(RSF/IFEX) – The following is 12 October 2000 joint press release: 12 October 2000 IRAN Trial of Hassan Youssefi Echkevari Amnesty International (AI), Human Rights Watch (HRW), the International Federation of Human Rights (FIDH), the Iranian League for the Defense of Human Rights (LDDHI) and Reporters Sans Frontieres (RSF) express their profound concern at the […]
(RSF/IFEX) – The following is 12 October 2000 joint press release:
12 October 2000
IRAN
Trial of Hassan Youssefi Echkevari
Amnesty International (AI), Human Rights Watch (HRW), the International Federation of Human Rights (FIDH), the Iranian League for the Defense of Human Rights (LDDHI) and Reporters Sans Frontieres (RSF) express their profound concern at the trial, following a two month detention in solitary confinement, of theologian and journalist Hassan Youssefi Echkevari, aged 50. Our organizations call on the Iranian authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Hassan Youssefi Echkevari and to drop the charges made against him.
The trial of Hassan Youssefi Echkevari began on Saturday 7 October 2000, and is being held behind closed doors before the Special Court for the Clergy (SCC). International standards for fair trial are frequently not respected in “special” courts such as the SCC. Judicial officials appointed a lawyer to represent Hassan Youssefi Echkevari, who was denied the right to legal representation of his own choice. The second session of the court is scheduled to take place 14 October 2000.
Hassan Youssefi Echkevari was detained in Tehran’s Evin prison on 5 August 2000. He is accused of having carried out subversive acts against national security, defamation against the authorities through press articles, compromising the prestige of the clergy and denial of the Islamic faith. These charges carry heavy sentences, including flogging.
He was detained upon his return from Europe, where he had gone for treatment for his diabetes and to participate in a conference in Berlin, Germany. During his speech at the conference he stated that, in his view, while Islamic dress codes in Iran have cultural and historical origins, these are not a necessity in Islam.
Amnesty International (AI), Human Rights Watch (HRW), the International Federation of Human Rights (FIDH), the Iranian League for the Defense of Human Rights (LDDHI) and Reporters Sans Frontieres (RSF) consider Hassan Youssefi Echkevari to be a prisoner of conscience. It is unacceptable that he should face the above charges in a country that has ratified the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and other human rights treaties. Additionally, other individuals, such as Akbar Ganji, Emadoldin Baghi, Machallah Chamsolvaezine and Abdollah Nouri are also considered by human rights organizations to be prisoners of conscience, who should also be released immediately and unconditionally.
