2008: Iran: Yaghoub Ydali
March 12th 2008
His Excelleccy Ayatollah Sayed Ali Khamenei
Tehran
Islamic Republic of Iran
Your Excellency
Novelist Yaghoub Ydali
The Writer in Prison Committee of International PEN has learned with alarm the threat of re-arrest of novelist Yaghoub Ydali. It seems that an appeals court has ordered that he serve the full one year term in prison, even though nine months of the term was initially suspended. PEN protests the sentence against award winning novelist Mr. Ydali and demands that all charges against him are dropped in accordance with Article 19 o the Internaional Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Iran is a signatory.
We also call for a lifting of the ban of his works.
Trusting that Your Excellency will listen to this urgent appeal and look into this case at your earliest convenience,
With sincere best wishes
Aase Gjerdrum
Member of Writers in Prison Committee of Norwegian PEN
