The Observatory has been informed by the League for the Defence of Human Rights in Iran (LDDHI) about the release on bail of Mr. Reza Khandan, a human rights defender known for having raised concerns on Facebook about human rights violations in Iran, including the imprisonment of human rights defenders and the prosecution of women who have campaigned against the imposition of the hijab. Mr. Khandan also campaigned for the release of his wife, Ms. Nasrin Sotoudeh, one of Iran’s most prominent human rights lawyers, who was arrested on June 13, 2018 [1].
According to the information received, on December 23, 2018, Mr. Reza Khandan was provisionally released on a ‘personal guarantee’ [2].
This followed a court hearing that was attended by Mr. Reza Khandan on December 19, 2018, at Branch 15 of the Islamic Revolution Court in Tehran. During the hearing, the Court agreed to change Mr. Khandan’s financial bail to a personal guarantee. Mr. Khandan is still facing charges of “gathering and colluding against national security” (Article 610 of the Islamic Penal Code), “spreading propaganda against the system” (Article 500 of the Islamic Penal Code), and propagating and promoting disregard for hijab in the society.
Following Mr. Khandan’s release, medical doctor and human rights defender Mr. Farhad Mayssami and Ms. Nasrin Sotoudeh, who remain detained in Tehran’s Evin prison, ended their hunger strike. Mr. Farhad Mayssami had been on hunger strike since August 1, 2018 and received intravenous fluid against his will [3]. Ms. Nasrin Sotoudeh had been on hunger strike since November 26, 2018, to express solidarity with Mr. Mayssami.
The Observatory welcomes the release on bail of Mr. Reza Khandan, but recalls that he should never have been incarcerated in the first place. The Observatory calls on Iranian authorities to end all acts of harassment, including at the judicial level, against Mr. Reza Khandan and all human rights defenders in the country.
The Observatory also recalls that several other human rights lawyers and human rights defenders remain in arbitrary detention, including Ms. Nasrin Sotoudeh, Ms. Rezvaneh Mohammadi, Ms. Maryam Azad [4], Mr. Mostafa Daneshju, and Mr. Farhad Mayssami.
Background information [5]:
Mr. Reza Khandan was arrested by agents of the Ministry of Intelligence on September 4, 2018, at his home in Tehran and subsequently taken to Branch 7 of the Prosecutor’s Office in the capital’s Evin prison. He was detained on charges of “gathering and colluding against national security”, “spreading propaganda against the system”, and propagating and promoting disregard for hijab in the society. The Prosecutor’s Office ordered him to deposit bail to the amount of 7,000 million Iranian rial (approximately 55,000 Euros). Mr. Reza Khandan refused to pay the bail, arguing that he had not committed any offences, and remained detained in Evin prison.
How You Can Help
Please write to the authorities of Iran asking them to:
i. Immediately and unconditionally release Ms. Nasrin Sotoudeh, Ms. Rezvaneh Mohammadi, Ms. Maryam Azad, Mr. Mostafa Daneshju, Mr. Farhad Mayssami as well as all human rights defenders arbitrarily detained in Iran;
ii. Guarantee in all circumstances the physical and psychological integrity of Ms. Nasrin Sotoudeh, Ms. Rezvaneh Mohammadi, Ms. Maryam Azad, Mr. Mostafa Daneshju, Mr. Farhad Mayssami, Mr. Reza Khandan and all human rights defenders in Iran;
iii. Put an end to all acts of harassment, including at the judicial level, against Mr. Reza Khandan, Ms. Nasrin Sotoudeh, Ms. Rezvaneh Mohammadi, Ms. Maryam Azad, Mr. Mostafa Daneshju, Mr. Farhad Mayssami as well as all human rights defenders arbitrarily detained in the country;
iv. Comply with all the provisions of the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Defenders adopted by the UN General Assembly on December 9, 1998, in particular its Articles 1, 6, 9, 11 and 12;
v. Ensure in all circumstances respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with international human rights standards and international instruments ratified by Iran.
