2017: Iran: Keywan Karimi
Keywan Karimi, Iranian filmmaker, was arrested in 2016 and sentenced to one year in prison and to receive 223 lashes. He has had several episodes of pulmonary bleeding and the doctors advised the prison authorities to transfer him to a specialized facility, but the transfer has been denied.
To
Leader of the Islamic Republic
Ayatollah Sayed ‘Ali Khamenei
The Office of the Supreme Leader
Islamic Republic Street — End of Shahid Keshvar Doust Street,
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Oslo, February 16th 2017
Your Excellency Ayatollah Sayed ‘Ali Khamenei,
The Norwegian Writers in Prison Committee is expressing serious concern for Keywan Karimi’s health and urging that he is given access to specialised medical care as a matter of urgency. The committee is troubled by the conviction and harsh sentence imposed on Karimi and we are calling on the Iranian authorities to quash his conviction as it is connected to his peaceful exercise of his right to freedom of expression
We are also concern about his flogging sentence, which violates the absolute prohibition in international law against torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
The committee is therefore calling for the immediate and unconditional release of all writers and journalists currently detained in Iran because of their peaceful exercise of their right to freedom of expression, in accordance with Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Iran is a state party.
Yours sincerely,
Jørgen Lorentzen
Member of Writers in Prison Committee
PEN Norway
COPY:
The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Head of the Judiciary in Iran
