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“For too long, Western democracies have spoken to the regime as if it legitimately represented the Iranian people, and as if the plight of those people did not matter to us. The time has come to give voice to the people of Iran and promise them that their human rights will be our cause too.” By EMANUELE OTTOLENGHI, Wall Street Journal

Join the Hossein Khezri Facebook Page

STEP 1 | Send Email Letter to World Officials to Stand Against Injustice in Iran

Highlighted Case: Hossein Khezri, a Kurdish Iranian citizen unjustly imprisoned and sentenced to death due to the political intentions of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

UPDATE! January 12, 2011: Reports indicate that there is a possibility that Hossein Khezri was transferred to Evin prison for execution! His family heard the news but did not confirm his exact location since they are unaware. There are no legal avenues to take to save his life. Our only option is to raise our voices and send emails to world powers and organizations. TAKE ACTION!

To Whom It May Concern:

Reports indicate that Hossein Khezri, a Kurdish Iranian prisoner of conscience on death row was transferred from Orumiyeh prison to an unknown location by Intelligence agents on January 2, 2011. On January 12, 2011, reports indicate that there is a possibility that Hossein Khezri was transferred to Evin prison for execution. His family heard the news but did not confirm his exact location since they are unaware.

I am writing to you with an urgent request that you issue a demand for the Islamic Republic of Iran to immediately halt the execution of 28 year old Hossein Khezri. The prisoner of conscience has been repeatedly severely tortured in detention centres belonging to the Revolutionary Guards in Kermanshah and Orumiyeh. He was also forced to make false confessions at the Ministry of Intelligence detention facility. The Islamic Republic of Iran has issued orders for his immediate execution.

In his letter written from ward 12 of Orumiyeh prison in late October 2010, Hossein Khezri said, “The time of my execution has not been told to me. I do not know if it will be tomorrow, the day after or tonight, and I am not allowed visitors and cannot even let anyone know that I am still alive.”

I call on Iranian authorities to immediately and unconditionally commute the execution of Hossein Khezri and order an independent and fair investigation into the allegations that he was tortured.

I urge human rights organizations and international bodies to take the necessary actions to stop all executions in Iran. I do not accept the continued detentions, tortures and executions perpetrated by the Islamic Republic of Iran, and I do not tolerate the UN’s refusal to act substantively in these matters. Iran cannot bear witness to yet another child fall for exercising his or her fundamental rights.

Sincerely,

[your name]

Email Contacts

UN Officials and Heads of Government

npillay@ohchr.org, urgent-action@ohchr.org, inquiries@un.org, info_leader@leader.ir, sg@un.org, m@minbuza.nl, beatriz.lorenzo@maec.es, michael.spindelegger@bmeia.gv.at, bernard.kouchner@diplomatie.gouv.fr, guido.westerwelle@auswaertiges-amt.de, minister@dfa.ie, registrator@foreign.ministry.se, info@eda.admin.ch, Cannon.L@parl.gc.ca, haguew@parliament.uk, legalizar@itamaraty.gov.br, pm@pm.gc.ca, kab.bz@diplobel.fed.be, external@utn.stjr.is, gabinetto@cert.esteri.it, stewartkb@state.gov, wgad@ohchr.org, s.s.ali@warwick.ac.uk, :avaei@Dadgostary-tehran.ir

Foreign Ministries and the US State Department

michael.spindelegger@bmeia.gv.at, kab.bz@diplobel.fed.be, info@mvp.gov.ba, iprd@mfa.government.bg, imprensa@itamaraty.gov.br, ministar@mvpei.hr, minforeign1@mfa.gov.cy, podatelna@mzv.cz, udenrigsministeren@um.dk, vminfo@vm.ee, umi@formin.fi, bernard.kouchner@diplomatie.gouv.fr, inform@mfa.gov.ge, guido.westerwelle@auswaertiges-amt.de, gpapandreou@parliament.gr, titkarsag.konz@kum.hu, external@utn.stjr.is, minister@dfa.ie, gabinetto@cert.esteri.it, segreteria.frattini@esteri.it, mfa.cha@mfa.gov.lv, tonio.borg@gov.mt, secdep@mfa.md, post@mfa.no, DNZPC.Sekretariat@msz.gov.pl, ministro@mne.gov.pt, senec@mne.gov.pt, pm@pm.gov.pt, msp@mfa.rs, miguel.moratinos@maec.es, registrator@foreign.ministry.se, info@eda.admin.ch

Media

nightline@abcnews.com, 2020@abc.com, evening@cbsnews.com, earlyshow@cbs.com, 60m@cbsnews.com, 48hours@cbsnews.com, ftn@cbsnews.com, info@cnbc.com, dateline@nbcuni.com, hardball@msnbc.com, joe@msnbc.com, nightly@nbc.com, today@nbc.com, newshour@pbs.org, ombudsman@npr.org, city@thestar.ca, readers.rep@latimes.com, letters@latimes.com, letters@nytimes.com, Bruce.Wallace@latimes.com, Mark.McGonigle@latimes.com, news-tips@nytimes.com, foreign@nytimes.com, nytnews@nytimes.com, editor@usatoday.com, wsj.ltrs@wsj.com, letters@washpost.com, ombudsman@washpost.com, letters@newsweek.com, letters@time.com, letters@usnews.com, info@ap.org, tips@upi.com, red@berlingske.dk, redaktion@faz.de, redactie@volkskrant.nl, ole.erik.almlid@aftenposten.no, bjorn.hedensjo@dn.se, redaktion@tages-anzeiger.ch, foreign.news@thetimes.co.uk, robert.tait@guardian.co.uk, simon.jeffery@guardian.co.uk, redazione.tg5@mediaset.it, redazione.studioapertorm@mediaset.it, skytg24.redazione@skytv.it, segreteria_roma@repubblica.it, roma@lastampa.it, esteri@liberazione.it, segreteria@unita.it, lorenzocairoli@hotmail.com, redazione@ilmanifesto.it, nadiapizzuti@gmail.com, nadia.pizzuti@ansa.it

STEP 2 | SIGN THE PETITION

STEP 3 | TAKE URGENT ACTION WITH AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL

STEP 4 | TAKE ACTION WITH MISSION FREE IRAN

Who is Hossein Khezri?

Hossein Khezri is a 28 year old Iranian Kurdish political activist who was arrested in Kermanshah on July 31, 2008 by the Nabi Akram Sepah branch. He suffered inhuman and despicable physical and psychological torture while under interrogation for 49 days in the Kermanshah detention center. The abuse was so much that his eyesight is now severely damaged. On May 11, 2009, he was transferred to Orumiyeh prison [in the Western Azerbaijan province].

Khezri was convicted of the charges of Moharebeh ‘enmity with God’ and ‘endangerment to state security’. The charges were upheld by branch 10 of the Appeals Court in the West Azerbaijan province and the death sentence was confirmed by branch 31 of the Supreme Court.

Hossein Khezri’s Own Words

A letter by Hossein Khezri addressed to international human rights organizations regarding his case and the torture he has endured was recently published. Here is an excerpt:

On July 27, 2009, two weeks before the final verdict, I sent a formal complaint to the Attorney General of the Orumiyeh Military Court about the of inhumane and illegal behaviour [toward me]…On February 2, 2009, right after I sent the complaint and submitted my evidence to the medical examiner, I was detained for three days by the Ministry of Intelligence under the supervision of armed guards. I was threatened during this time about the complaint I had submitted. I was asked why I dared to complain. I was told that I must appear on camera and read off the confessions they have written for me and deny that I had been mistreated in any way. I was told if I cooperate, they may lessen the charges and reduce the punishment…whenever my father attempted to find out any information about me, he was given confusing and conflicting answers. He was so scared that I had already been executed that he suffered a fatal heart attack at the office of the Ministry of Intelligence…Barely 20 days following the death of my father, I was exiled to Qazvin prison [approximately 200 miles away from his home in Orumiyeh]…So far no one has followed up on my complaints or my request to be sent to the medical examiner. So far there has been no reason given for not following up on my complaints.

Hossein  Khezri’s Lawyer Discusses New Rule of the Supreme Court

By now, the news of Hossein Khezri’s imminent execution has been reported on several Internet sites. To verify the accuracy and validity of the reports, Seyed Ehsan Mojtavi, Khezri’s attorney stated, “Recently a procedural unity vote was announced by the Supreme Court of Iran that requires all death sentences under review to be sent to the Supreme Court. Based on this [information] we protest that the Appeals Court in the Western Azerbaijan province has no jurisdiction over the case file.”

Mojtavi continued, “In response to my objection, the judicial authorities have declared that Hossein Khezri’s execution verdict was issued prior to the Supreme Court’s ruling. The judicial authorities have stated that the Appeals Court has confirmed the death sentence and that the new requirement cannot be retrospectively applied to a punishment already determined by the law.”

He explains that, according to the interpretation of criminal laws in favor of the defendant, the new requirement does apply to Hossein Khezri’s case. Mojtavi stated, “[I believe] that due to the voting uncertainty surrounding the case, Hossein Khezri’s file must be investigated and reviewed again by the Supreme Court. It is likely that the case has been referred to the Prosecutor’s office in Orumiyeh so that the Prosecutor may take a stance on this matter.”

In response to recent reports that Mojtavi received a notification about Hossein Khezri’s execution order to be carried out in the coming days, he said, “No letter indicating that the execution order will be carried out has been given to me. Additionally, I deny the news of my withdrawal from representing Hossein Khezri.”

Iran – Voice of political prisoner on death row, Hossein Khezri
گفتاری از زندانی سیاسی در معرض اعدام، حسین خضری