Scholars at Risk calls for letters on behalf of Ramin Zibaei of Iran

[#1]

Scholars at Risk calls for letters on behalf of Ramin Zibaei of Iran
Date: October 31, 2011

Scholars at Risk is gravely concerned for Mr. Ramin Zibaei, a scholar of psychology and dean at the Baha’i Institute of Higher Education (BIHE) in Tehran. SAR asks for letters, faxes and emails urging the appropriate authorities to intervene to ensure Mr. Zibaei’s well-being and access to family and counsel in custody; to ensure that he receives a fair and timely appeal hearing; to ensure that that any convictions or sentences related to his academic activities or association with the Baha'i Institute for Higher Education are reconsidered; and to reaffirm Iran’s commitment to its long tradition of intellectual freedom and quality higher education for all.

Scholars at Risk (SAR) is an international network of over 260 universities and colleges in 33 countries dedicated to promoting academic freedom and its constituent freedoms of thought, opinion, expression, association and travel. In cases like that of Mr. Zibaei involving alleged infringement of these freedoms Scholars at Risk intervenes hoping to clarify and resolve matters favorably.

According to the information SAR has received, Mr. Zibaei completed a Master’s level program in psychology at BIHE and has taught extensively at the institute over 8 years, holding positions as member of the psychology department and dean of social science faculty. In May 2011, he and more than a dozen staff and faculty members of the BIHE were arrested. We understand that he has been held since, and that since his arrest Mr. Zibaei has been denied access to legal counsel and family. Current reports indicate also that Mr. Zibaei was sentenced recently to four years in prison on charges related to his academic activities at BIHE. 

Absent any additional or contrary information, the facts as described appear to constitute violations of academic freedom and other internationally recognized human rights and standards of due process, fair trial and detention, as guaranteed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Iran is signatory. Taking into account also the reported arrests and prison sentences against other Baha’i scholars and the apparent targeting of the BIHE community, the facts suggest an attempt to exclude Baha’i individuals from higher education opportunities in Iran, and raise serious concerns about a wider campaign to limit the ability of intellectuals and scholars generally to work freely in Iran. 

Scholars at Risk finds these suggestions particularly distressing and unfortunate, given Iran’s rich intellectual history and traditional support for the values of scholarship and free inquiry. We therefore join with many national and international academic associations, human rights organizations and individual scholars in respectfully urging appropriate authorities to ensure that Iran’s obligations under international law are upheld with regard to Mr. Zibaei, his colleagues at the Baha’i Institute of Higher Education (BIHE) and other intellectuals in Iran. We respectfully ask that authorities intervene to ensure Mr. Zibaei’s well-being and access to family and counsel in custody; to ensure that he receives a fair and timely appeal hearing; to ensure that that any convictions or sentences related to his academic activities or association with the Baha'i Institute for Higher Education are reconsidered; and to reaffirm Iran’s commitment to its long tradition of intellectual freedom and quality higher education for all.

Scholars at Risk invites letters, emails and faxes be sent:

-respectfully urging authorities to ensure that Iran’s obligations under international law are upheld with regard to Mr. Zibaei, his colleagues at the Baha’i Institute of Higher Education (BIHE) and other intellectuals in Iran;

-respectfully urging authorities to intervene to ensure Mr. Zibaei’s well-being and access to family and counsel in custody;

-respectfully urging authorities to ensure that he receives a fair and timely appeal hearing;

-respectfully urging authorities to ensure that that any convictions or sentences related to his academic activities or association with the Baha'i Institute for Higher Education are reconsidered; and

-respectfully urging authorities to reaffirm Iran’s commitment to its long tradition of intellectual freedom and quality higher education for all.


PLEASE WRITE TO:

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran
c/o H.E. Mr. Mohammad Khazaee
Ambassador of Iran to the United Nations
Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations
662 Third Avenue, 34th Floor
New York, NY 10017, USA
Email: iran@un.int
Fax: +1 (212) 867-7086

COPIES TO:

Head of the Judiciary
Ayatollah Sadeqh Larijani
Howzeh Riyasat-e Qoveh Qazaiyeh
(Office of the Head of the Judiciary)
Pasteur St., Vali Asr Ave. (south of Serah-e Jomhouri)
Tehran 1316814737
Islamic Republic of Iran
Email: larijani@dadgostary-tehran.ir or info@dadgostary-tehran.ir

The Honorable Hillary Clinton
United States Secretary of State
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street NW
Washington, DC 20520 USA

Bahai International Community
United Nations Office
866 United Nations Plaza, Suite 120
New York, NY 10017 USA
Fax: +1 212-803-2566
Email: uno-nyc@bic.org

The Honorable _________
Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to [YOUR COUNTRY]
[POSTAL ADDRESS]
[FAX]
[EMAIL]
(See http://www.mfa.gov.ir/cms/cms/Tehran/en/Missions/ for a list of Iranian embassies worldwide.)

The Honorable _________
Ambassador of [YOUR COUNTRY] to the Islamic Republic of Iran
[POSTAL ADDRESS]
[FAX]
[EMAIL]

Scholars at Risk
New York University
194 Mercer St., 4th floor
New York, NY 10012  USA
Fax: +1 212 995-4402
scholarsatrisk@nyu.edu

To view a model letter of appeal, as well as a copy of SAR's letter (and previous letter regarding Mr. Zibaei), please visit: http://scholarsatrisk.nyu.edu/Education-Advocacy/Alerts-Scholars-in-Prison.php.