Prominent journalist and one of the founders of Society for the Defense of Press Freedom in Iran, Issa Saharkhiz, has written a letter from Rejaei Shahr prison to the UN Human Rights Special Rapporteur Dr. Ahmed Shaheed urging him to take immediate action and travel to Iran. Issa Saharkhiz was violently arrested in July of 2009 during which time he suffered broken ribs. He was later tried and sentenced to three years in prison for “insulting the Supreme Leader and the regime”, banned from any and all political and journalistic activities for five years and prohibited from leaving the country for one year.
Following is translation of the letter from Isa Saharkhiz to Dr. Shaheed:
Dear Mr. Shaheed,
With greetings,
I, Issa Saharkhiz, one of the political prisoners arrested after the 2009 coupe election, after having served half of my prison sentence, have not been allowed to use my legal right of having even a single day leave from prison for needed medical treatment.
Mr. Ahmed Shaheed,
The news of your selection as the UN Human Rights Special Rapporteur to Iran was heart warming for me and many of other political prisoners, for we hope that you will be our voice in informing the public of the deplorable conditions of the prisons in the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Mr. Ahmed Shaeef,
What is happening now in the Islamic Republic prisons is a crime against humanity and not any less than the Stalin’s inhumane treatment of prisoners in the forced labor camps of Siberia.
This treatment is not solely limited to the political prisoners, but the situation for the general prisoners is no less disastrous.
You have probably heard of the horrible death of Hoda Saber who died while on hunger strike after being beaten by prison personnel. Prior to that, you must have heard of Mohsen Dokmechi’s death.
You probably also are somewhat aware of my medical situation and are aware that they won’t even allow me to be hospitalized for my needed medical treatment, so I will not go into the details of my medical case.
My purpose for writing this letter is to remind you that such a dire situation exists that another tragic event could occur at any moment. For it is apparent to me and my fellow inmates that the strategy and objective of the authorities is “to kill the protesting prisoners silently and gradually”.
They have made a deliberate decision to destroy us and have planned a silent death for us, because they fear our survival even behind these walls and bars.
You, in the name humanity and because of the responsibility that has been bestowed upon you, are obligated to use everything in your power and act immediately to inform the public of the heinous acts that goes on behind these walls.
I hope you realize the value of time in this matter and know that any delay in taking an action will result in the death of more political prisoners.
Therefore, I urge you to take action immediately and travel to Iran without any further delay. If the authorities prevent you visiting with the political prisoners, that will only show another disgraceful act by a regime that is built on the foundation of lies.
Issa Saharkhiz
Tir 1390
Rejaei Shahr prison