Mr Emadeddin Baghi, a prominent human rights defender, remains in detention since his arrest on 28 December 2009. 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 prestigious Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders in 2009.

Further Information

According to information received, following demonstrations marking a religious event known as 'Ashoura' on 27 December 2009, Emadeddin Baghi was arrested at his house on 28 December at 6.45am by four plainclothes, armed officials, who forced their way into his house refusing to show any identification and severely beat his brother-in-law.

When Emadeddin Baghi tried to reassure his wife and daughter saying that he would remain strong in prison, the officials told him that he would not live long enough in prison to need to remain strong. The authorities have not provided his family with any further information concerning the arrest and Emadeddin Baghi has not been granted access to his lawyers.

On 6 January 2010, a family member reported that a detainee just released from Evin Prison in Tehran told the family that he had heard Emadeddin Baghi's voice in the prison. It is believed that Emadeddin Baghi is being held in solitary confinement in spite of the fact that he has serious medical problems, many resulting from previous periods of imprisonment. His doctor has asked the authorities not to put him under pressure so that his health condition does not deteriorate further.

In recent years, Emadeddin Baghi has been repeatedly subjected to harassment. On 31 July 2007, he was condemned by the Tehran Revolutionary Court to three years in prison for “activities against national security” and “publicity in favour of the regime's opponents”.

Prior to this, he had written an article in which he called for the defence of persons sentenced to death in the southern Khozestan region. He was released in September 2008 on medical grounds. He was previously detained from 2000-2003 in relation to articles he had written condemning the death penalty. In November 2009, Emadeddin Baghi was prevented from leaving Iran to travel to Geneva, Switzerland, where he was invited to receive the prestigious Martin Ennals Award for human rights defenders.

Front Line believes that the imprisonment of Emadeddin Baghi is a result of his legitimate work in the defence of human rights, in particular his work against the death penalty and his efforts to defend the right to freedom of expression in Iran. Front Line is concerned for the physical and psychological integrity of Emadeddin Baghi and fears that his life may be in danger.