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Page 1 of 6  Death sentence Defend
International
in collaboration with
The
Observatory:
the winner
of the 1998 Human Rights Prize of the French Republic
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint
programme of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH, Paris, France)
and the World Organisation against Torture (OMCT, Geneva, Switzerland)
aims to offer them concrete support in their time of need.
 Adnan Hasanpoor
Name: Adnan
Hasanpoor
Sex: Male
Age: 27
 Hiwa Butimar
Name: Adel
Wahd (Hiwa) Butimar
Sex: Male
Age: 29
Authorities: Iranian
Category: Death
sentence / torture / incommunicado detention
The case:
Defend International has received an appeal
from the Observatory, requesting DI's urgent
intervention in the confirmation of the sentence to death of Mr. Adnan Hasanpoor, as
well as of the quashing of the case of Mr. Abdel Wahd (also known as Hiwa)
Butimar, two Kurdish journalists and active members of Iranian civil society. According to the information received, on October 22,
2007,the Iranian Supreme Court upheld the sentence to death of Mr.
Hasanpoor issued on July 9, 2007 by the Revolutionary Tribunal in Marivan, for,
inter alia, "diffusion of
separatist propaganda", "treason" and "collaboration with Kurdish political
opposition parties". On the same day, the Court quashed the other 9-July decision
of the Revolutionary Tribunal concerning Mr. Butimar, for procedural
irregularities. He remains detained, awaiting that his case be referred to
another court. However, the decisions of the Supreme Court have just been made
public, and have still not been notified to the two defenders, which is a
precondition for Mr. Hasanpoor to lodge an appeal.
DI Demands:
- Defend International expresses same deepest
concern as The Observatory regarding the confirmation of the death sentence of
Mr. Hasanpoor, as it appears to be directly aimed at sanctioning his activities
in favour of human rights.
- The organizations recall that numerous United
Nations bodies, including the UN Human Rights Committee, the UN Committee
Against Torture and the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, have called for the
abolition of capital punishment.
The ICCPR states:
Article 6.1: E Every human being has the inherent
right to life. This right shall be protected by law. No one shall be
arbitrarily deprived of his life.
Article 6.2: In countries which have not abolished
the death penalty, sentence of death may be imposed only for the most serious
crimes in accordance with the law in force at the time of the commission of the
crime and not contrary to the provisions of the present Covenant and to the
Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide...
This can obviously in no way encompass the
peaceful expression of dissent.
- The organizations also reiterate that as a
member of the Human Rights Council, Iran has accepted to "uphold to the
highest standards in the promotion and protection of human rights".
DI campaign:
Please copy the
following appeals, add your signature and address and send them to arrive as
soon as possible.
With thanks and
appreciation
Defend International
Heman kempin bi Kurdi
To see DI's 1st Urgent Action for Hassanpour & Butimar click here
ـــــــــــــــــ
Leader
of the Islamic Republic, His
Excellency Ayatollah Sayed Ali Khamenei,
The
Office of the Supreme Leader,
Shoahada Street,
Qom,
Islamic
Republic of Iran,
Faxes:
+ 98.21.649.5880 / 21.774.2228,
Email:
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;
Your Excellency,
I am writing you to express my deepest concern
regarding the confirmation of the death sentence of Mr. Adnan Hasanpoor and to
welcome the review of Abdel Wahid (Hiwa) Butimar's case.
I urge you to commute Mr. Hasanpoor's death
sentence immediately and to guarantee in all circumstances the physical and
psychological integrity of Mr. Hasanpoor and Mr. Butimar.
I call on you to release them immediately and
unconditionally since their detention is arbitrary, as it only seems to
sanction their human rights activities. I also urge you to ensure that they
have access to adequate medical treatment and put an end to all acts of
harassment against all Iranian human rights defenders.
I call on you to ensure Mr. Butimar is granted
a fair trial when appealing his sentence, and have unhindered access to legal
representation.
Furthermore I urge you to conform with the
provisions of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, adopted by the
General Assembly of the United Nations on December 9, 1998, especially its
Article 1, which states that "everyone has the right, individually and in
association with others, to promote and to strive for the protection and
realisation of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national and
international levels", Article 6 (b) which stipulates that "everyone has the
right [...] freely to publish, impart or disseminate to others views, information
and knowledge on all human rights and fundamental freedoms", as well as Article
12(2), which provides that "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".
Finally I urge you to ensure in all
circumstances the respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in
accordance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and with
international and regional human rights instruments ratified by the Islamic
Republic of Iran.
I hope for your urgent attention to this
matter.
Yours respectfully,
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