Re: Nasser Zarafchan
To: His Excellency Ayatollah Sayed ‘Ali Khamenei, Leader of the Islamic Republic
From: Catherine A. Morris, LL.B., LL.M.
Date: 2005-04-22
We are writing to follow up our letters of November 15, 2001, July 23, 2002, and August 20, 2002 concerning Mr. Nasser Zarafchan, a lawyer, who is currently serving a prison sentence of five years pursuant to a decision of a military court. We are concerned about the health of Nasser Zarafchan, who we understand suffers from a long standing kidney problem. Therefore, we urge the authorities to grant him immediate and unconditional access to the medical treatment that he needs. Furthermore, Amnesty International has advised us that they consider Mr. Nasser Zarafchan to be a prisoner of conscience, arrested solely for the peaceful expression of his beliefs. LRWC has previously provided you with details of our concerns that Mr. Zarafchan was convicted after an unfair trial, and we join Amnesty International in calling for his immediate and unconditional release.
LRWC reminds your government that it has ratified the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights and has expressed commitment to strengthen respect for human rights in the country and to promote the rule of law. Despite these commitments, there are now many reliable reports of persistent and severe violations of human rights in Iran. We suggest that by all standards of international and domestic law and morality, this situation must cause very deep concern by your government and the judiciary, and we urge you to take all necessary actions to bring Iran into compliance with its international obligations.
We would appreciate your government’s response to LRWC by mail, email or fax to advise of your views about all these matters and of all the actions taken by your government to ensure that Mr. Zarafchan is treated fairly and impartially and in accordance with the laws in Iran as well as the Islamic Republic of Iran’s international obligations. We look forward to your response to this and our earlier letters. We have attached copies of our other letters for your reference.
