26 September 2010
The situation of Zahra Bahrmai is still unknown
CFPPI is urging the Dutch government to take an action.
Zahra Bahrami, 45, mother of two, and a Dutch- Iranian citizen has been held in prison since December 2009. Despite the international pressure on the Iranian regime, Zahra is still still in prison, and have not been allowed to have access to a lawyer or to have visit from her family. in an interview with Netherlands TV Ahmadinejad said that his regime will not accept Zahra’s dual citizenship, and therefore Zahra cannot have the protection of the Dutch government. Zahra is a Dutch citizen, and the Islamic Regime must respect her citizenship. The Dutch government should pressure the regime in Tehran to respect Zahra’s Dutch citizenship regardless of her birthplace. Promoting and protecting the interests of Dutch nationals abroad is one of the core tasks of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The responsibility to save Zahra’s life falls directly into the obligations of the Dutch government. Shiva Mahbobi, the spokesperson of the CFPPI, in her letter on 06/09/2010 to Maxime Verhagen, the Netherlands Foreign Minster wrote:” It is very important that we obtain this update, because in similar cases as Zahra, when prisoners were charged with “Moharebeh” (which means enemy of God) and “acting against national security” their death sentence was carried out by the regime without any advance notice. “
Zahra Bahrami’s situation is unknown. Islamic regime initially announced that she will be sentence to either execution or life sentence. Due to the international pressure, Islamic regime of Iran has backed down and has not announced Zahra Bahrami’s sentence yet. Zahra’s freedom is mainly depends on the international pressure and the support of Dutch government.
The pressure on the Islamic regime must be continued. We urge the Dutch government to take an immediate action.
See an article by Sebastiaan Gottlieb regarding the situation of Zahra Bahrami
http://www.rnw.nl/english/article/international-pressure-helps-says-exiled-iranian-lawyer
>> Sign our online petition in support of Zahra Bahrami
http://www.petitiononline.com/zahra123/petition.html
>>> Send a protest letter to Maxime Verhagen, the Netherlands Foreign Minster
(A sample letter is attached)
For more information please contact:
Parisa Pouyande on: +31 645 711 919
Shiva Mahbobi : + 44 (0)7984 445 278
Campaign to Free Political Prisoners in Iran (CFPPI)
[Sample letter]
Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Mr. Maxime Verhagen
PO Box 20061,2500 EB The Hague, The Netherlands
Telephone: +31 70 3486486
Fax: + 31 70 3484848
Email: m.verhagen@minbuza.nl
Send a copy to:
Catherine Ashton, EU High Representative for Foreign Affair
C.J. Kole, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Tehran
Email: teh@minbuza.nl
Dear Mr Verhagen
I/we express concern for the situation of Zahra Bahrami. I/we urge the Dutch government to put pressure on the Islamic Regime of Iran to release Zahra Bahrmai immediately and unconditionally.
Name/ organization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
City/country . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Please send a copy of your letter to CFPPI for our record.
