UPDATE - IRAN
4 June 2008
Imprisoned journalist suffers stroke, denied adequate medical care as trial
begins
SOURCE: Writers in Prison Committee (WiPC), International PEN, London
(WiPC/IFEX) - WiPC is seriously concerned for the health of Iranian Kurdish
journalist Mohammad Sadiq Kabudvand, who reportedly suffered a stroke in
Evin prison on 19 May 2008 and has been denied access to adequate medical
care. He has been held since 1 July 2007 on charges of "acting against
national security". His trial reportedly began on 25 May 2008.
WiPC is calling for the immediate and unconditional release of writer
Mohammad Sadiq Kabudvand in accordance with Article 19 of the United
Nations International Covenant of Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). WiPC
seeks assurances of his well being, guarantees that his basic rights are
being respected and that he is given full access to all necessary medical
care as a matter of urgency.
BACKGROUND:
According to PEN's information, Kabudvand, editor of the banned weekly
"Payam-e mardom-e Kurdestan", was arrested on 1 July 2007 at his place of
work in Tehran by plain-clothed security officers. Following his arrest,
Kabudvand was initially taken to his house in Tehran, where security
officers confiscated three computers, books, photographs and personal
documents, before taking him away to the Intelligence Ministry's Section
209 of Evin Prison, where he is said to have been ill-treated. He is
believed to have had no contact with his family since his arrest. No reason
has been given for his arrest, although it could be linked to a previous
one-year prison sentence which he has never served. His family has been
unable to raise the bail that could have enabled him to be freed pending
trial.
Kabudvand has reportedly written two books on democracy and a third on the
women's movement in Iran, which were not given publishing licences.

RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Send appeals to authorities:
- expressing serious concerns for the health of Kabudvand amid reports that
he is denied access to necessary medical care
- calling for his immediate and unconditional release on humanitarian
grounds and in accordance with Article 19 of the International Covenant on
Civil and Political Rights, to which Iran is a signatory
- expressing concerns at the apparent pattern of repression against
journalists and human rights activist in Kurdish Iran
APPEALS TO:
His Excellency Ayatollah Sayed 'Ali Khamenei
Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic
The Office of the Supreme Leader
Shoahada Street, Qom
Islamic Republic of Iran
E-mail: info@leader.ir or istiftaa@wilayah.org
His Excellency Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi
Head of the Judiciary
Ministry of Justice, Park-e Shahr
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
E-mail: via Judiciary website: Iranjudiciary.org/feedback_en.html
Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejeie
Minister of Intelligence
Ministry of Intelligence
Second Negarestan Street
Pasdaran Avenue
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
E-mail: iranprobe@iranprobe.com