February/16/2009 Stockholm/Sweden/For Urgent Attention of:/UN High Commissioner of Human Rights / EU Human Rights Commission/International Committee of the Red Cross /Amnesty international
Ayatollah Sayed Hossein Kazemeyni
Boroujerdi, prisoner of conscience
From: Members of the Swedish Parliament and the political party (Folkpartiet Liberalerna)
Subject: Call for the immediate and unconditional release of Mr. Seyyed Hossein Kazemeini Boroujerdi.
We, the members of Swedish Parliament from Liberal Party (Folkpartiet Liberalerna), inform you that the liberal cleric Ayatollah Seyyed Hossein Kazemeini Boroujerdi’s life is in critical danger.
This prisoner of conscience advocates the separation of religion from state and the establishment of peace and justice. He was arrested on 8 October 2006 by security forces in Tehran after a month long siege. He stood trial behind the closed doors of the Special Court of Clergy without access to legal representation. In addition to being defrocked, he was sentenced to 2 years imprisonment in Tehran and 10 years exile in a prison located in the province of Yazd, hundreds of kilometres away from his family. His house and all of his belongings were confiscated.
According to published reports and statements by human rights organizations, as result of being subjected to physical and mental torture, his physical and mental conditions have deteriorated critically.
We demand the authorities mentioned above send a team to Iran without delay to investigate and report on the condition of Ayatollah Seyyed Hossein Kazemeini Boroujerdi. We also demand that these authorities appeal to the Islamic Republic of Iran to:
1. Abide by its obligations under the UN Charter of Human Rights;
2. Publicly announce the formal charges brought against him Ayatollah Boroujerdi;
3. Allow an internationally reputed lawyer to have access to him;
4. Provide conditions for his lawyer to investigate and have access to all documents in his dossier; and,
5. Provide international media access to him.
We shall be at your service for any additional information that you may require.
Birgitta Ohlsson, Member of the Swedish parliament/ Member Committee on Foreign Affairs
Erik Ullenhag, General Secretary of the Liberal Party
Cecilia Wigström, Member of the Swedish parliament, from the Liberal Party
Avni Dervishi, Chairman of International Affairs, Liberal Immigrant Organization
Anita Brodén, Member of the Swedish parliament, from the Liberal Party
Fred Saberi, President of Iranian International Liberal Association in Sweden
Gunnar Andren, Member of the Swedish Parliament, representing the Liberal Party.
