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An
Appeal to help save the life of the Iranian journalist, Ensafali Hedayat
Date:
6/1/04
Dear
Friends,
In response to the May 27th 2004 call by The
Committee for the Defence of Ensafali Hedayat, we are appealing to all
freedom-loving people to help us save the life of this freelance and independent
journalist who was arrested on January 17th 2004, upon his return from Berlin,
where he reported on the founding assembly of our organization, ettehade
jomhourikhahane iran (EJI) - Unity for a Democratic and Secular Republic in
Iran.
Mr. Hedayat chose to travel to Germany, and report on
our event, simply as a reporter and without any affiliation to us or other
participating groups. He took the risk just as he had taken in the past, i.e. to
cover student demonstrations among others. He made this decision, although even
as it was, he was hardly able to make ends meet. He made the trip courageously with knowledge of being a
blacklisted free independent journalist, in a country where each of these last
three words is suspicious and can cause for “authoritarian” animosity and
prosecution.
Now, more than four months later, Ensafali Hedayat,
who has been sentenced to 18 months in jail for a series of unsubstantiated
allegations, is in a second week of a hunger strike in protest to the violation
of his basic citizen’s rights, which have been trodden on all through.
Referencing his daughter and lawyer, reports indicate that his health condition
is rapidly deteriorating as we speak.
Mr. Hedayat is just one of many journalists, writers
and free-thinkers who are being persecuted in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Currently
there are at least fourteen known journalists in prison for practicing their
professional duties.
Please help us, help Mr. Hedayat. Make this into a
showcase of your understanding and concern about freedom of press and
conscience. Write about this. Start discussions in the committees or
organisations you are active in and draw up resolutions condemning his
imprisonment and call for his release. Allow this to affect how policies towards
Iran are determined. Publish this letter in your newspapers, magazines or
Internet sites. Organize protests. Contact us for further information or to
coordinate efforts. Let the authorities in the Islamic Republic of Iran know
that world is watching and international public opinion does matter.
We thank you for all you will do, together with us.
In the name of
justice and humanity,
International
Affairs Committee
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