Open Letter to Geoffrey Robertson QC, Author of Inquiry into 1988 Massacre of Political Prisoners in Iran, Asking for Support for His Colleague Mostafaei

To:
Geoffrey Robertson QC
Doughty Street Chambers
54 Doughty Street
London WC1N 2LS
g.robertson@doughtystreet.co.uk

Re: Mohammad Mostafaei

Date: July 30, 2010

Dear Mr. Robertson,

We have read with great interest the results of your inquiry into the massacre of political prisoners in Iran in 1988, commissioned by the Abdorrahman Boroumand Foundation. Your findings — that key actors in the Islamic Republic, many of whom remain in power today, are responsible for crimes against humanity — and the conclusions that you have drawn about what should be done with those findings — prosecution of those responsible in an international court — have given the hope that the sound of the voices of people in Iran might finally reach the ears of Justice after 31 years of being silenced.

In the process of building a just, free and equal society, it is an undeniably necessary task to rigorously pursue justice after a crime has taken place. Yet in terms of protecting whatever progress we have made towards that better society that we envision, it is undeniably more efficient and humane to put all of our force behind the pursuit of justice before tragic crimes occur.

The case of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, her lawyer and your colleague Mohammad Mostafaei, and his family, which is being held hostage by the Islamic Republic, are collectively emblematic of the injustices that have assaulted people in Iran for the past 31 years: sham trials, torture, arbitrary execution sentences, imprisonment without legal basis, persecution by the state for voicing a demand for justice in a wilderness where there is no justice to be found.

The time has come for the international community to put all of our force behind the pursuit of justice in this case, which represents every element of the savage abuses of the Islamic regime, before yet another tragic crime is allowed to occur.

We therefore ask you to add your voice to ours in demanding justice for your colleague Mohammad Mostafaei, for Sakineh Ashtiani, and for all those in Iran who continue to suffer the same injustices as those whose stories you know so well, who met their terrible fates in 1988 – and in every other year since the Islamic Republic began its reign of terror.

We hope that you would consider issuing a public statement demanding immediate and unconditional freedom of Mostafaei’s family from prison; demanding freedom of practice of law for Mohammad Mostafaei and all Iranian lawyers; and demanding an immediate end to harassment and intimidation of Mostafaei, his family, friends, and colleagues.

Sincerely,
Maria Rohaly
Ahmad Fatemi
Sohela Jandi
Mission Free Iran

CODE e.V. – Berlin, Germany

Iranian-American Youth – Washington DC USA

Tinatin (Tiko) Japaridze, Orientalist, Co-organizer of Tbilisi, Georgia Protests
Ekaterine Aghdgomelashvili, Citizen of Georgia, Co-organizer of Georgia’s Protest
Nino Kharchilava, Gender Studies graduate, Co-organizer of Georgia’s Protest
Natia Gvianishvili, Citizen of Georgia
Lia Jakeli, Citizen of Georgia, Co-organizer of Georgia’s Protest
Mariam Gagoshashvili , Co-organizer, Program Coordinator, Women’s Fund in Georgia
Nana Pantsulaia, Executive Director, Women’s Fund in Georgia
Elina Glakhashvili, Citizen of Georgia
Tamar Pataridze, Citizen of Georgia
Lela Gaprindashvili, Citizen of Georgia
Khatuna Chapichadze, Citizen of Georgia
Mariam Lomidze, Citizen of Georgia
Tamar Goginava, Citizen of Georgia
Lela Rekhviashvili, Citizen of Georgia
Anna Rekhviashvili, Citizen of Georgia
Nochura Sebisko, Citizen of Georgia
Gogi Kajrishvili, Citizen of Georgia
Davit Gabunia, Citizen of Georgia
Nino Dzandzava, Citizen of Georgia
Lela Kurdghelalshvili, Citizen of Georgia
Tamta Melashvili, Citizen of Georgia
Anna Tsertvadze, Citizen of Georgia
Natia Zedelashvili, Citizen of Georgia

cc: The Abdorrahman Boroumand Foundation