November 28, 2009
KERMANSHAH,—
Iranian Kurdish writer, Abbas Jalilian has been sent
to Kermanshah prison to serve out a 15 month
imprisonment term. He is accused by Iranian
authorities of “activities against national security
through identifying and attracting spies and
introducing them to foreign countries.”
The 15-month prison term was approved by the appeals
court last week.
Kaveh Kermanshahi, a human rights activist in
Kurdistan, informed Zamaneh that Abbas Jalilian did
not have an attorney in the preliminary hearing,www.ekurd.netand
in every step of the legal proceedings, he denied
the charges demanding to be shown evidence for the
accusations. The appeals court reportedly approved
the verdict of the preliminary hearing in its very
first meeting.
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Abbas Jalilian Iranian-Kurdish author to serve 15
months in prison |
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Mr.
Jalilian was arrested last January and was released
after two months on a $100,000 bail.
He is the author of several novels as well as poetry
and proverb collections and a Kurdish-Persian
dictionary.
Mr. Kermanshahi told Zamaneh that the alleged spy
whom Jalilian is supposed to have identified and
recommended is currently in custody but no charges
have been laid against him yet. He is a cultural
figure in Kermanshah and has travelled with Abbas
Jalilian to southern regions of Iraqi Kurdistan on
several occasions.
Abbas Jalilian had already been summoned by the
Intelligence department for questioning regarding
his cultural trips and his attendance in Kurdish
literary congresses in Iraq.
Zamaneh has been told that all the trips and
cultural activities of Mr. Jalilian were open and
legal.
Human rights activists also report that another
Kurdish writer, a member of the Literary Association
of Marivan, Ali Mahmoudi has also been detained
since October without any news. He has also been
accused of “activity against national security
through support of illegal groups.”
Parvin Zabihi, Ali Mahmoudi’s spouse, a women’s and
children’s rights activist had also been called in
for questioning by the Ministry of Intelligence and
banned from travelling abroad.
Recently, Kurdish political activist, Ehsan Fatahian
was executed in Sanadaj for “armed activities
against the state.” The execution was protested by
the people of the region as well as Kurdish MPs in
Iranian parliament for several irregularities in the
legal proceedings.
Currently 12 other Kurdish activists are on death
row.
Human Rights Watch recently
published a new report in 2009 detailing the repression of Iran's
Kurdish population by the Iranian government in Iranian Kurdistan (Eastern
Kurdistan). In this report,www.ekurd.netthe
Human Rights Watch strongly criticizes Iranian
government for violating human rights and freedom of
expression in Kurdistan. Kurds make up approximately
7 percent of the population and live mainly in the
northwest regions of the country.
In a report released in July 2008, the human rights
organisation, Amnesty International
expressed concern
about the increased repression of Kurdish Iranians,
particularly human rights defenders.
The report cited examples of religious and cultural
discrimination against the estimated 12 million
Kurds who live in Iran.
“We urge the Iranian authorities to take concrete
measures to end any discrimination and associated
human rights violations that Kurds, indeed all
minorities in Iran, face,” Amnesty said in its
report.
“Kurds and all other members of minority communities
in Iran, men, women and children, are entitled to
enjoy their full range of human rights.”
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author or news agency,
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