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For Immediate Release Contact: Phil Elwood Washington, DC – The National Iranian American Council is gravely concerned by reports that the Iranian government plans to execute Zeinab Jalalian, a 27-year old Iranian-Kurdish political prisoner. NIAC urgently calls on President Obama to raise this issue publicly and to press Iran to halt the execution of Ms. Jalalian and other political prisoners sentenced to death in Iran. “The international community must urgently turn its focus to the deteriorating human rights situation in Iran,” said Jamal Abdi, NIAC Policy Director. “President Obama must press Iran to halt the execution of all political prisoners and make it clear that human rights are an issue of paramount concern for the United States.” NIAC reiterates its call for the Obama Administration to make human rights a central pillar of its Iran policy and to work with the international community to establish an international monitoring mechanism to improve the human rights situation in Iran. NIAC reiterates its call for Iran to release all political prisoners, suspend all sentences for individuals who have not been provided fair trials, and comply with its international human rights obligations. Zeinab Jalalian was charged in January 2009 with Moharebeh, or waging war against God, which is punishable by death. Reports indicate that no evidence was presented warranting this charge against Ms. Jalalian, she was denied access to a lawyer, and her trial lasted only minutes. Ms. Jalalian has been detained since March 28, 2008, and for much of that time has been held incommunicado, her family has had no information regarding her fate, and there are concerns that she may have been tortured. |
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