(WiPC/IFEX) – Hojatoleslam Sayyid Mohsen Sa’idzadeh – a prominent legal scholar, former judge, and writer – was arrested on 30 June 1998, and has remained in prison ever since. His detention is believed to be connected to his reformist views and writings, in particular those espousing women’s rights. At the present time, it is not […]
(WiPC/IFEX) – Hojatoleslam Sayyid Mohsen Sa’idzadeh – a prominent legal
scholar, former judge, and writer – was arrested on 30 June 1998, and has
remained in prison ever since. His detention is believed to be connected to
his reformist views and writings, in
particular those espousing women’s rights. At the present time, it is not
clear if he is to face charges.
WiPC is becoming increasingly concerned about the detention of Hojatoleslam
Sayyid Mohsen Sa’idzadeh. According to the information it has now received
from several sources, Hojatoleslam Sa’idzadeh was apprehended at his home by
three plainclothes security officers who produced no arrest warrant. The
officers apparently
referred to a controversial article he wrote on the subject of Islamic law
in a recent issue of “Jami’eh” (Society), an independent newspaper that has
lately been a target of many attempts of censorship.
Hojatoleslam Sa’idzadeh is now being held incommunicado in Tehran. Rumours
that he would be quickly released have proven unfounded.
Aged 40, Hojatoleslam Sa’idzadeh (please note that “Hojatoleslam” is a
religious honorific), is a graduate of Qom Judicial College. He has been
formally trained as an Islamic legal scholar and served as a judge until
1986. After this date he resumed his legal studies and in recent years he
has become prominent for his advocacy of the equality of men and women
before the law. In 1997, he was a speaker at a major conference co-sponsored
by the United Nations Children Fund. His many papers
delivered internationally include “Women in Islamic Law”, presented in 1995
at the University of London. He is the author of numerous articles and
books.
International PEN and WiPC are gravely concerned over the detention of
Hojatoleslam Sa’idzadeh.
Recommended Action
Send appeals to authorities:
guilty of anything more than the expression of his peacefully-held views,
calling on the Iranian authorities to release him
Appeals To
His Excellency
Hojatoleslam val-moslemin Sayed Mohammad Khatemi
President of the Islamic Republic of Iran
The Presidency
Palestine Avenue
Azerbaijan Intersection
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran.
Fax: + 98 21 673 177 (via Foreign Affairs, ask for fax to be forwarded)His Excellency Ayatollah Mohammad Yazdi
Head of the Judiciary
Ministry of Justice
Park-e Shahr
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran.
Fax: +98 21 646 5242
Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
