Brussels 30 January 2007
His Excellency Ambassador Ali Ahani
415 Avenue de Tervueren
1150 Brussels
His Excellency Ambassador
Hassan Ghashghavi
The Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran
Box 6031
181 06 LIDINGÖ
STATEMENT ABOUT PRISONER OF CONSCIENCE ABBAS LISANI
We have received information about the health situation of Abbas Lesani. Lesani has been accused of organizing demonstrations and propagating separatism in the Azeri provinces of Iran. These accusations are made on flimsy grounds. Despite this Lesani was sentenced to prison. When he asked the prison leadership for an application for leave this application was denied. Applications for leave are mostly allowed in cases of Lesani´s type. When Lesani was denied an application for leave and heard that his wife was harassed by the Iranian authorities because she was telling media abroad of the treatment of Lesani he started a hunger-strike. In this situation the prison leadership revenged on Lesani and put him into a cell with low temperature.
First of all Lesani is no Azeri separatist, but fighting for human and democratic rights of the Azeri population in a united Iran. Secondly Lesani was sentenced to prison on very flimsy grounds. Thirdly Lesani only used his democratic right to express his opinion.
Today Lesani´s life is in great danger. Lesani was in bad health conditions already before he entered the prison. When hunger-striking and because of the hunger-strike put into an even worse situation the prison authorities obviously can be accused of trying to kill Abbas Lesani.
Abbas Lesani must immediately be released and sent to hospital for medical treatment!
Respectfully
Eva-Britt Svensson
Left Party, Swedish Member of the European Parliament
Eva-britt.svensson@europarl.europa.eu
Jens Holm
Left Party, Swedish Member of the European Parliament
Hans Linde
Left Party of Sweden
Member of the Swedish Parliament
The left Party’s spokes person in foreign affairs questions
committee.lisani@gmail.com
