By Kevin Kim
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East
TEHRAN, Iran – On October 14, one of Iran’s most prominent human rights defenders was arrested, raising fear of many who believe that the government is taking a tougher line with its critics to silence them.
Journalist Emadeddin Baghi was arrested on Sunday and charged with “propaganda against the system” and “publishing secret government documents” for his activities as president of the Society for the Defense of Prisoners’ Rights. Although bail was initially set for 500 million rials (approximately US $50,000), prison authorities revoked it by converting a 2003 suspended sentence to imprisonment. His family currently has no idea where he is detained.
Baghi has been a dedicated campaigner for human rights in Iran despite constantly being summoned to court for various allegations. In 2000, a court sentenced Baghi to a three-year prison term for his writings about the serial murders of dissident intellectuals in Iran in 1990s. In 2003, Baghi was sentenced to a one-year suspended term for “endangering national security” and “printing lies” in his book, The Tragedy of Democracy in Iran. In July, Baghi and his family were sentenced to suspended three-years terms for documenting and publicizing human rights violations in Iranian courts and prisons.
Baghi founded the Society for the Defense of Prisoners’ Rights in 2003 to monitor allegations of torture and to promote abolition of death penalty in Iran. The number of executions in Iran has increased over the years, and this month, nine people were executed in a mass hanging.
Human rights groups around the world have condemned the arrest and many reformist students in Iran have come out in support of Baghi. Joe Stork, Middle East and North Africa deputy director at Human Rights Watch said “the Iranian government should applaud Baghi for his efforts on behalf of prisoners’ rights, not arrest him.”
For more information, please see:
BBC News – Iran Hangs 12 for rape and murder – 18 October 2007
BBC News – Iran Human rights activist held – 16 October 2007
Human Rights Watch – Release leading defender of prisoners’ rights – 16 October 2007
USA Today – Iran detains human rights activist – 16 October 2007
