IRAN - URGENT.

Please read this and take action. Thanks.

Billy Briggs.

www.billybriggs.co.uk 

STUDENT ACTIVIST DETAINED WITHOUT CHARGE 

IRAN 

Milad Asadi 

Student leader Milad Asadi has been detained without charge in 
Evin Prison, Tehran, since 1 December 2009.  Amnesty International 
believes he is a prisoner of conscience, held solely for the 
peaceful exercise of his rights to freedom of expression, 
association and assembly.  He is at risk of torture or other ill-
treatment. 

23-year-old Milad Asadi is a student of electrical engineering at 
Khajeh Nasir University and is also a leading member of the Office 
for the Consolidation of Unity (OCU), a national student body 
which has been prominent in demanding political reform and an end 
to human rights violations in recent years.  He was arrested 
shortly before mass demonstrations against the government took 
place on university campuses on 7 December, which is Students' Day 
in Iran, marking the anniversary of the killing of three students 
in 1953 by police.   

He told his family during a visit in mid-January that he had been 
held for 46 days in solitary confinement in a tiny cell only two 
metres wide and two metres long. According to the website 
Reporters and Human Rights Activists in Iran, Milad Asadi told his 
family during a prison visit in February that he would be tried on 
3 March, but this is not known to have taken place. 

At least three other prominent members of the OCU – Mehdi 
Arabshahi, Behareh Hedayat and Amin Nazari are also detained. 
Another – Morteza Samyari – has been released on bail after being 
sentenced to six years in prison. He was convicted of vaguely 
worded offences apparently related to his peaceful exercise of his 
right to freedom of expression and association, following an 
unfair trial. 

BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Milad Asadi sits on the Central Committee of the OCU. At least 
three other members of the Central Committee of the OCU are 
currently in detention.  They are Mehdi Arabshahi, who is the 
Secretary of the OCU, arrested on 27 December 2009 – the religious 
festival of Ashoura – when mass demonstrations against the 
government took place; Behareh Hedayat, who is also the Chair of 
the Women's Committee of the OCU, arrested on 31 December 2009, 
and Amin Nazari, also chair of the OCU Human Rights Committee, 
arrested on 27 February 2010.  Another member, Morteza Samyari, 
was sentenced to six years in prison on 18 February for 
"propaganda against the system" and "gathering and colluding with 
the intent of harming state security", but was subsequently 
released on bail pending an appeal against his conviction and 
sentence. 

Amnesty International has previously taken action on behalf of 
Mehdi Arabshahi and Bahareh Hedayat during an earlier detention 
(See Urgent Action, (Index: MDE 13/095/2007), 27 July 2007, 
http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/MDE13/095/2007)
24-year-old Morteza Samyari, arrested on 4 January 2010, appeared 
in a mass "show trial" of 16 persons on 30 January 2010.  All were 
accused of involvement in orchestrating the Ashoura protests.  He 
was sentenced on 18 February 2010 to one year in prison on the 
charge of propaganda against the system and a five-year prison 
sentence on the charge of "gathering and colluding with the intent 
to act against national security", apparently in connection with a 
proposed meeting with EU representatives  which  never took place. 
He was released on bail of 500 million rials (approx US$500,000) 
and a guarantee of a further 100 millions rials (approx 
US$100,000) on 7 March 2010, pending an appeal against his 
conviction and sentence 

PLEASE WRITE IMMEDIATELY  in Persian, Arabic, English, French or your own language:
* Calling on the Iranian authorities to immediately and 
unconditionally release Milad Asadi and any other students held 
solely for the peaceful exercise of their right to freedom of 
expression and  association;
* Urging them to ensure that Milad Asadi is protected from torture 
and other ill-treatment, and has access to a lawyer of his choice, 
his family and any medical treatment he may require;
* Reminding the Iranian authorities that freedom of expression, 
association and assembly are guaranteed under the International 
Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to which Iran is a state 
party. 

PLEASE SEND APPEALS TO: (Time difference = GMT + 3.5 hrs / BST + 2.5 hrs) 

Leader of the Islamic Republic
Ayatollah Sayed 'Ali Khamenei
The Office of the Supreme Leader
Islamic Republic Street – End of Shahid Keshvar Doust Street, 
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Email:                 info_leader@leader.ir 
via website:        http://www.leader.ir/langs/en/index.php?p'letter (English)
Salutation:         Your Excellency 

Head of the Provincial Judiciary in Tehran
Ali Reza Avaei
Karimkhan Zand Avenue
Sana'i Avenue, Corner of Alley 17, No. 152
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Email:                avaei@Dadgostary-tehran.ir
Salutation:        Dear Mr Avaei 

And copies to:
Secretary General, High Council for Human Rights 
Mohammad Javad Larijani
Howzeh Riassat-e Ghoveh Ghazaiyeh
Pasteur St, Vali Asr Ave., south of Serah-e Jomhuri
Tehran 1316814737
Islamic Republic of Iran
Fax:                 0098 21 3390 4986
Email:                 bia.judi@yahoo.com (In subject line: FAO Mohammad Javad Larijani)
Salutation:         Dear Mr Larijan 

PLEASE SEND COPIES OF YOUR APPEAL TO:
His Excellency Mr Rasoul Movahedian Attar, Embassy of Islamic 
Republic of Iran,16 Prince's Gate, London SW7 1PT. 
Fax:         020 7589 4440 

PLEASE CHECK WITH THE UK SECTION IF SENDING APPEALS AFTER 26 APRIL 
2010. 

SHOULD YOU MENTION AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL IN YOUR APPEALS? 
The name of Amnesty International may be used unless otherwise stated in 
the text above. Letters written in a private or personal capacity 
may be more effective.
FAX NUMBER NOT WORKING? Officials will sometimes switch off their 
fax machines to stop appeals arriving – please keep trying. If you 
can't get through, please 
put your appeal in the post. If a number is unobtainable please 
inform the Urgent Action team.
EMAIL ADDRESS NOT WORKING? Please send a copy of the delivery 
error report to ua@amnesty.org.uk
RECEIVED A REPLY FROM A GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL? Please send it or a 
copy to the Urgent Action team. If appropriate, thank the official 
who has replied and ask to be kept informed about the case. 

Individuals At Risk Programme
* including Urgent Actions