Date:   Thursday, 08 October 2009

Ref:     165 / M / 372

 Navanethem Pillay

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights

OHCHR
Palais des Nations
CH-1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland

Your Excellency,

 URGENT ACTION: PERSON OF CONCERN

 Bahman Ahmadi-Amouie,

Journalist detained since 20 June 2009

Almost four months has passed since the June presidential election in Iran. Many still remain in detention without charge and without access to lawyers while fresh arrests go on. Among those still in detention is Bahman Ahmadi-Amouie a journalist and a writer who has already received a custodial sentence for his support of women’s rights in Iran. 

Arrested in the early hours of 20 June, with his journalist wife Jila Baniyaghoub, Bahman Ahmadi-Amouie has remained in illegal detention at Ministry of Intelligence and Information’s wing 209 in Evin Prison. During the first week of his illegal detention Mr Ahmadi-Amouie was told he was to be released on bail and all relevant documents were processed. As such, his on going detention is illegal.

Sixty five days of his time in illegal detention, have been spent in solitary confinement undergoing constant interrogation. Up to two days ago, despite his arrest, detention and interrogations Bahman Ahmadi-Amouie did not appear to have a file registered anywhere with the Judicial or Intelligence authorities. This meant that it was impossible for his lawyer to act on his behalf or to know the charges against him. The situation has not changed with the discovery of the file and is, indeed, further complicated by confused statements such as ‘the file is incomplete’

Mr Ahmadi-Amouie’s ongoing detention is illegal according to Islamic Republic’s internal laws and in violation of its international obligations. As the guardian of human rights of the world’s nations we ask you to demand: 

	the immediate and unconditional release of Bahman Ahmadi-Amouie and all others arrested and detained illegally since the June 12 elections
	all charges against Bahman Ahmadi-Amouie and others in his circumstances, to be dropped.

With the hope of freedom for all prisoners of conscience in Iran, I remain,

Respectfully yours

Roya Kashefi

Head of Human Rights Committee - ACI