Iran: Inadequate medical treatment for imprisoned human rights defender Emadeddin Baghi

Your Excellency,

I am deeply concerned following reports that human rights defender Emadeddin Baghi, imprisoned since October 2007, was returned to prison after suffering a heart attack on 7 May 2008. Emadeddin Baghi is the founder of the Association for the Defence of Prisoners' Rights and the Society of the Right to Life Guardians in Iran. He has written extensively on human rights, in particular to criticise the death penalty and to defend the right to freedom of expression. He has received several international awards for his work including the Civil Courage Prize in 2004, the French Human Rights Prize in 2005, and the International Journalist of the Year 2008 at the British Press Awards.

On 7 May 2008, Emadeddin Baghi suffered a heart attack. He was brought to hospital for treatment and was returned to his cell that evening. When he got back to his cell he found that his possessions had been taken, including his books and his writings, as well as a file he was keeping to use in his defence case. Emadeddin Baghi's health had been poor since the start of his current prison sentence in October 2007. On 26 December 2007, he suffered a seizure and was taken to hospital. There he had another seizure but was returned to prison the next day. On 17 January 2008, he was granted a month's bail in order to receive medical treatment. This was extended until 29 April 2008 when he was returned to prison. On 13 May 2008, six days after the heart attack, Emadeddin Baghi's family visited him and found him to be weak and pale. It is believed that his health is currently in such poor condition that Emadeddin Baghi's life may be in danger.

Emadeddin Baghi was arrested on 14 October 2007 after responding to a summons to appear before Branch 14 of the Revolutionary Court in Tehran. He was questioned about his activities with the Association for the Defence of Prisoners' Rights and accused of revealing classified information and insulting Iran's leaders through criticising the use of the death penalty. When the members of his family attempted to pay the bail that had been set at 500 million rials, they were informed that Emadeddin Baghi was to serve a suspended sentence of one year's imprisonment that had been imposed against him following an unfair trial in 2003, at which his lawyer was not allowed to be present. Emadeddin Baghi had previously spent three years in prison between 2000 and 2002 for articles criticising the death penalty and speaking out against killings of academics in Iran.

I believe that the imprisonment of and the inadequate medical treatment that has been provided for Emadeddin Baghi is a result of his legitimate work in the defence of human rights, in particular his work against the death penalty and to defend the right to freedom of expression in Iran. I am concerned for the physical and psychological integrity of Emadeddin Baghi and fears that his life may be in danger.

I urge the Irani authorities to:

1. Immediately and unconditionally release Emadeddin Baghi, as it is believed that he has been arrested and detained solely on the basis of his legitimate and peaceful activities in the defence of human rights;

2. Guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of Emadeddin Baghi and ensure that he has access to all necessary medical treatment;

3. Guarantee in all circumstances that human rights defenders in Iran are free to carry out their legitimate human rights activities without fear of reprisals.

I respectfully remind you that the United Nations Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, adopted by consensus by the UN General Assembly on 9 December 1998, recognises the legitimacy of the activities of human rights defenders, their right to freedom of association and to carry out their activities without fear of reprisals.

I would particularly draw attention to Article 5 (b): “For the purpose of promoting and protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms, everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, at the national and international levels: (b) To form, join and participate in non-governmental organizations, associations or groups“, to Article 6 (c): “Everyone has the right, individually and in association with others: (c) To study, discuss, form and hold opinions on the observance, both in law and in practice, of all human rights and fundamental freedoms and, through these and other appropriate means, to draw public attention to those matters“, and to Article 12 (2): “The State shall take all necessary measures to ensure the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually and in association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the present declaration.”

Yours sincerely,