair, secret trials. Two Ahwazis among those sentenced to death were in prison, serving time for the crime of insurgency, when the bomb attacks they were allegedly involved in occurred. The Iranian Judiciary failed to provide dates and details of the trials of 9 of the convicted men.
Dr. Lucas stated that the policy of the Iranian government towards the Ahwazi Arabs was one of ethnic cleansing, and asked the United Nations (UN) and European Union (EU) to investigate the systematic practice of imprisoning and executing Ahwazis. The Ahwazis, an indigenous Arab group, comprise 3 percent of Iran's population. Residing mainly in the southwestern Iranian province of Khuzestan, they are a majority in Al-Ahwaz, which contains most of Iran's oilfields. In the last year alone, it is reported that 25,000 Ahwazis have been arrested, 131 executed, and 150 have disappeared. Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, have reported on the imprisonment of Ahwazi children along with their mothers, a tactic used to coerce Ahwazi men who are politically active to turn themselves in. The Iranian government has also banned political parties, trade unions, student groups, and the right of Arabs to stand for election.
UNPO remains deeply concerned about the imminent executions and the ongoing situation for the Ahwazi Arabs in Iran. UNPO General Secretary Marino Busdachin appealed to Commissioner Arbour and Special Rapporteur Alston to:
- urge Iran to stop the execution of the 11 convicted men and grant fair trials to the 19 men convicted of the bombing;
-call upon the Iranian government to cease its execution of Ahwaz Arabs for peaceful protest; and
-address the issue of unfair trials and extrajudicial and summary executions of the indigenous Ahwaz Arab people.
Labels: EU , human rights , UN
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03 July, 2006
Ahwazi Issue Raised at the United Nations
The abuse of Ahwazi Arabs' human rights has been raised at the United Nations Human Rights Council amid mounting concerns over Iran's treatment of political prisoners, including minors and babies, who belong to the persecuted Ahwazi Arab ethnic group.
In a written statement, the Transnational Radical Party, which has general consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), followed up on a report by the UN Special Rapporteur on Adequate Housing Miloon Kothari published in August last year. He accused the Iranian regime of serious discrimination and the forced displacement of Arabs for the construction of industrial projects and ethnically exclusive settlements in Khuzestan ( click here for TRP statement ). TRP followed up the statement outlining the regime's "ten year project of ethnic restructuring and confiscation of Arab land" and its "forced resettlement policy to displace the Ahwazis out of Khuzestan to settle 'loyal' ethnic Persians on the expropriated Arab farmlands. Ahwazis are being perceived as disloyal, suspicious and a security risk, who some day may reclaim the oil rich land of Khuzestan." ( click here to download the statement )
TRP adds that in the past 15 years, "over 250,000 hectares of Ahwazi farmers land in regions of Jufir, Shosh, Hoizeh, Hamidieh have been forcefully confiscated and given to Persian settlers in violation of the article 4.5 of the United Nations Declaration on Minorities."
Referring to a letter written by Vice-President Ali Abtahi in 1999 which was leaked to the international media last year ( click here to download the Abtahi letter ), TRP states that it is the regime's intention to reduce the Ahwazi Arab population from a 70% majority to a 1/3 minority by the end of the decade. More than one million non-indigenous Persians have been moved into settlements such as Ramin-2 and Shirin-Shahr.
TRP adds that "ethnic Ahwazi children are being deprived from the use and study of their mother language and people are being denied participation in public life and in decisions affecting them. The illiteracy rate is 4 to 5 times higher than non-Arabs and unemployment is 4 times the national average."
Another international NGO with ECOSOC consultative status, the International Federation for the Protection of the Rights of Ethnic, Religious, Linguistic & Other Minorities (IFPRERLOM), also highlighted Mr Kothari's findings in a written statement submitted to the UNHRC ( click here to download statement ). It urged the Council "to follow up on the recommendation made by the UN Special Rapporteur on HousingRights; and to provide adequate compensation, support and consultancy with indigenous populations affected by development projects, whilst promoting and protecting the rights of minorities in Iran." In a separate statement ( click here to download ), IFPRERLOM drew attention to further human rights abuses, including the imprisonment of children and pregnant women, summary executions carried out after the April 2005 uprising, the use of torture against Ahwazis held in detention and a number of death sentences carried out by the regime. It urged the UNHCR:
- to urgently alert UN Secretary General, HE Kofi Annan, to the current situation in Iran regarding the human rights situation in Khuzestan;
- to ensure the immediate and unconditional release of the remaining Ahwazi women and children being held in prison;
- to call, as a matter of urgency, for a follow-up to the initial request by UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, to the government of Iran toarrange a visit; and
- to put renewed pressure on Iran to end practices of unlawful arbitrary detention, execution and acts of repression against the indigenous Ahwazi Arabs, Balochis and other minority groups in Iran, especially with regard to minors.
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The abuse of Ahwazi Arabs' human rights has been raised at the United Nations Human Rights Council amid mounting concerns over Iran's treatment of political prisoners, including minors and babies, who belong to the persecuted Ahwazi Arab ethnic group.
In a written statement, the Transnational Radical Party, which has general consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), followed up on a report by the UN Special Rapporteur on Adequate Housing Miloon Kothari published in August last year. He accused the Iranian regime of serious discrimination and the forced displacement of Arabs for the construction of industrial projects and ethnically exclusive settlements in Khuzestan ( click here for TRP statement ). TRP followed up the statement outlining the regime's "ten year project of ethnic restructuring and confiscation of Arab land" and its "forced resettlement policy to displace the Ahwazis out of Khuzestan to settle 'loyal' ethnic Persians on the expropriated Arab farmlands. Ahwazis are being perceived as disloyal, suspicious and a security risk, who some day may reclaim the oil rich land of Khuzestan." ( click here to download the statement )
TRP adds that in the past 15 years, "over 250,000 hectares of Ahwazi farmers land in regions of Jufir, Shosh, Hoizeh, Hamidieh have been forcefully confiscated and given to Persian settlers in violation of the article 4.5 of the United Nations Declaration on Minorities."
Referring to a letter written by Vice-President Ali Abtahi in 1999 which was leaked to the international media last year ( click here to download the Abtahi letter ), TRP states that it is the regime's intention to reduce the Ahwazi Arab population from a 70% majority to a 1/3 minority by the end of the decade. More than one million non-indigenous Persians have been moved into settlements such as Ramin-2 and Shirin-Shahr.
TRP adds that "ethnic Ahwazi children are being deprived from the use and study of their mother language and people are being denied participation in public life and in decisions affecting them. The illiteracy rate is 4 to 5 times higher than non-Arabs and unemployment is 4 times the national average."
Another international NGO with ECOSOC consultative status, the International Federation for the Protection of the Rights of Ethnic, Religious, Linguistic & Other Minorities (IFPRERLOM), also highlighted Mr Kothari's findings in a written statement submitted to the UNHRC ( click here to download statement ). It urged the Council "to follow up on the recommendation made by the UN Special Rapporteur on HousingRights; and to provide adequate compensation, support and consultancy with indigenous populations affected by development projects, whilst promoting and protecting the rights of minorities in Iran." In a separate statement ( click here to download ), IFPRERLOM drew attention to further human rights abuses, including the imprisonment of children and pregnant women, summary executions carried out after the April 2005 uprising, the use of torture against Ahwazis held in detention and a number of death sentences carried out by the regime. It urged the UNHCR:
- to urgently alert UN Secretary General, HE Kofi Annan, to the current situation in Iran regarding the human rights situation in Khuzestan;
- to ensure the immediate and unconditional release of the remaining Ahwazi women and children being held in prison;
- to call, as a matter of urgency, for a follow-up to the initial request by UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, to the government of Iran toarrange a visit; and
- to put renewed pressure on Iran to end practices of unlawful arbitrary detention, execution and acts of repression against the indigenous Ahwazi Arabs, Balochis and other minority groups in Iran, especially with regard to minors.
Labels: UN
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06 June, 2006
UNHCR calls on Syria not to extradite Ahwazi refugees
The following article was published by the UN's news centre -
click here to download the original article
. For the UNHCR's statement,
click here
.
The United Nations refugee agency today called on Syria not to extradite Iranian Arabs to their homeland, reminding the Government of its obligations not to return refugees or asylum seekers to territories where their lives or freedom might be threatened due to race, religion, nationality or political opinion.
The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) "is increasingly concerned about the fate of several Ahwazi (Iranian Arab) refugees recognized by our office in Damascus," spokesman Ron Redmond told a news briefing in Geneva, citing the recent arrest of seven Ahwazis.
Six of these are recognized by UNHCR as refugees under the 1951 Refugee Convention and one is a former refugee recently naturalized by the Netherlands. The Agency immediately raised its concerns at the highest levels, stressing that the recognised refugees should immediately be released. As a result, three have been freed but four remain in detention.
"UNHCR is particularly concerned about the fate of these Ahwazis, as the Syrian authorities recently deported to Iran an Arab-Iranian Ahwazi who was recognised as a mandate refugee by UNHCR Damascus at the end of 2005 and who had been accepted for resettlement in Norway," Mr. Redmond said.
According to the Syrian Foreign Ministry, the extradition was requested by the Iranian authorities. "Extradition does not mean that a refugee or asylum seeker loses his or her international protection status. We therefore strongly appeal to both Syrian and Iranian authorities to allow the refugee to depart to Norway as scheduled," Mr. Redmond added.
Ahwazi refugees came to Iraq and Syria during various periods. Recent human rights reports have expressed concerns about the deteriorating human rights situation in Al-Ahwaz (Khuzestan) in Iran, home to nearly 2 million Iranians of Arab descent. Individuals promoting rights of the Arab people in the Ahwaz region have reportedly been targeted, and access to the region has been denied to foreign and local journalists, Mr. Redmond said.
"UNHCR strongly appeals to Syria to abide by its obligations under international law and to ensure that the principle of non-refoulement is recognised," he added.
"The principle of non-refoulement prohibits states from returning refugees or asylum seekers to territories where there is a risk that their lives or freedom would be threatened on account of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion."
Links
Syria's deportation scandal - British Ahwazi Friendship Society
Ahwazis face arrest, deportation and execution - British Ahwazi Friendship Society
Further information on fear of forcible return and new concern: Torture - Amnesty International
Syria arresting Ahwazi Arabs to please Iran - Ya Libnan
Ahwazi refugees arrested and deported to Iran - Syrian Human Rights Committee
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The following article was published by the UN's news centre -
click here to download the original article
. For the UNHCR's statement,
click here
.
The United Nations refugee agency today called on Syria not to extradite Iranian Arabs to their homeland, reminding the Government of its obligations not to return refugees or asylum seekers to territories where their lives or freedom might be threatened due to race, religion, nationality or political opinion.
The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) "is increasingly concerned about the fate of several Ahwazi (Iranian Arab) refugees recognized by our office in Damascus," spokesman Ron Redmond told a news briefing in Geneva, citing the recent arrest of seven Ahwazis.
Six of these are recognized by UNHCR as refugees under the 1951 Refugee Convention and one is a former refugee recently naturalized by the Netherlands. The Agency immediately raised its concerns at the highest levels, stressing that the recognised refugees should immediately be released. As a result, three have been freed but four remain in detention.
"UNHCR is particularly concerned about the fate of these Ahwazis, as the Syrian authorities recently deported to Iran an Arab-Iranian Ahwazi who was recognised as a mandate refugee by UNHCR Damascus at the end of 2005 and who had been accepted for resettlement in Norway," Mr. Redmond said.
According to the Syrian Foreign Ministry, the extradition was requested by the Iranian authorities. "Extradition does not mean that a refugee or asylum seeker loses his or her international protection status. We therefore strongly appeal to both Syrian and Iranian authorities to allow the refugee to depart to Norway as scheduled," Mr. Redmond added.
Ahwazi refugees came to Iraq and Syria during various periods. Recent human rights reports have expressed concerns about the deteriorating human rights situation in Al-Ahwaz (Khuzestan) in Iran, home to nearly 2 million Iranians of Arab descent. Individuals promoting rights of the Arab people in the Ahwaz region have reportedly been targeted, and access to the region has been denied to foreign and local journalists, Mr. Redmond said.
"UNHCR strongly appeals to Syria to abide by its obligations under international law and to ensure that the principle of non-refoulement is recognised," he added.
"The principle of non-refoulement prohibits states from returning refugees or asylum seekers to territories where there is a risk that their lives or freedom would be threatened on account of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion."
Links
Syria's deportation scandal - British Ahwazi Friendship Society
Ahwazis face arrest, deportation and execution - British Ahwazi Friendship Society
Further information on fear of forcible return and new concern: Torture - Amnesty International
Syria arresting Ahwazi Arabs to please Iran - Ya Libnan
Ahwazi refugees arrested and deported to Iran - Syrian Human Rights Committee
Labels: refugees , UN
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04 June, 2006
Ahwazi voice on indigenous issues at the United Nations
The following speech was made by Mansour Silawi-Ahwazi at the United Nations Forum on Indigenous Issues on 24 May 2006:
Thanks for giving me this chance to represent our Ahwazi Arabs (southwest Iran) which has been living in Al-Ahwaz territory for thousand of years and was governed by Ahwazis until 1925 when was included to Iran without its volition. Since that time Ahwazis receive various ways of discriminations and persecutions from both monarchy and Islamic republic regimes, which tried to abolish our singularities and dissolve our identity throughout taking various schemes, isolations, and racism policies such as land confiscation, force displacement, and building Persian settlements followed by inhuman repression such as killing and arresting purposelessly.
Consequently, our Ahwazi people endure poverty and deprivation in all means notwithstanding our homeland produces approximately 90% of Iranian petrol exports.
Undoubtedly, international community silence toward our persecution in past 8 decades took part to encourage the consecutive Iranian regimes in continuing racism policies against our people. Unfortunately, the cognate Arab countries are ignoring our just cause and wink at disastrous situation to five million indigenous Ahwazi Arabs. Accordingly, our people precluded from any remarkable international or Arabic underpinning.
Madam Chairperson, since the outbreak of the peaceful intifada on April 2005 which objects the Iranian policies that aimed to change the demographic region against the indigenous Arab population, our people suffer from inhumanity from Iranian security authorities which breach their human rights that have reached mass killing, detention of pregnant women, children, and brutal torturing. These, of course, condemned by most of human rights organisations such as Amnesty International and human rights watch.
In conclusion, we demand international community in particular United Nation for immediate intervention to stop human rights violation in Al-Ahwaz and savage lives of hundreds of arrested and detainees especially women, children, patients and elderly from Iranian detention centres and prisons.
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The following speech was made by Mansour Silawi-Ahwazi at the United Nations Forum on Indigenous Issues on 24 May 2006:
Thanks for giving me this chance to represent our Ahwazi Arabs (southwest Iran) which has been living in Al-Ahwaz territory for thousand of years and was governed by Ahwazis until 1925 when was included to Iran without its volition. Since that time Ahwazis receive various ways of discriminations and persecutions from both monarchy and Islamic republic regimes, which tried to abolish our singularities and dissolve our identity throughout taking various schemes, isolations, and racism policies such as land confiscation, force displacement, and building Persian settlements followed by inhuman repression such as killing and arresting purposelessly.
Consequently, our Ahwazi people endure poverty and deprivation in all means notwithstanding our homeland produces approximately 90% of Iranian petrol exports.
Undoubtedly, international community silence toward our persecution in past 8 decades took part to encourage the consecutive Iranian regimes in continuing racism policies against our people. Unfortunately, the cognate Arab countries are ignoring our just cause and wink at disastrous situation to five million indigenous Ahwazi Arabs. Accordingly, our people precluded from any remarkable international or Arabic underpinning.
Madam Chairperson, since the outbreak of the peaceful intifada on April 2005 which objects the Iranian policies that aimed to change the demographic region against the indigenous Arab population, our people suffer from inhumanity from Iranian security authorities which breach their human rights that have reached mass killing, detention of pregnant women, children, and brutal torturing. These, of course, condemned by most of human rights organisations such as Amnesty International and human rights watch.
In conclusion, we demand international community in particular United Nation for immediate intervention to stop human rights violation in Al-Ahwaz and savage lives of hundreds of arrested and detainees especially women, children, patients and elderly from Iranian detention centres and prisons.
Labels: UN
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03 June, 2006
Ahwazi Women at United Nations
The following is an excerpt from a statement by Makhale Tshifhiwa on behalf of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO) and in association with Ahwazi Human Rights Organization (AHRO) at the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (15 â 26 May 2006)under Item 4 c) Ongoing priorities and themes: "Indigenous Children, Youth and Women":
Ahwazi women are not only being denied these basic rights and experiencing a lack of space opportunity to conduct peaceful political activities an atmosphere conducive to positive change, but also, following recent episodes, they fear being arrested without charge and held in detention with no access to legal assistance. Instances during the last months and weeks, reported by several human rights organizations, clearly demonstrate the violation of the basic rights of indigenous Ahwazi women and their children. A number of Ahwazi women, among them some pregnant and with their children, have been held for longer periods without access to legal aid or due process. So far, the health of Ms. Sakina Naisi is in danger after harsh treatment led to forced abortion. Ms. Hawashem is still being detained along with her two children. Ms. Masouma Kaabi was also arrested with her child Imad, and Ms. Soghra Khuddayrawai imprisoned along with her son Zeydan. Furthermore, Ms. Fahima Isma'ili recently gave birth to her child Sal'ma whilst held in detention. It is essential to note that the arrested women were all wives and relatives of politically active men.
On behalf of UNPO I express concern at how these indigenous women have suffered ill-treatment and been held unlawfully with their children in custody. We appeal to the Permanent Forum to urge Iran to develop specific non-discriminatory policies towards women; to enhance the situation of women in Iran and in particular indigenous Ahwazi women; to provide and ensure that their basic rights are respected and that these women do not suffer the arbitrary arrest and detention based on the activities of their husbands; that women and men alike are free to voice political dissent when expressed through non-violent and legitimate means; Whilst we appeal for the urgent release of indigenous women, we call upon the Permanent Forum to gather data and information about the situation of indigenous women in Khuzestan and the larger region; and to distribute this information to lay the basis for further recommendations for the authorities in Iran.
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The following is an excerpt from a statement by Makhale Tshifhiwa on behalf of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO) and in association with Ahwazi Human Rights Organization (AHRO) at the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (15 â 26 May 2006)under Item 4 c) Ongoing priorities and themes: "Indigenous Children, Youth and Women":
Ahwazi women are not only being denied these basic rights and experiencing a lack of space opportunity to conduct peaceful political activities an atmosphere conducive to positive change, but also, following recent episodes, they fear being arrested without charge and held in detention with no access to legal assistance. Instances during the last months and weeks, reported by several human rights organizations, clearly demonstrate the violation of the basic rights of indigenous Ahwazi women and their children. A number of Ahwazi women, among them some pregnant and with their children, have been held for longer periods without access to legal aid or due process. So far, the health of Ms. Sakina Naisi is in danger after harsh treatment led to forced abortion. Ms. Hawashem is still being detained along with her two children. Ms. Masouma Kaabi was also arrested with her child Imad, and Ms. Soghra Khuddayrawai imprisoned along with her son Zeydan. Furthermore, Ms. Fahima Isma'ili recently gave birth to her child Sal'ma whilst held in detention. It is essential to note that the arrested women were all wives and relatives of politically active men.
On behalf of UNPO I express concern at how these indigenous women have suffered ill-treatment and been held unlawfully with their children in custody. We appeal to the Permanent Forum to urge Iran to develop specific non-discriminatory policies towards women; to enhance the situation of women in Iran and in particular indigenous Ahwazi women; to provide and ensure that their basic rights are respected and that these women do not suffer the arbitrary arrest and detention based on the activities of their husbands; that women and men alike are free to voice political dissent when expressed through non-violent and legitimate means; Whilst we appeal for the urgent release of indigenous women, we call upon the Permanent Forum to gather data and information about the situation of indigenous women in Khuzestan and the larger region; and to distribute this information to lay the basis for further recommendations for the authorities in Iran.
Labels: UN , women
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08 May, 2006
Iran to hand over 'terrorist' documents to the UN
The Iranian government is submitting documents it says prooves "interference by foreigners in the terrorist incidents in Khuzestan province last year" to the United Nations.
Deputy Governor General of Khuzestan Mohsen Farrokhi Nezhad told Fars News Agency that the 'evidence', including documents, showed that those responsible for the bomb attacks and sabotage operations had been organised and trained by the 'occupiers of Iraq'. He also alleged that they had carried out a number of armed robberies over the past two years to finance their operations.
The government claims that the US, Israel and UK backed group was affiliated to Al-Qaeda and held Wahhabi and anti-Shi'ite views. However, the government has not revealed the name of the group.
Nasser Bani Assad, spokesman for the British Ahwazi Friendship Society (BAFS), said: "The government has been making these claims for the past year, but has failed to publish the proof. So, the submission to the UN is a welcome development, allowing the international community to assess Iran's various claims. We would like the Iranian authorities to publish the 'evidence' publically. We want the regime to state which individuals and organisations it is accusing of responsibility for the bomb attacks.
"Several Ahwazis - mostly Shi'ites - have been arrested for possessing 'terrorist' or 'separatist' propaganda, which has turned out to be reports by human rights groups such as Amnesty International as well as UN agencies. It would be ironic if the documents submitted to the UN include UNCHR reports!
"There are several inconsistencies in the government's claims. If the alleged terrorist group was sponsored by the British and Americans, why would it rely on the proceeds of armed robberies to fund its activities? This raises the question of what Iran means by 'foreign influence'. If the regime is suggesting that the presence of terrorists in Iraq is proof of British or American involvement in the Ahwaz bomb attacks, then it will have a tough time selling its case.
"We know that Iran is assisting Shia militias associated with Iraqi political parties. The downing of the British helicopter in Basra last week probably utilised equipment brought in from Iran. The attempt to accuse Western governments of terrorist acts in Iran could back-fire, highlighting Iran's involvement in militia activity in Iraq."
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The Iranian government is submitting documents it says prooves "interference by foreigners in the terrorist incidents in Khuzestan province last year" to the United Nations.
Deputy Governor General of Khuzestan Mohsen Farrokhi Nezhad told Fars News Agency that the 'evidence', including documents, showed that those responsible for the bomb attacks and sabotage operations had been organised and trained by the 'occupiers of Iraq'. He also alleged that they had carried out a number of armed robberies over the past two years to finance their operations.
The government claims that the US, Israel and UK backed group was affiliated to Al-Qaeda and held Wahhabi and anti-Shi'ite views. However, the government has not revealed the name of the group.
Nasser Bani Assad, spokesman for the British Ahwazi Friendship Society (BAFS), said: "The government has been making these claims for the past year, but has failed to publish the proof. So, the submission to the UN is a welcome development, allowing the international community to assess Iran's various claims. We would like the Iranian authorities to publish the 'evidence' publically. We want the regime to state which individuals and organisations it is accusing of responsibility for the bomb attacks.
"Several Ahwazis - mostly Shi'ites - have been arrested for possessing 'terrorist' or 'separatist' propaganda, which has turned out to be reports by human rights groups such as Amnesty International as well as UN agencies. It would be ironic if the documents submitted to the UN include UNCHR reports!
"There are several inconsistencies in the government's claims. If the alleged terrorist group was sponsored by the British and Americans, why would it rely on the proceeds of armed robberies to fund its activities? This raises the question of what Iran means by 'foreign influence'. If the regime is suggesting that the presence of terrorists in Iraq is proof of British or American involvement in the Ahwaz bomb attacks, then it will have a tough time selling its case.
"We know that Iran is assisting Shia militias associated with Iraqi political parties. The downing of the British helicopter in Basra last week probably utilised equipment brought in from Iran. The attempt to accuse Western governments of terrorist acts in Iran could back-fire, highlighting Iran's involvement in militia activity in Iraq."
Labels: intifada , UN
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02 April, 2006
UNICEF called to intervene to stop detention of Ahwazi children and women
The British Ahwazi Friendship Society is called on UNICEF to intervene to stop the continued kidnapping and detention of young Ahwazi children and their mothers.
Last week, the wife and two young children of Ahwazi Arab opposition activist Habib Faraj-allah were kidnapped and taken into custody by the Iranian regime.
Hoda Hawashem (24) (pictured left), four year old Ahmed (centre) and two year old Osameh (right) are now in custody, along with other Ahwazi women and children.
Sakina Naisi, a 40 year old woman taken into custody in February when she was three months pregnant, has reportedly had to have an abortion after suffering physical and emotional abuse at the hands of her torturers. Sakina is the wife of Ahmad Naisi, a prominent political activist wanted by the authorities. Following her arrest, the authorities destroyed her husband's family home in the Sho'aybiyeh district of Ahwaz with bulldozers.
Sakina was among five people, including three women and two children, mentioned in a recent Amnesty International urgent action appeal, which called for their immediate release. Soghra Khudayrawi and her four year old son Zeidan and Masoumeh Kaabi and her four year old son Aimad have been in custody since February to punish their husbands for engaging in political activism ( click here for further details ).
Nasser Bani-Assad, spokesman for the British Ahwazi Friendship Society, said: "The detention of Ahwazi women and children amounts to kidnapping. None of them have committed any crime. It is a way of punishing political opposition to the Iranian regime. The Iranian regime is one of the most cruellest governments on earth, but the European Commission has failed to address these grotesque human rights abuses.
"The detention of children is in breach of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which is legally binding on Iran. President Ahmadinejad is breaking all the rules and must be brought to account by the international community for crimes committed by his government."
Leaflet: Release Ahwazi Children and Women
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The British Ahwazi Friendship Society is called on UNICEF to intervene to stop the continued kidnapping and detention of young Ahwazi children and their mothers.
Last week, the wife and two young children of Ahwazi Arab opposition activist Habib Faraj-allah were kidnapped and taken into custody by the Iranian regime.
Hoda Hawashem (24) (pictured left), four year old Ahmed (centre) and two year old Osameh (right) are now in custody, along with other Ahwazi women and children.
Sakina Naisi, a 40 year old woman taken into custody in February when she was three months pregnant, has reportedly had to have an abortion after suffering physical and emotional abuse at the hands of her torturers. Sakina is the wife of Ahmad Naisi, a prominent political activist wanted by the authorities. Following her arrest, the authorities destroyed her husband's family home in the Sho'aybiyeh district of Ahwaz with bulldozers.
Sakina was among five people, including three women and two children, mentioned in a recent Amnesty International urgent action appeal, which called for their immediate release. Soghra Khudayrawi and her four year old son Zeidan and Masoumeh Kaabi and her four year old son Aimad have been in custody since February to punish their husbands for engaging in political activism ( click here for further details ).
Nasser Bani-Assad, spokesman for the British Ahwazi Friendship Society, said: "The detention of Ahwazi women and children amounts to kidnapping. None of them have committed any crime. It is a way of punishing political opposition to the Iranian regime. The Iranian regime is one of the most cruellest governments on earth, but the European Commission has failed to address these grotesque human rights abuses.
"The detention of children is in breach of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which is legally binding on Iran. President Ahmadinejad is breaking all the rules and must be brought to account by the international community for crimes committed by his government."
Leaflet: Release Ahwazi Children and Women
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13 March, 2006
Iran Criticised over Ahwaz Crisis at UNCHR
A group with ECOSOC status has brought the UNCHR's attention to the killings and torture of Ahwazi Arabs by the Iranian regime.
The International Federation for the Protection of the Rights of Ethnic, Religious, Linguistic and Other Minorities (IFPRERLOM) has drawn attention to the discrimination and marginalisation of more than four million Ahwazi Arabs. In a report submitted to the 62nd session of the Commission on Human Rights in Geneva, IFPRERLOM highlighted the killings of at least 61 Ahwazis by Iranian security forces during an Arab intifada in April 2005.
The organisation also mentioned reports published by human rights organisations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch over the torture, ill-treatment, and incommunicado detention and incidents of arbitrary arrest and detention of Ahwazi Arabs, including children. The arrests came after Basiji militias attacked a crowd of Arab Shia worshippers during Eid-ul-Adha on 11 January. They had gathered peacefully to demand an end to the persecution of Arabs, poverty and unemployment among Arabs, and the release of political prisoners arrested since April 2005 following unrest in Khuzestan province.
The organisation's written statement "notes with concern the tension that has mounted among the Arab population since April 2005, after it was alleged that the government planned to disperse the country's Arab population or to force them to relinquish their Arab identity. As the cycle of violence in the Khuzestan province threatens to intensify, IFPRERLOM appeals to the Commission on Human Rights
> to call upon Iran to investigate incidents of arbitrary arrest and detention, reports of torture and ill-treatment;
> to call, as a matter of urgency, for a follow-up to the initial request by UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, to the government of Iran to arrange a visit; and
> to urge authorities in Iran to implement measures to promote and protect the rights of minorities, including the indigenous Ahwazi Arabs, Balochis and other minority groups in Iran."
Ahwazi groups have repeatedly called for Iran to be referred to the UN Security Council over its appalling human rights record, not just in relation to Ahwazis but other ethnic minorities, religious groups, women, the political opposition and trade unionists.
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A group with ECOSOC status has brought the UNCHR's attention to the killings and torture of Ahwazi Arabs by the Iranian regime.
The International Federation for the Protection of the Rights of Ethnic, Religious, Linguistic and Other Minorities (IFPRERLOM) has drawn attention to the discrimination and marginalisation of more than four million Ahwazi Arabs. In a report submitted to the 62nd session of the Commission on Human Rights in Geneva, IFPRERLOM highlighted the killings of at least 61 Ahwazis by Iranian security forces during an Arab intifada in April 2005.
The organisation also mentioned reports published by human rights organisations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch over the torture, ill-treatment, and incommunicado detention and incidents of arbitrary arrest and detention of Ahwazi Arabs, including children. The arrests came after Basiji militias attacked a crowd of Arab Shia worshippers during Eid-ul-Adha on 11 January. They had gathered peacefully to demand an end to the persecution of Arabs, poverty and unemployment among Arabs, and the release of political prisoners arrested since April 2005 following unrest in Khuzestan province.
The organisation's written statement "notes with concern the tension that has mounted among the Arab population since April 2005, after it was alleged that the government planned to disperse the country's Arab population or to force them to relinquish their Arab identity. As the cycle of violence in the Khuzestan province threatens to intensify, IFPRERLOM appeals to the Commission on Human Rights
> to call upon Iran to investigate incidents of arbitrary arrest and detention, reports of torture and ill-treatment;
> to call, as a matter of urgency, for a follow-up to the initial request by UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, to the government of Iran to arrange a visit; and
> to urge authorities in Iran to implement measures to promote and protect the rights of minorities, including the indigenous Ahwazi Arabs, Balochis and other minority groups in Iran."
Ahwazi groups have repeatedly called for Iran to be referred to the UN Security Council over its appalling human rights record, not just in relation to Ahwazis but other ethnic minorities, religious groups, women, the political opposition and trade unionists.
Labels: UN
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