Lettre de soutien à Maître Soltani (Iran) emprisonné et condamné pour ses activités d'avocat

1. INSTITUT DES DROITS DE L’HOMME DES AVOCATS EUROPÉENS - ISTITUTO DEI DIRITTI
DELL'UOMO DEGLI AVVOCATI EUROPEI - INSTITUT FÜR MENSCHENRECHTE DER
EUROPÄISCHEN ANWÄLTE - ΙΝΣΤΙΤΟΥΤΟ ΑΝΘΡΩΠΙΝΩΝ ΔΙΚΑΙΩΜΑΤΩΝ ΤΩΝ ΕΥΡΩΠΑΙΩΝ
ΔΙΚΗΓΟΡΩΝ - INSTITUDO DE DERECHOS HUMANOS DE ABOGADOS EUROPEOS - INSTITUT
LIDSKÝCH PRAV EVROPSKÝCH ADVOKATU - INSTYTUT ADWOKATÓW EUROPEJSKICH NA
RZECZ PRAW CZŁOWIEKA - INSTITUT FOR MENNESKERETTIGHEDER AF EROPEAEISKE
ADVOKATER - INSTITUTO DE DIREITOS HUMANOS DOS ADVOGADOS EUROPEUS –
EUROPEAN BAR HUMAN RIGHTS INSTITUTE
[Your name here]
Your Excellency,
I want to express my grave concern regarding the recent information that the
Islamic Revolution Court Branch 26 had condemned our colleague Abdolfattah
Soltani, lawyer and founding member of Defenders of Human Rights Centre
(DHRC), to 18 years in prison in internal exile in the remote city of Borazjan
(southern Bushehr province) - which is contrary to Islamic Penal Code, which
does not provide for imprisonment in exile away from your home town. Under
the law, it has to be either imprisonment or exile - and 20 years of ban on
practising law.
Mr. Soltani was arrested in September, 2011, and he decided not to defend
himself before the Court, to contest the unconstitutionality of the Islamic
Revolution Court, his arbitrary detention and the political character of the
charges brought against him. He asked for a jury to conduct the trial pursuant
to Article 168 of the Iranian Constitution.
Mr. Soltani was convicted on charges of “propaganda against the system”,
“participation in founding the Human Rights Defenders Centre”, “assembly
and collusion against national security” as well as “earning illegitimate
assets” through receiving the Nuremberg City's Human Rights prize in 2009.
During his pre-trial detention in Section 209 of the Evin Prison, since
September 10, 2011, he was subjected to discriminatory harassment, notably his
lawyers and family were only allowed to visit him very few times.
Mr. Soltani has been subjected to judicial harassment for many years but this
harassment increased following the contested 2009 June election. Several other
DHRC members, including Messrs.
Several other human rights defenders have been prosecuted and/or arrested,
including Mohammad Seifzadeh, co-founder of the Defenders of Human Rights
Center (DHRC), who was sentenced to 9 years prison term for establishing the
Center. Mohammad Ali Dadkhah and Mohammad Seifzadeh are both subject to
ongoing prosecutions also for their involvement in establishing DHRC.

2. According to the UN Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers, lawyers must be
allowed to carry out their work "without intimidation, hindrance, harassment or
improper interference.” The principles also recognize that lawyers are entitled
to freedom of expression, including "the right to take part in public discussion
of matters concerning the law, the administration of justice and the promotion
and protection of human rights."
1. We call on the Islamic Republic of Iran to immediately and unconditionally
release Abdolfattah Soltani, and recognize that we will hold the IRI accountable
and responsible for his health and well-being, and that of others prisoners of
conscience.
2. We urge the Islamic Republic of Iran to comply with the standards set-forth
by the UN Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers, which states that lawyers
must be allowed to carry out their work “without intimidation, hindrance,
harassment or improper interference.” It also recognizes that lawyers are
entitled to freedom of expression, including “the right to take part in public
discussion of matters concerning the law, the administration of justice and the
promotion and protection of human rights.”
Your Sincerely,
[Signature]
ADRESSES:
Guide spirituel de la République islamique Pasteur St., Vali Asr Ave., south of Serah-e
d’Iran : Jomhouri,
Ayatollah Sayed ‘Ali Khamenei Tehran 1316814737,
The Office of the Supreme Leader République islamique d’Iran
Islamic Republic Street – End of Shahid Courriers électroniques :
Keshvar Doust Street, shahroudi@dadgostary-tehran.ir
Tehran, (dans le champ réservé à l’objet, veuillez écrire
République islamique d’Iran : « FAO Ayatollah Shahroudi »)
Courriers électroniques : Formule d’appel : Your Excellency, /
info_leader@leader.ir Monsieur le Ministre,
par l’intermédiaire de son site Internet : http:// Copies à :
www.leader.ir/langs/en/index.php?p=letter Association des avocats iraniens :
(en anglais) Iranian Bar Association
http://www.leader.ir/langs/fa/index.php? No. 3, Zagros St.,
p=letter Argentina Sq.,
(en persan) Tehran,
Formule d’appel : Your Excellency, / République islamique d’Iran
Excellence, Fax : +98 21 8771340
Responsable du pouvoir judiciaire : ou +98 21 888 6425 / 26
Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi Courriers électroniques : tamas@iranbar.org
Howzeh Riyasat-e Qoveh Qazaiyeh ou mail@iranbar.org
Office of the Head of the Judiciary
MERCI D'INTERVENIR IMMÉDIATEMENT