Hello All;As you may know Mr Tabarzadi's health condition is very unstable, as he experiences several heart attacks in the past few days and he was denied access to medical care. It is important that we raise the international attention to this case , so I have prepared this letter (see attached) , please let me know if you wish to sign it. The letter is addressed to Minister of Foreign Affairs and the leaders of opposition.Please send me your info by the end of tonight. (Format: 1. First Name 2. Family Name, 3. Affiliation)

Many Thanks

Mehrdad

The Hon. John Baird Minister of Foreign Affairs
CC: Hon Jack Layton, Leader of the Official Opposition
CC: Hon Bob Rae; Leader of the Third Party
We, the undersigned, would like to congratulate the Canadian Government and particularly your ministry for the recent action on intensifying restrictions against those individuals who are linked to Human Rights abuses in Iran. We would also like to draw your attention to a developing tragedy in an Iranian jail, namely the case of Mr. Heshmatollah Tabarzadi. He is suffering from complications related to his heart problems and has recently had several heart attacks in jail, according to news from Rejai Prison and his family members. His request to be transferred to a medical centre is denied and his health condition is deteriorating day by day.

Heshmatollah Tabarzadi, aged 53, is a journalist, political activist, leader of
the banned Democratic Front of Iran and a proponent of Secular Democracy and non-violence. He has been in prison for 10 out of the past 14 years for opposing the theocratic system. Last time he was arrested was on 27 December 2009. He has stated several times since then that he has been beaten and threatened with rape during his detention and has been under immense pressure to forced confession.

We urgently request that the Canadian Government take some swift measures to engage the international community in holding the Islamic Republic of Iran responsible for the health of Mr. Tabarzadi, ensuring his immediate access to professional medical care and subjecting him to a fair legal process.

More generally, the situation of political prisoners in Iran is a humanitarian catastrophe in the making. In the absence of immediate and effective measures, the world community may be inundated by horrific news from Iranian prisons in the near future. The recent example of Reza Hoda Saber should be taken as a grave warning. Reza Hoda Saber was facing some medical problems due to a prolonged hunger strike in prison. Instead of being granted access to medical care he was beaten by prison guards and later died due to heart failure.

We thank you in advance for your attention to Mr. Tabarzadi’s case and anticipate the appropriate measures by the Canadian Government.