IHRAG: Letter to Angelika Beer, Chair of the Delegation for relations with Iran about repression of Iranian writers

May 7, 2005
To: Angelika Beer, Chair of the Delegation for relations with Iran
Re.: Repression of Iranian Writers



IHRAG (Iranian Human Rights Activist Groups in EU and North America) is a non-profit network formed in the fall of 2001 by the independent Iranian associations based in Europe and North America.
IHRAG activities are based on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as well as UN’s Human rights conventions.

The General assembly of the Iranian Writers' Association was scheduled to be held last Tuesday, May 3, 2005, as announced by the society. However, for the third time, the Islamic Republic of Iran has banned the assembly. This has occurred, while the Iranian government’s own organ ``Nameh Kanoon`` as well as its monthly journal ``Karnameh`` which was banned from publication by the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance.

The Iranian regime’s report card, regarding the widespread, planned and systematic violation of Human Rights, especially toward writers, is not generated by an impartial body. In fact, it is the official bodies of the regime such as the Ministry of Intelligence, who systematically crush cultural and literary activities in the country, silencing the voices of Iranian intellectuals and writers.

We, the Iranian Human Rights Activist Groups in EU and North America (IHRAG), oppose the historical censorship and assassination of writers, journalists and intellectuals like Mohammad Mokhtari, Mohammad Jafar Pooyandeh, Ghaffar Hossieni, Majid Sharif, Ali Akbar Saeeidi Sirjani, Ahmad Tafazzoli, Ahmad Mir Alaie and Saeed Soltanpoor. We express our support for the legitimate demands of the Iranian Writers' Association to hold its annual general assembly, and to seek safety for its members.

We request that:

1- You focus solely on the principles of human rights in your dealings with the Iranian government and that you do not sacrifice humanitarian issues for economical and political reasons
2- Condition your meetings with the Islamic Republic of Iran on the premise of their adherence with minimum human rights standards
3- United Nations condemn the Islamic Republic of Iran if it refuse to adhere to these minimum human rights standards

Sincerely,

Iranian Human Rights Activist Groups in EU and North America (IHRAG)
E-mail: IHRNENA@gmail.com
Phone: 1 - 514 – 365 9212 (Canada) or 46 -704-124-500 (Sweden)
Address: BOX 5047, 165 10 Hässelby, Sweden