1 August 2006

An open letter to the secretary of Amnesty International Ms Irene Khan

Regarding killing of Akbar Mohammedi and the situation of political prisoners in Iran

Dear Ms Khan

Akbar Mohammedi a political prisoner in Iran died in prison on Sunday 30 July 2006. He was arrested in July 1999 as a result of attending student’s protest demonstrations and was sentenced to death. Mohammedi has undergone torture and ill treatment to that extant that the scars and burses of torture had been visible on his body according to those who had seen it. He had developed numerous illnesses and health problems due to many years of imprisonment and torture and he, particularly needed medical attention and medical treatment. Akbar Mohammedi started a hunger strike in protest against inhumane conditions of prison and the brutality imposed on political prisoners. He died 9 days later as a result of his strike.

The political prisoners in Iran are kept in very hazardous conditions in prisons. Many of them are undergoing a hard and dangerous situation. Physical and mental torture is a permanent aspect of their daily lives, some of them need immediate medical attention, many have been refused visits from their families and some are awaiting execution. The threatening situation of some of these political prisoners is in a state of emergency and needs urgent attention. Mansoor Osanlou, Naser Zarafshan, Ahmad Batebi, Manoochehr Mohamadi, Saeed Masoori and several others are in such threatening conditions.

We, therefore call upon you to:

1-     Investigate the reasons for Akbar Mohammedi’s death. We ask you to send a team to Iran to investigate reasons for Mohammedi’s death and inspect the conditions of prisons and the political prisoners and to let people know about their findings.

2-     Raise your objections and your protest against torture. Urge the Islamic republic to facilitate medical treatment for political prisoners.

3-     Run a world wide campaign about situation of political prisoners in Iran and against the brutal ways in which the Islamic Republic is treating political prisoners

4-     Demand immediate release of all political prisoners 

With Kind regards

Khalil Keyvan

Secretary of Worker-communist Party of Iran- abroad organisation