| De: |
"Rachel Jacobson" |
| Sujet: |
Fwd: [HEALTHGAP] Alaei Brothers - awaiting verdict after unfair trial
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| Envoyé: |
Jan 14th, 2009 - 13:04:48 |
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---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Paola Barahona
Date: Wed, Jan 14, 2009 at 9:32 AM
Subject: [HEALTHGAP] Alaei Brothers - awaiting verdict after unfair trial
To: healthgap (at) critpath.org
January 13, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
*Iran: Acquit HIV/AIDS Doctors Prosecuted in Unfair Trial*
(Cambridge, MA) Drs Kamiar and Arash AlaeiIranian brothers who are known
worldwide for their work as HIV/AIDS physicians are among the four Iranian
citizens cited today by Iranian authorities as attempting to overthrow the
state, Physicians for Human Rights (PHR), Human Rights Watch (HRW), and
International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran (ICHRCI) have learned from
reliable sources.
According the Islamic Republic News Agency, Iranian Judiciary spokesperson
Ali-Reza Jamshidi told a news conference today that four Iranian citizens
had been arrested and brought to the court on charges of "communications
with an enemy government" and seeking to overthrow the Iranian government
under article 508 of Iran's Islamic Penal Code. Speaking at a press
conference, Jamshidi claimed: "They were linked to the CIA, backed by the US
government and State Department... They recruited and trained people to work
with different espionage networks to launch a velvet overthrow of the
Iranian government". Jamshidi added that further details of the case would
be forthcoming in the next two days.
PHR, HRW, and ICHRI believe the charge of plotting a coup is being brought
unfairly, without the brothers being given the chance to adequately defend
themselves. Their trial was marked by clear violations of due process. The
Alaeis' human rights have been violated and their commitment to public
health worldwide has been misrepresented by the Iranian Government as a
threat to their regime.
"To all appearances, the arrest and now the trial of these two prominent and
widely-traveled AIDS doctors seem to be an effort to shut the door on
medical and public health collaboration on global health crises...a policy
that is dangerous for the well-being of the Iranian people and for global
health," said Frank Donaghue, PHR CEO.
PHR, HRW, and ICHRI have spoken out repeatedly about their concern that
these serious charges had been levied without due process. The verdict in
the case of the Drs. Alaei is expected this week, following a one-day trial
in Tehran's Revolutionary Court on December 31, 2008, on charges of
communicating with an "enemy government". At the trial, the Iranian
prosecutor also informed the court of additional, secret evidence which the
brothers' attorney had no opportunity to refute, because the prosecutor did
not disclose them.
"Their prosecution is truly a witch hunt; it is completely unacceptable to
bring such charges against the Alaei brothers. Everything they did was
transparent with full knowledge and permission of the Iranian government,
including participation in an exchange program on public health in November
2006 in the United States," said Hadi Ghaemi, spokesperson for International
Campaign for Human Rights in Iran.
Over the last week, more than 2,000 people from around the globe contacted
the Iranian Mission to the UN in New York City, demanding the Alaeis'
release. In addition 3,100 doctors, nurses and public health workers from
85 countries have signed an online
petitiondemanding
their release, which can be viewed at
IranFreeTheDocs.org . Leading physicians and
public health specialists and numerous medical and scientific organizations
have publicly called for the brothers'
release,
including HIV/AIDS and health experts luminaries: Global Fund Executive
Director Professor Michel Kazatchkine; Partners in Health co-founder Dr.
Paul Farmer; 2008 MacArthur Foundation Genius Grant recipient Wafaa El-Sadr,
MD, MPH; Hossam E. Fadel, MD, of the Islamic Medical Association of North
America; 1993 Nobel Laureate in Medicine Sir Richard Roberts PhD, FRS; and
Ugandan AIDS pioneer Dr. Peter Mugyenyi.
"This case is just one more example of how under President Ahmadinejad's
administration, Iran's human rights record has reached new lows" said Joe
Amon, Director of the HIV/AIDS and Human Rights Program at Human Rights
Watch. "Ahmadinejad's presidency has created an intense atmosphere of fear
and intimidation felt even by those working on the expansion of HIV/AIDS
services."
Dr. Kamiar Alaei is a doctoral candidate at the SUNY Albany School of Public
Health in Albany, New York and was expected to resume his studies there this
fall. In 2007, he received a Master of Science degree in Population and
International Health from the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston.
Dr. Arash Alaei is the former director of the International Education and
Research Cooperation of the Iranian National Research Institute of
Tuberculosis and Lung Disease. Since 1998, the Drs. Alaei have been carrying
out HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention programs, particularly focused on harm
reduction for injecting drug users.
In addition to their work in Iran, the Alaei brothers have held training
courses for Afghan and Tajik medical workers and have worked to encourage
regional cooperation among 12 Middle Eastern and Central Asian countries.
Their efforts expanded the expertise of doctors in the region, advanced the
progress of medical science, and earned Iran recognition as a model of best
practice by the World Health Organization.
_______________________________________
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