Date: 23-06-2015
No: 210-LR-7101
His Excellency Ban-Ki Moon
Secretary General of United Nations
The United Nations
New York, NY 1001
Re: International Campaign to Demand the Dropping of Unfounded Charges against Mohammad Moghimi
Your Excellency,
My fellow compatriots and I urge the international community to support our demand for the dropping of all unfounded charges against Mohammad Moghimi, a prominent Iranian civil rights lawyer. Mr. Moghimi was recently released on bail from the notorious Rajai-Shahr prison after being arbitrarily arrested in retribution for representing the wrongfully convicted prisoner of conscience Atena Faraghdani.
We are extremely concerned about pending charges, against Mr. Moghimi which could carry significant potential prison sentence. The free world bears a moral responsibility to prevent such miscarriage of justice, as Mr. Moghimi would not be the first Iranian human rights lawyer to be wrongfully arrested, charged, and convicted.
The Iran National Council salutes Mr. Moghimi’s courage in seeking the unconditional and immediate release of all prisoners of conscience, including Atena Faraghdani, whose deteriorating health was brought to your attention in the February 26, 2015 letter. The Iran National Council strongly condemns the illegal arrest of Mr. Moghimi who was in essence a prisoner of conscience himself. The arrest and falsified charges against Mr. Moghimi is in violation of Articles 18 and 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Iran is a signatory, as well as Article 24 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic.
Today, the Iran National Council honors all victims of oppression under the theocratic regime in Iran, and calls upon the free world to support the efforts of the people of Iran for the immediate release of all prisoners of conscience. With our belief in secularism, respect for human rights and democracy, the Iran National Council strongly condemns ongoing human rights violations in the name of religion. Our vision is one of a democratic Iran where men and women can enjoy equal rights under a secular system, free of discrimination, in accordance with the principles of the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
The Iran National Council sincerely appreciates your support, and offers its unconditional assistance on this urgent matter.
Yours sincerely,
Reza Pahlavi
President of the Iran National Council for Free Elections
CC:
- Ms Navi Pillay,
United Nations High Commissionner for Human Rights
- Dr. Ahmed Shaheed,
UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran,
- Mr. Seong-Phil Hong,
Chair-Rapporteur, The Working Group on Arbitrary Detention
- Mrs. Gabriela Knaul,
Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers
- Rashida Manjoo,
Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women, its causes and consequencesو
- Mr. David Kaye,
Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Mr Salil Shetty,
Secretary General of the Amnesty International,
Enclosed: Declaration of Prisoner’s Condition
