Re: The imprisoned members of Writers’ Association of Iran are in danger!
They need your support!
We would like to inform you that two members of the Board of Directors of the Writers’ Association of Iran Reza Khandan and Baktash Abtin, and a former Board member Keyvan Bajan are in the notorious Evin prison where they are in imminent danger of contracting coronavirus.
The Writers’ Association of Iran reported in a statement that: “In a situation where the new wave of coronavirus in the country takes hundreds of victims every day, and the lack of health and medical facilities in prisons can have catastrophic consequences. The imprisonment of these three writers and other political and ideological prisoners means that the security and judicial authorities send the protesters and the dissidents to the altar.”
The writers were transferred to Evin prison in Tehran on 26 September 2020 to serve their prison sentences. The three members were sentenced in May 2019 to six years prison each on the charge of “propaganda against the regime” and “conspiracy to act against the national security”. The members of the Writers’ Association of Iran have been practising their fundamental right of freedom of expression. They must be released immediately and unconditionally.
All the international progressive and human rights organisations, writers’ associations and political parties must show solidarity with these writers, condemn the Islamic regime and demand the immediate release of the jailed writers and all political prisoners in Iran.
International pressure has a key role in pressurising the regime to free the jailed members of the Writers’ Association of Iran.
We would like to urge you to take immediate action to save them from the imminent danger that they face in the prison. Please send your letter to the following address to demand the release of Reza Khandan, Baktash Abtin, and Keyvan Bajan.
Hassan Rouhani Email: media@rouhani.ir Twitter: @HassanRouhani
Ali Khamenei Email: info_leader@leader.ir Twitter: @khamenei_ir
Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations
Email: iran@un.int
Campaign to Free Political Prisoners in Iran (CFPPI)
For more information contact:
Shiva Mahbobi, spokesperson
shiva.mahbobi@gmail.com +44(0) 7572356661