2015 Iran: Jason Rezaian
Head of the Judiciary
Ayatollah Sadegh Larijani
Office of the Head of the Judiciary
Pasteur St, Vali Asr Ave
South of Serah-e Jomhouri
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Your Excellency,
I hereby write to you calling for the immediate and unconditional release of journalist Jason Rezaian if – as appears to be the case – he is held solely for the peaceful exercise of his right to freedom of expression.
It has come to the attention of PEN International and Writers in Prison Committee that the journalist currently is being held in Evin prison in Tehran, where torture and other ill-treatment is frequently reported. The family has reported that they have hired a lawyer to defend Jason Rezaian, but that the authorities have not yet allowed the attorney to meet with him.
Writers in Prison Committee are urging that Jason Rezaian be granted immediate access to his defence lawyer and for the charges against him to be clarified.
In the meantime we are calling for Jason Rezaian to be granted all necessary medical treatment and regular access to his family.
We are also calling for the immediate and unconditional release of all other writers and journalists currently similarly detained in Iran in connection with 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
Magnhild Bruheim
Writers in Prison Committee
Norwegian PEN
Copy: The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
