Iran Campaign: 'Our Society Will Be a Free Society'
English PEN is part of a coalition of leading international journalists', writers', and publishers' organizations who today launched a campaign to press the government of Iran to release their colleagues imprisoned in the wake of last year's disputed presidential election in the Islamic Republic of Iran.
The "Our Society Will Be a Free Society" campaign, named for a pledge the Ayatollah Khomenei made during the 1979 Iranian revolution to protect freedom of expression and the press, kicks off on the 31st anniversary of the revolution and four days before the UN Human Rights Council convenes in Geneva to review Iran's human rights record. In an open letter released today, the coalition called on Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to honor the original spirit of the Iranian revolution and order the release of at least 60 writers, journalists, and bloggers currently in prison in Iran in apparent violation of their right to freedom of expression.
The "Our Society Will Be A Free Society" campaign is a joint initiative of The Committee to Protect Journalists, International PEN and PEN American Center and English PEN, Reporters Sans Frontières, Index on Censorship, Canadian Journalists for Free Expression, and the International Publishers Association. The campaign will run until 20 March 2010, the Iranian New Year, with events aimed at building pressure for the release of writers and journalists in prison in Iran.
To read the press release, please click here.
To read the open letter to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, please click here.
To read an article published by recently released writer and journalist Maziar Bahari, please click here.
Please send appeals:
- Expressing alarm that at least 60 writers, journalists, and bloggers remain behind bars today in violation of the protections guaranteed in the Islamic Republic of Iran's constitution and in international law;
- Calling for the immediate and unconditional release of all those currently detained in Iran in violation of Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Iran is a signatory.
Appeals to:
Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic
His Excellency 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.ir or via the website www.leader.ir/langs/en/index.php?p=letter
Head of the Judiciary
His Excellency
Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi
Ministry of Justice, Park-e Shahr,
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Salutation: Your Excellency
Copies to:
President:
His Excellency Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
The Presidency,
Palestine Avenue,
Azerbaijan Intersection,
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Fax: Via Foreign Ministry: 98 21 6 674 790
(mark: "Please forward to H.E. President Ahmadinejad")
Please send a copy of your appeal to the diplomatic representative for Iran in your country:
Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran
16 Prince's Gate
London
SW7 1PT