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Iran: Arrest of human rights defender Dr Sohrab Razzaghi

Posted on 2007/10/25

Front Line would like to express its deep concern following the arrest of the human rights defender Dr Sohrab Razzaghi at his home at 2.00pm on 24 October 2007. He has been transferred to Section 209 of Evin Prison. Dr Sohrab Razzaghi is the President of the non-governmental organisation (NGO), Koneshgaran Davtalab (Volunteer Actors Institute).

Further Information

Posted 25/10/2007 Front Line is concerned that Dr Sohrab Razzaghi has been arrested and is being detained as a result of his peaceful and legitimate human rights activities. He recently wrote a report on the status of the Iranian civil society. He is due to attend the Front Line Platform, which will take place in Dublin, Ireland from 22-24 November 2007.

The authorities have targeted Dr Sohrab Razzaghi in the past. On 15 March 2007, officers from the Ministry of Intelligence and the Revolutionary Court closed down three NGOs, the Volunteer Activists, the Raahi Legal Centre and the Non-Governmental Organizations Training Centre. On the same day, Dr Sohrab was interrogated for several hours and security officials confiscated his personal property including documents, forms and the Centre’s main computer server from his home.

Dr Sohrab Razzaghi is a former professor at the Allameh University. He served as deputy for NGO affairs with the Ministry of the Interior under Former President Mohammad Khatami and he was one of a number of professors fired from their university posts following Mahmoud Ahmadinejad becoming President in 2005.

Action Finished: 

This Urgent Appeal has now ended. No further action is requested at this point. Thank you for taking action on this case.

Front Line issues Urgent Appeals on behalf of human rights defenders at risk on a daily basis. These Appeals normally remain active on our web site for a period of up to six weeks, depending on the situation. After this time they will be archived. Front Line maintains a watching brief on all these cases but no further action is requested after the six weeks, unless there is a significant development in the case.