Zahra was later transferred to section 209 of the notorious Evin prison where she spent more than six months in a solitary confinement without being allowed to have visitors. She was only allowed to have a very short telephone call to her family. Zahra’s family was put under pressure not to discuss the news of Zahra to media out side of the Iran.
Zahra Bahrami has been allegedly charged with “Moharebeh” (which means enemy of God) and “acting against national security”. She was physically and mentally tortured and forced to make a televised “confessions” admitting her charges. She attended the Islamic court on 16 August 2010 for the first time and was denied access to a lawyer. During the trial she repeatedly requested to have an access to a legal representative, but her request was ignored. She was told that her sentence will be announced in 10 days.
Soon after Zahra’s trial, CFPPI have send letters to Dutch foreign Minster and asked him to take an action, set up an online petition, sent press releases to human rights organisations and people around the world and asked them to support Zahra's case. This case was also raised by the Netherlands’s member of European Union in August and they asked the foreign Minster of EU to take an action in regards to Zahra Bahrami’s case.
In 28 August 2010 Zahra was tried in section 15 of the Revolutionary Guard. Zahra Bahrmai was told in the court that she will be sentence to execution or life sentence. She is now awaiting another court hearing for the final verdict.
Ms Nasrin Sotoudeh who has recently become her lawyer was arrested on 4 September 2010 on charges of 'propaganda against the state' and 'collusion and holding meetings with the aim of acting against national security'. Before her arrest, Ms Sotoudeh was not allowed to see her client and she only had telephone conversations with Zahra. On 12 September 2010, Sotoudeh’s husband, was threatened by Etelaat (intelligent service of the regime) to prevent them from publicising the case.
Due to the international pressure, Islamic regime of Iran has back down and has not announced Zahra Bahrami’s sentence yet.
Shiva Mahbobi, the spokesperson of the CFPPI, in her letter to Maxime Verhagen, the Netherlands Foreign Minster wrote:
“The only way to prevent Ms Bahrami‘s execution is by exerting continuous pressure on the Islamic regime directly, and also by questioning Iranian diplomats in Netherlands. As we mentioned in our previous letter, under article 5 of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations (24 April 1963), Promoting and protecting the interests of Dutch nationals abroad is one of the core tasks of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The responsibility to save Zahra’s life falls directly into the obligations of the Dutch government, and any negligence in this case would be a huge embarrassment in an international level for your government.”
Zahra Bahrami is awaiting her final verdict and she is expected to be tried again soon.
Campaign to Free Political Prisoners in Iran (CFPPI) is seriously concerned about Zahra’s situation, and fear for her life and safety. We demand immediate release of Zahra Bahrami and her lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh. CFPPI calls on all human rights organisations and concerned individuals to take an action immediately.
Sign our online petition in support of Zahra Bahrami
http://www.petitiononline.com/zahra123/petition.html
Send a protest letter to Maxime Verhagen, the Netherlands Foreign Minster
(A sample letter is attached)
For more information please contact:
Parisa Pouyande on: +31 645 711 919
Shiva Mahbobi : + 44 (0)7984 445 278
Campaign to Free Political Prisoners in Iran (CFPPI)
[Sample letter]
Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Mr. Maxime Verhagen
PO Box 20061,2500 EB The Hague, The Netherlands
Telephone: +31 70 3486486
Fax: + 31 70 3484848
Email: m.verhagen@minbuza.nl
Send a copy to:
Catherine Ashton, EU High Representative for Foreign Affair
catherine.ashton@ec.europa.eu
C.J. Kole, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Tehran
Email: teh@minbuza.nl
Dear Mr Verhagen
I/we express concern for the situation of Zahra Bahrami. I/we urge the Dutch government to put pressure on the Islamic Regime of Iran to release Zahra Bahrmai immediately and unconditionally.
Name/ organization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
City/country . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Please send a copy of your letter to CFPPI for our record.
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Following is Shiva Mahbobi’s letter to Maxime Verhagen, Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs;
Urgent Appeal:
06 September 2010
Maxime Verhagen
Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs
PO Box 20061, 2500 EB the Hague, the Netherlands
Re: Mrs. Zahra Bahrami
Dear Maxime Verhagen,
Following my emails on 23 August 2010 and 20 August 2010, I am writing to you to request an update in Zahra Bahrami's case.
I am aware of all your efforts to communicate with the Iranian authorities regarding Zahra Bahrami’s case; I am also aware that the Iranian government has not taken any action thus far. The time is running out and her life is in a great danger. Zahra is a Dutch citizen and her rights must be protected by the Dutch government. Failure to do so could send Zahra, an innocent person, to execution, and that short coming would be directly reflected on the Dutch government.
In order for us to continue pressuring the Islamic regime of Iran, and in order to stop Mrs. Bahrami’s death sentence being carried out, we need to obtain up to date news of her situation in prison as well as latest court’s decision. It is very important that we obtain this update, because in similar cases as Zahra, when prisoners were charged with “Moharebeh” (which means enemy of God) and “acting against national security” their death sentence was carried out by the regime without any advance notice.
The only way to prevent Ms Bahrami‘s execution is by exerting continuous pressure on the Islamic regime directly, and also by questioning Iranian diplomats in Netherland. As we mentioned in our previous letter, under article 5 of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations (24 April 1963), Promoting and protecting the interests of Dutch nationals abroad is one of the core tasks of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The responsibility to save Zahra’s life falls directly into the obligations of the Dutch government, and any negligence in this case would be a huge embarrassment in an international level for your government.
We expect you to act immediately and save Zahra’s life as a Dutch citizen, and to demand her immediate and unconditional release from prison.
Please provide us with an update e through the addresses below.
Attached is the list of people who have signed the petition to support Zahra Bahrami.
Sincerely yours
Shiva Mahbobi
Spokesperson
Campaign to Free Political Prisoners in Iran (CFPPI)
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The European Parliament resolution of 8 September 2010 on the human rights situation in Iran
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?pubRef=-//EP//TEXT+TA+P7-TA-2010-0310+0+DOC+XML+V0//EN&language=EN
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Campaign to Free Political Prisoners in Iran(CFPPI)
Shiva Mahbobi
Campaign Organiser
Address:CFPPI
BM Box 6754, London WC1N 3XX, U.K.
Tel: +44 (0) 7984445278
www.iranpoliticalprisoners.com
http://cfppi.blogspot.com
freepoliticalprisoners@gmail.com
zendani.tv@gmail.com
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