Mohsen Masoori 40 Ayres Street Fredericton, NB E3B 5K7 Canada June 14, 2002 Amnesty International PO Box 702, Sentrum, 0106 Oslo, NORWAY  phone +47 22 429 460 fax +47 22 429 470  Re: Request for your immediate intervention in a CRISIS situation in Tehran, Iran: Saeed Masouri unjustly sentenced to death (File number 1/DT/5960) Dear Sir or Madam: It has come to my attention that on June 9, 2002, in Tehran, Iran, Saeed Masouri received a death sentence from a special clerical court as punishment for having expressed opinions that support human rights and fundamental freedoms. In this special hearing, Mr. Masouri was not defended by his lawyers, but by a religious lawyer appointed by the court. This trial cannot be considered to have taken place in " public " by the standards of the international human rights instruments. This is in direct violation of Article 10 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on December 10, 1948, which states “Everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, in the determination of his rights and obligations and of any criminal charge against him.” Saeed currently resides in Tehran’s infamous Evin prison, awaiting execution. Saeed Masouri was born in Iran in 1966. He left the country and was granted landed immigrant status in Norway (case# 3032) in 1988. His family did not have significant communication with him until receiving word of his arrest in Iran on January 20, 2001. His legal representative in Oslo, Norway is Dug Holman. I am Saeed Masouri’s uncle. I am a Canadian citizen and a government employee. I have witnessed many unjust acts (executions, prison sentences, etc.) at the hands of the Islamic Republic of Iran. My own brother, Irag Masouri (Saeed’s uncle), was executed in 1981 (less than one week after his arrest) without any trial, for expressing opinions that supported human rights and freedom of speech. On behalf of Saeed and his family, I respectfully request your advice, assistance or action that will result in the eradication of Saeed’s sentence, or at the very least, a reduction from the death penalty to imprisonment. This matter is of utmost importance; we fear that the death sentence will be carried out in the near future. Action Requested: Please write to the authorities urging that they i. Take appropriate measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of Mr. Masouri and ensure his immediate and unconditional release; ii. Ensure the implementation of the provisions of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders adopted by the UN General Assembly on December 10, 1948 (Declaration concerning the rights and responsibilities of individuals, groups and institutions to promote and protect universally recognized human rights and fundamental liberties), in particular its Article 19, which states “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers”; iii. Guarantee the effective respect of fundamental rights and liberties in accordance with the provisions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the universal and regional Pacts and Covenants ratified by Iran. Addresses President the Islamic Republic His Excellency M. Khatami, The Presidency. Palestine Ave. Azerbaijan Intersection. Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran. Fax 98 21 64 66 415 His Excellency The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Kamal Kharrazi Keshk-e Mesri Avenue, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran, Fax 98-21 674790 Mr Mohammad Hassan Zia'i-Far Secretary, Islamic Human Rights Commission PO Box 13165-137 Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran Fax: + 98 21 204 0541

Mohsen Masoori

40 Ayres Street

Fredericton, NB E3B 5K7

Canada

June 14, 2002

Amnesty International

PO Box 702, Sentrum, 0106

Oslo, NORWAY
phone +47 22 429 460
fax +47 22 429 470

Re: Request for your immediate intervention in a CRISIS situation in Tehran, Iran: Saeed Masouri unjustly sentenced to death (File number 1/DT/5960)

Dear Sir or Madam:

It has come to my attention that on June 9, 2002, in Tehran, Iran, Saeed Masouri received a death sentence from a special clerical court as punishment for having expressed opinions that support human rights and fundamental freedoms. In this special hearing, Mr. Masouri was not defended by his lawyers, but by a religious lawyer appointed by the court. This trial cannot be considered to have taken place in " public " by the standards of the international human rights instruments. This is in direct violation of Article 10 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on December 10, 1948, which states “Everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, in the determination of his rights and obligations and of any criminal charge against him.” Saeed currently resides in Tehran’s infamous Evin prison, awaiting execution.

Saeed Masouri was born in Iran in 1966. He left the country and was granted landed immigrant status in Norway (case# 3032) in 1988. His family did not have significant communication with him until receiving word of his arrest in Iran on January 20, 2001. His legal representative in Oslo, Norway is Dug Holman.

I am Saeed Masouri’s uncle. I am a Canadian citizen and a government employee. I have witnessed many unjust acts (executions, prison sentences, etc.) at the hands of the Islamic Republic of Iran. My own brother, Irag Masouri (Saeed’s uncle), was executed in 1981 (less than one week after his arrest) without any trial, for expressing opinions that supported human rights and freedom of speech.

On behalf of Saeed and his family, I respectfully request your advice, assistance or action that will result in the eradication of Saeed’s sentence, or at the very least, a reduction from the death penalty to imprisonment. This matter is of utmost importance; we fear that the death sentence will be carried out in the near future.

Action Requested:

Please write to the authorities urging that they

i. Take appropriate measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of Mr. Masouri and ensure his immediate and unconditional release;

ii. Ensure the implementation of the provisions of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders adopted by the UN General Assembly on December 10, 1948 (Declaration concerning the rights and responsibilities of individuals, groups and institutions to promote and protect universally recognized human rights and fundamental liberties), in particular its Article 19, which states “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers”;

iii. Guarantee the effective respect of fundamental rights and liberties in accordance with the provisions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the universal and regional Pacts and Covenants ratified by Iran.

Addresses

President the Islamic Republic His Excellency M. Khatami, The

Presidency. Palestine Ave. Azerbaijan Intersection. Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran. Fax 98 21 64 66 415

His Excellency The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Kamal Kharrazi

Keshk-e Mesri Avenue, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran, Fax 98-21 674790

Mr Mohammad Hassan Zia'i-Far Secretary, Islamic Human Rights Commission PO Box 13165-137 Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran Fax: + 98 21 204 0541