Iranian lawyers and human rights activists express support for Yousuf Azizi

10 prominent Iranian lawyers and human rights activists expressed, in letter to the head of judiciary, ayatollah Shahroody, their support and solidarity with Yousuf Azizi Beni Toruf, as an independent writer and an important cultural and academic ethnic Arab figure, emphasising his innocence of all charges.

The revolutionary court, branch 15, in Tehran had earlier sentenced Mr. Azizi, a well-known Iranian Arab ethnic writer and journalist, to 5 years in jail.

Among the signatory of this letter are Shirin Abadi, the noble prize winner, and Dr. Yousuf  Mawlaei, international law professor.  Following is the content of this letter:

Mr. Shahroodi, Head of Judiciary Esq.

We the signatory, a group of lawyers and human rights activists, would like to confirm that we have known Mr. Azizi to be a man with untainted track record and well-recognized credentials.  And to this we would like to add more notes as follows:

Mr. Azizi is a highly educated member of Iran’s ethnic Arabs, a journalist and independent witer who has written more than 24 books and published hundreds of articles in both Arabic and Persian languages. Over the last four decades he has made a constant effort, through his academic and litrary works, to introduce Arab culture and literature to the Iranian people, and the Iranian literature to the Arab world.  His services are well-known in this field.  That's why we along with the others in the media an academic community in Iran were astonished at the 5 year prison sentence against Mr. Azizi.

Therefore in light of Mr. Azizi’s bright record and standing , we request that his case be returned to the court for rehearing and examined by judges expert on and familiar with cultural and literature issues, so that a fairer judgement can be passed worthy of this distinguished figure of our country.

We, the signatory, would like to emphasize that Mr. Azizi has always served this country through his journalistic and academic works, on a national level and on a regional level in terms of  the Arab pepople's culture in Khuzestan.

 So we believe that the charges against him are inappropriate.

Signatories:

Hassan Zeid Abadi, Parviz khorsheed, Dr. Naser Zerafshan, S.M.Seif Zadeh, Abdul Fattah Sultani, Dr. M. sharif, Dr N. Taheri, Shirin Abadi, Ahmad Fat’hi, Dr. Yousuf Mawlaei.

Copy to: Mr. Avaei, Head of Civil Courts, Tehran province

Translated by Ahwazi Human Rights Organization ( AHRO)