A number of political prisoners at Rajai Shahr prison have written a letter to Ahmed Shaheed, the Special Rapporteur to the Human Rights Council at the United Nations.

Rassoul Badaghi, Masoud Bastani, Isa Sharkhiz, Ali Ajami, Keyvan Samimi, Heshmatollah Tabarzadi are 6 political prisoners who have written a letter to the UN Special Rapparteur.

In their letter they asked that the Special Rapparteur, Ahmed Shaheed to not only visit the prisons in the Islamic Republic but also visit with the families of the political prisoners.

Following is the letter as published by Saham News.

To The United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iran

Dear honorable Ahmed Shaheed,

With our regards and respect,

We congratulate you on being appointed by the United Nations as the Special Rapporteur in charge of investigating the Islamic Republic of Iran.

We have so far been disappointed at the lack of attention given to principles regarding violations of fundamental rights of individuals under the Iranian constitution and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which the Islamic Republic is obligated to abide by. We are disappointed that Iran has been given a special status that necessitates continuous supervision by International organizations due to its systematic violations of human rights.

We are political prisoners and prisoners of conscience at Rajai Shahr prison consisting of journalist, student, labor, social and human rights activists. You are aware that the reason we were arrested was in the framework of civil activities relating to the presidential elections of June 12, 2009, which were supposed to be democratic.  Our activities were in accordance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other United Nations resolutions, which the Iranian regime is obligated to abide by. But unfortunately the political leaders and security officials along with the judiciary of Iran claim our peaceful activities are subversive and they declare those involved as being anti-revolutionaries. In this manner they put us under arrest, interrogate us under strenuous conditions, put us under severe psychological and physical pressures. This regime has, and continues to conduct unfair sham trials that are illegal and mostly held in secret without the presence of an attorney.  The outcome is that especially during the last two years, long-term prison sentences have been handed down, prisoners have been sent to prison in exile under sub-standard conditions, and been subjected to inhumane restrictions. The treatment of the prisoners and their families has been un-Islamic and brutal.

We welcome the worthy appointment of the United Nations Human Rights Council and we are anxiously anticipating your trip to Iran to investigate the prisons in the Islamic Republic, to visit with political prisoners and prisoners of conscience along with their families, so you can become aware of the depth of the inflicted cruelty in our country.

With our thanks,

Rassoul Badaghi, Masoud Bastani, Isa Saharkhiz, Ali Ajami, Keyvan Samimi, Heshmatollah Tabarzadi

Article in Persian:  http://www.rahana.org/archives/41847