Scholars at Risk (SAR) calls for letters on behalf of Mr. Ramin Zibaei of Iran

Action Alert

Scientific Responsibility, Human Rights and Law Program

Scholars at Risk (SAR) calls for letters on behalf of Mr. Ramin Zibaei of Iran August 30, 2011 Scholars at Risk (SAR) is gravely concerned about Mr. Ramin Zibaei, a scholar of psychology and dean at the Baha’i Institute of Higher Education in Tehran, who has been arrested and detained for several months.  SAR asks for letters, faxes and emails urging the appropriate authorities intervene by reexamining his case and, pending his earliest release, by ensuring his well-being, including access to family, legal representation of his choosing and medical treatment. Scholars at Risk is an international network of over 260 universities and colleges in 33 countries dedicated to protecting the human rights of scholars around the world and to raising awareness, understanding of, and respect for the principles of academic freedom and its constituent freedoms of expression, opinion, thought, association and travel. In cases like Mr. Zibaei's involving alleged infringement of these freedoms, SAR investigates hoping to clarify and resolve matters favorably. Background Scholars at Risk has learned that Mr. Ramin Zibaei was one of over a dozen staff and faculty members of the Baha’i Institute of Higher Education (BIHE) arrested in late May. He has been held since. Mr. Zibaei completed a Master’s level program in psychology at BIHE and has taught extensively at the institute over the past 8 years, holding positions as member of the psychology department and dean of social science faculty. Scholars at Risk understands that since his arrest Mr. Zibaei has not been permitted to receive regular visits from his family and has not been granted access to legal counsel, in apparent disregard of international 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.  The suddenness of Mr. Zibaei’s arrest and the lack of any clear basis for his detention raise grave concerns about the ability of intellectuals and scholars to safely work in Iran. Taking into account reported arrests of several additional Baha’i scholars in May—and the reported arrests of scholars following the June 2009 election—Mr. Zibaei’s detention suggest a wider attempt to exclude Baha’i individuals from the higher education community within Iran and more broadly to intimidate intellectuals and to limit academic freedom in Iran.  Scholars at Risk finds this suggestion particularly distressing and unfortunate, given Iran’s rich intellectual history and traditional support for the values of scholarship and free inquiry. Scholars at Risk therefore joins with many national and international academic associations, human rights organizations and individual scholars in 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. Scholars at Risk respectfully implores authorities to reexamine Mr. Zibaei's case and, pending his earliest release, to guarantee his well-being and to ensure that he is granted access to family, legal representation of his choosing, and medical treatment. Take Action 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; and -respectfully urging authorities to reexamine Mr. Zibaei's case and, pending his earliest release, to guarantee his well-being and to ensure that he is granted access to family, legal representation of his choosing, and medical treatment. 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 States Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations 662 Third Avenue, 34th Floor New York, NY 10017, USA Email to: iran@un.int Fax to: +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: 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, please visit: http://scholarsatrisk.nyu.edu/Education-Advocacy/Alerts-Scholars-in-Prison.php.    This Action Alert was posted by the AAAS Scientific Responsibility, Human Rights and Law Program on behalf of Scholars at Risk. SRHRL has not independently verified its contents.   Scientific Responsibility, Human Rights and Law Program American Association for the Advancement of Science 1200 New York Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20005 Tel: 202 326 6600  Fax: 202 289 4950 Web: srhrl.aaas.org   Email: srhrl@aaas.org