In the name of great God, who is the creator of peace and its gaurdian.

Greeting to the world's peacemakers, as I have great respect for the persons who devote their valuable life to reform and also I esteem victims of violence and crime. From inside my prison cell, I express my utmost gratitude for those who fight for human rights.

Please accept my greetings from the confines of my dreadful cell within the infamous Evin prison located in the north of Tehran, the capital of Iran. While my days are extremely difficult in this prison, helping to promote peace by cooperating with liberals and defenders of human rights remaif my delights. Only my God is informed of the hardships I have suffered or how, during the past 14 years, I have spent my life in the service of peace and liberalism.

I have opposed oppression since I was a child. Battling tyranny has always been my aim. I could never remain silent against oppression imposed by the ruling regimes, just as I could not close my eyes towards discrimination or violations of individual freedoms. Nor could I turn a deaf ear to the complaints of the helpless or the homeless. I have always been eager for justice, so I have chosen to devote my life to combating dictators and violators of justice and the rights of humans.

I worship a God that has not sent prophets to promote or create fury and harshness. The God that I worship does not issue orders that cause fear and horror. I accept a religion that is gracious and does not tolerate despotism or tyranny by religious leaders. I believe justice is the spirit of society; when the human spirit becomes disturbed insecurity and chaos arise and spread throughout the world. I believe freedom to be the very essence and core of society, and when one's freedom is violated, his very core, his very essence will be ruined.

Attention to and respect for human rights is the most essential service of all societies. Humans should have the freedom to release themselves from any and all systematic forms of bondage and oppression. Any ruling body that tries to annihilate or restrict individual freedoms through its legal system -- whatever form that system may be -- in fact commits treason against humanity and must be discharged from its seat.

I believe that peace is even more essential than rain for people of the earth. I believe common injustices are more abhorrent than starvation for the human kind, for in times of natural disaster humans find the spirit of generosity, and come to assist one another to reduce the results of the disaster. Conversely, in violation of nature and the rights of humans, there is no power and no permission for collective protests and the ability of people for demanding their rights become suppressed.

I condemn the historical violations of human rights. I condemn rulers who have and continue to damage their societies and disturb the lives of the people to fulfill their own ambitions of expansionism and power. I denounce governments, past and present, that oppress their own people in furtherance of their evil ambitions and annihilation of generations only to reach their animal and inhumane goals.

I do not believe in any religion that calls for or promotes oppression of any kind, nor do I accept dogma of any kind that prevents freedom of though or the establishment of a just and merciful legal system that respects the rights of all individuals. As human are superior to all created by the divine, any kind of violation to human identity and existence are against God's will. Indeed, people are the real owners of their governments and the rulers are their servants. Any governor who fosters any intention to exploit the people is a farse, and, as such, does not have the right to continue its governance. Colonialists in every position and seat whose intentions are to plunder humanity have in fact declared war against all humans.

Humans of every race, creed, color, ethnicity, nationality are all partners, and they are entitled to share all that is bestowed upon them on this earth by the divine. The existence of hunger in the world is nothing less than a historical mark of disgrace upon the wealthy persons who had the means to aid their fellow humans, and their failure to do so amounts to abhorent acts cruelty and an unfortunate lack of conscience. All people in the world have the right to enjoy the natural sources and products that the divine has provided for them. Expansionism and avarice are signs of the absence of prudence and balance; they are the cause of enmities and aversions, which threaten the poor and the innocent, and force them into bloodshed and violence. Thus, we must abstain from every act and instrument that provides a fertile ground for conflict among humans and nations.

As conflict and enmity are the first steps towards acts of agression and war, we must establish kindness and friendly communication among nations and religions. Only through open dialogue and benevolence can we establish peaceful and effective international relations, increase fraternization among all people throughout the world, and prevent various forms of prejudice and discrimination.

I am a preacher of peace. I have offered the years of my youth to serving a benevolent God in furtherance of peace and justice. As a progressive theologian, I have paid a heavy price for my views. I have long devoted my family and life to reverence for freedom. I am a strong advocate of democracy throughout the world. In my opinion, there are no differences among religions as any religion that takes us closer to to God brings happiness.

I believe weapons contradict human interests and nuclear bombs not only annihilate human populations, but the very essence of humanity. Similarly, the competition for producing, increasing and selling weapon of war destroy environmental cleanness and jeopardize the health and safety of humans everywhere. As such, I condemn nuclear proliferation, as I condemn all things that disturb the peace and prosperity of humankind.

Societies must make great effort to establish and implement systems in which prisons will no longer be necessary. Governments must establish rule of law in a way that would maximize happiness and prosperity of the governed. Taxes, tolls and penalties must be moderated and peoples' ability to pay what the government demands of them must be carefully considered.

I respect all persons who strive for human rights, and from the confines of my dark prison cell in Iran, I warmly embrace all those who work relentlessly to spread the message of peace. I had been invited and recommend to leave my country many years ago, but I refused to leave my people, despite all the risks and dangers to which remaining in my country subjected me and my family. With all my heart and soul, I chose to face all the brutalities that I knew I would face by remaining in my country because of nothing else other than my deep sympathy for my countrymen and their need to defend their legal and rational rights.

Now, I have no security nor justice of any kind. My family faces continuous threats and abuse on a daily basis. Notwithstanding these hardships, however, I continue to tolerate prison, exile, torture and abuse by my government merely based upon my deep and unvawering support for human rights, as well as the greatness and importance of peace and justice.

As God and history are my witnesses, I have abstained from engaging or promoting any act of violence, oppression or injustice throughout my life. I have loved my mankind, have helped the poor and the deprived, and have never abused my high profile or high social positions for any personal gain. Even when armed governmental forces raided my house to arrest me, I personally greeted them and refused to confront them in a manner that could potentially lead to violence or bloodshed.

Now I refer to myself a freedom preacher and a human rights defender, and ask the international community and human rights organizations throughout the world to join and assist me in furtherance of the sacred goal to free my people of oppression and tyranny, and assist me to obtain immunity in my country at least in proportion to my role as a leading voice for peace, rule of law, and freedom.

Thank you

Seyed Hosein Kazemeini Boroujerdi

Say'yed Hossein Kazemeyni Broujerdi continues to be held in Evin Prison in Tehran, where his medical condition has gravely deteriorated. He and his detained followers may be prisoners of conscience, held only because of their religious beliefs. Of the 77 followers of  Mr. Broujerdi who also faced trial, most have now been released although Habib Ghovati received a four year prison sentence. The sentences and whereabouts of two other followers, Ali Shahrabi Farahani and Ahmad Karimiyan, remain unknown. Four other followers, Majid Alasti, Mehrdad Souri, Mohammad-Reza Sadeghi and Massoud Samavatiyan, had their sentences upheld.

On 2 September, his doctor wrote to Iran’s judicial authorities informing them of his patient’s urgent, multiple and complex medical conditions that require immediate medical care outside of the prison. The doctor submitted a diagnosis of Mr. Broujerdi’s heart condition, which is causing chest pains, suggesting that important arteries may be blocked.  Broujerdi also suffers from a kidney condition that causes considerable pain and he has lost around 40kg whilst in detention. He is also in a very poor psychological state. 

Without prior warning, Mr. Broujerdi was summoned to appear before the Special Court for the Clergy (SCC) on 1 September. The SCC tried to force him to give an interview to a government newspaper recanting his beliefs and seeking forgiveness from Iran’s Supreme Leader.

 

He was sentenced on 13 August 2007 to serve one year in prison in Tehran, followed by ten years in prison in another part of the country. He has been repeatedly denied permission to seek adequate treatment for his medical problems. Mr. Broujerdi is reported to have been repeatedly tortured and ill-treated since his arrest. 

ABOUT SAY’YED BROUJERDI

Mr. Broujerdi is an intellectual Iranian religious leader who advocates the removal of religion from the political basis of the Iranian state. He was arrested at his home inTehran on 8 October 2006 along with more than 300 of his followers, during violent clashes with the security forces. He and 17 followers were initially sentenced to death, but the death sentences were later dropped. In addition to his sentence of 11 years' imprisonment, Mr. Broujerdi was also defrocked (banned from wearing his clerical robes and thereby from practising his clerical duties), and his house and all his belongings were confiscated.

Of the 77 followers of Mr. Broujerdi who also faced trial, most have now been released although on 7 August, Habib Ghovati appeared before the SSC and received a four year prison sentence. The sentences and whereabouts of two other followers, Ali Shahrabi Farahani and Ahmad Karimiyan, remain unknown.

 

At the conclusion of their appeals, four other followers, Majid Alasti, Mehrdad Souri, Mohammad-Reza Sadeghi and Massoud Samavatiyan, had their sentences upheld by the SCC on 3 September. Majid Alasti was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment to be served in exile in Zanjan prison, 330 km northwest of Tehran. Mehrdad Souri and Mohammad-Reza Sadeghi were sentenced to two years’ imprisonment and are now held in Evin Prison. Massoud Samavatiyan was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment to be served in exile in Khoramabad, Lorestan province, western Iran.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

 

The SCC, which operates outside the framework of the judiciary, was established in 1987 by Ayatollah Khomeini to try members of the Shi’a religious establishment in Iran. Its procedures fall far short of international standards for fair trial: among other things, defendants can only be represented by clergymen nominated by the court, who are not required to be legally qualified. In some cases the defendant has been unable to find any nominated cleric willing to undertake the defense and has been tried without any legal representation. The court can hand down sentences including flogging and the death penalty.

 

RECOMMENDED ACTION: 

 

Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible, in Persian, Arabic, English, French or your own language:

 

- expressing concern that Say'yed Kazemeyni Broujerdi is not receiving adequate medical treatment, and urging the authorities to grant him immediate access to the medical treatment that he needs;

 

- expressing concern at the continuing harassment of Say'yed Kazemeyni Broujerdi because of his religious beliefs;

 

- calling on the authorities to ensure that Evin Prison authorities ensure that Mr. Broujerdi has access to a lawyer of his choice;

 

- expressing concern that Mr. Broujerdi and his detained followers may be prisoners of conscience, who should be immediately released if not promptly charged with a recognizably criminal offence.

APPEALS TO:

Leader of the Islamic Republic

His Excellency Ayatollah Say'yed ‘Ali Khamenei

The Office of the Supreme Leader, Islamic Republic Street - Shahid Keshvar Doust Street

Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran

Email: info@leader.ir

 

 

Chief Prosecutor of the Special Court for the Clergy

Hojjatoleslam val moslemin Shaykh Mohammad Salimi

c/o Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Justice Building, Panzdah-Khordad Square, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran

Fax: +98 21 3390 4986 (please keep trying)

Email: info@dadgostary-tehran.ir (mark: FAO Hojjatoleslam val moslemin Salimi)

Salutation: Dear Sir

 

COPIES TO:

President

His Excellency Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

The Presidency, Palestine Avenue, Azerbaijan Intersection

Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran

Fax: + 98 21 6 649 5880

Email: dr-ahmadinejad@president.ir

via website: http://www.president.ir/email/

 

and to diplomatic representatives of Iran accredited to your country.