Honorable Mr. Kofi Annan, The Secretary General of United Nations.
New York, U.S.A.
FAX: +1-212-371-4360
Honorable Mary Robinson, The United Nations High Commissioner on Human Rights,
Geneva, Switzerland.
Fax: +41-22-9170123

The Honorable Kofi Annan & Mary Robinson,

The Islamic Republic of Iran’s judicial authorities have announced that Mr. Ahmad Batebi and Mr. Akbar Mohammadi, two of the many students arrested last July during the protest against violent invasion of their dormitories, have been secretly tried and sentenced, respectively, to ten years in prison and death. It is revealing to compare the speed of these trials with the fact that the vigilantes who stormed the student residences in the middle of the night, like the 1998 murderers of four writers, Mohamad Mokhtari, Majid Sharif, Mohammad Jafar Pouyandeh and Pirouz Davani (missing and presumed dead), and two pro democracy leaders, Parvaneh and Dariush Foruhar, are yet to be named or charged.

At a time when the United Nations is devoting considerable resources to implement President Mohammad Khatami’s “Dialogue Among Civilizations” proposal, it is imperative that you call upon the Iranian government to free the accused students or put them on trial in an open court, provided that they can choose their own lawyers and international observers are present during the entire proceedings.

It is indeed ironic that Iran’s ruling theocrats want to engage the international community in a conversation about the importance of cultural diversity in the world, but they terrorize their own country’s dissident thinkers, artists and democratic activists. In view of the massive empirical evidence produced by the United Nations Special rapporteurs, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and the International Federation of Human Rights (FIDH) showing gross human rights violations in the Islamic Republic of Iran, we strongly believe that the continuation of the U. N. sponsored conference on “Dialogue Among Civilizations” must be made contingent upon Iran’s respect for the fundamental rights of its people.

Your Excellencies,
The lives of two innocent human beings are on the line. Your intervention is urgently needed.

Copies to:

The Honorable Vaclav Havel, President of Czech Republic, Fax: +42-02-24310851
Archbishop Desmond Tutu, South Africa Fax: +27-21-4245-225
Maurice Copithorne United Nations, Switxerland, FAX: +41-22-917-0123
Ms. Karen Kennerly, Pen American Center, U.S., Fax: +1-212-334-2181
Mr. William F. Schulz, Executive Director, Amnesty International, U.S. Fax: +1-212-627-1451
Kenneth Roth, Executive Director, Human Rights Watch, U.S. Fax:+1-212-334-2181
Amnesty International, England, Fax: +44-171-956-1157

April 30, 2000

Congratulations on the great victory for the student movement

The death sentences against two student activists, Akbar Mohammadi and Ahamad Batebi, and [two other non-students], Mr. Deldari and Mr. Sahrabi, were lifted. This is a result of the steadfastness of activist leaders in the student and youth movement and the cooperation of the press and human rights organizations.

While congratulating this victory of the student movement, as we have repeatedly expressed , in our statements, the innocence of Ahamad Batebi and Akbar Mohammadi, we hereby stand by our demand for the immediate and unconditional release of these innocent young men.

Public Relations of the Islamic Union of Students and Alumni of the Universities and Institutions of Higher Learning

Translated by About Iran...