Amnesty International remains gravely concerned by recent events in the
Islamic Republic of Iran. Widespread demonstrations in the capital, Tehran,
and in provincial centres since 8 July 1999, were followed by serious
clashes between student demonstrators, security forces and unofficial
vigilante groups. According to reports received by the human rights
organization, dozens of persons have been injured, some seriously, hundreds
arrested, some of whom may be prisoners of conscience, and at least five
killed.
"As a first step, the Iranian authorities should fulfil their commitments
to investigate fully and impartially the killings and serious attacks and
bring to justice all those found to be responsible", said Amnesty
International.
The violence began on 8 July, when a small number of students, who had
gathered in a peaceful demonstration outside their university hostels in
northern Tehran to protest against the closure of the daily newspaper Salam,
were attacked by armed members of Ansar-e Hezbollah, a vigilante student
group which opposes current political developments in Iran. Security forces
posted at the scene reportedly failed to intervene to protect the students.
Some hours later, members of Ansar-e Hezbollah, together with members of the
security forces, stormed the student residences using teargas, as a result
of which at least one person was killed. According to reports, as a result
of this attack, which was strongly condemned by both the President,
Hojjatoleslam Sayed Mohammad Khatami, and the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah 'Ali
Khamenei, two senior police officers were arrested, and a special committee
was appointed to investigate the causes of the violence.
In the following days the size and nature of the demonstrations changed
dramatically, leading to an escalation in violence. Despite calls for calm
from some student leaders and an official ban on demonstrations in Tehran,
demonstrations continued and spread to other towns such as Shiraz, Rasht,
Esfahan, Mashhad and Tabriz.
The human rights organization is also alarmed by the scale of arbitrary
arrests, including those of possible prisoners of conscience. Among those
known to have been arrested on 13 July is Maryam Shansi, a student leader
who was attacked and beaten in her home by unidentified assailants on 12
June 1999. Her current legal status and whereabouts are unknown. Other well
known student activists, fearing for their safety, have reportedly gone into
hiding. According to other unconfirmed reports, two members of the Iran
Nation Party (Hezb-e Mellat-e Iran), an unauthorized but tolerated
opposition group have also been arrested. They have been named as Khosrow
Sayf and Ahmad Namazi.
Amnesty International recognizes the right and responsibility of all
governments to maintain law and order but this should never be at the
expense of fundamental human rights. The organization calls on the
authorities in the Islamic Republic of Iran to take without further delay
the following measures to protect fundamental human rights, including the
right to life and freedom of expression, as guaranteed by the International
Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which Iran is a state
party:
· to initiate a thorough and independent investigation into the killings and
serious attacks and to bring to justice all those responsible;
· to ensure that any such investigation is carried out promptly and
impartially, and that its methods and findings are made public;
· to release immediately and unconditionally all persons detained solely on
account of peacefully expressing their conscientiously held beliefs;
· to make public the names of all those arrested in connection with the
recent disturbances;
· ensure that all those arrested are humanely treated and given immediate
access to legal representation and family members, and that they be
guaranteed a fair trial within a reasonable time or be released.
· to instruct its law enforcement authorities to adhere to agreed
international human rights standards including those governing the use of
lethal force.
BACKGROUND
In recent months there have been several clashes between student
organizations supporting different political tendencies in the Islamic
Republic of Iran.
· On 6 July 1999 student activists Mohammad Masud Salamati, Sayed Javad
Emami and Parviz Safari were arrested and detained overnight after a
demonstration outside the United Nations office in Tehran, demanding the
release of two journalists, Heshmatollah Tabarzadi and Hossein Kashani, who
were arrested in mid-June 1999.
· Salam, a newspaper supporting reformist trends in the Iranian
administration, was banned indefinitely on 7 July 1999 by order of the
Special Court for the Clergy (Dadgah-e Vizhe-ye Ruhaniyat), following a
complaint by the Ministry of Information (Vezarat-e Ettela'at) that it had
published "top secret" information. The official complaint was withdrawn the
following day; however, it is not clear whether this will lead to the
banning order being lifted.
· On 7 July 1999 the Majles (Parliament) voted to allow debate on a bill
amending the current press law, aimed at severely curtailing the freedom of
the press.
· On 9 July 1999 Amnesty International issued an Urgent Action (AI INDEX:
MDE 13/15/99, UA 160/99) urging the authorities, among other things, to
guarantee the safety and security of all students on university campuses,
and reminding the government of Iran of its commitment to the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights, in particular Article 3: "Everyone has the
right to life, liberty and security of person".
ENDS.../
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For more information please call Amnesty International's press office in
London,
UK, on 44 171 413 5566.
Amnesty International, International Secretariat, 1 Easton Street,
WC1X 8DJ, London, United Kingdom