Thursday 29 July 2010

Advocate for Sakineh's Lawyer Mohammad Mostafaei

We have recently learned that the sister and brother-in-law of Mohammad Mostafaei, Sakineh's lawyer, have been detained and are being held until Mohammad Mostafaei hands himself in to The Iranian Authorities. The latest news is that he has now been detained but we have not been able to confirm this yet. In any case he and his family are in danger as are Sakineh and her children (her son has not been heard from for a number of days). Please copy and paste the following 2 letters (via Mission Free Iran) and email contacts and send them to ask that Foreign embassies, Bar Associations and Law Schools so what they can to ensure the safety of Mohammad Mostafaei and his family. All he is guilty of is trying to ensure a fair trial and sentence for Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani. Please also sign this petition.


Target: Foreign Ministries/US State Department

SAMPLE LETTER


Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing to you with an urgent request that you intervene with the authorities in the Islamic Republic of Iran, who continue to harass, intimidate and persecute Mohammad Mostafaei, and have issued a warrant for his arrest, in the wake of the international outcry demanding freedom for his client, Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani. The regime has also taken as hostages Mostafaei's wife and brother-in-law (Fereshteh and Farhad Halimi), imprisoning them in a craven attempt to force Mostafaei to turn himself in.

Mohammad Mostafaei is a lawyer who has honorably and courageously defended Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani against a stoning execution in the Islamic Republic of Iran. The worldwide outcry against the execution of Sakineh Ashtiani has created embarrassment and political difficulties for the Islamic Republic, and they have harassed and attempted to intimidate Mr. Mostafaei in an effort to reduce the pressure on the regime that has been caused by the campaign for Mostafaei's client Ashtiani.

I condemn the reprehensible injustice of the Islamic Republic; the regime should not be allowed a free hand to silence Mostafaei and terrorize his family in this way. Iranian lawyers must be free to represent their clients without fear of harassment and intimidation of themselves or their loved ones. I therefore demand immediate and unconditional freedom of Mostafaei's family; immediate and unconditional guarantee for Mostafaei's safety and freedom of practicing his legal obligations towards his clients; immediate end to harassment and intimidation of Mostafaei, his family, friends, and colleagues; and immediate and unconditional freedom for Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani.

The Islamic Republic of Iran is solely responsible for the safety and freedom of Mr. Mostafaei.

Diplomatic sanctions, including travel bans, freezing of bank accounts, and expulsion from international organizations such as the UN must be used to force the Islamic Republic to comply with international law and standards of human rights. I expect this government to take immediate steps to implement serious diplomatic sanctions against the criminal regime of the Islamic Republic.

Sincerely,

[your name]


Addresses of Foreign Ministries: (note: for some people, including the commas results in failure to send; if you have difficulties sending mail, try removing the commas)

npillay@ohchr.org, michael.spindelegger@bmeia.gv.at, kab.bz@diplobel.fed.be, info@mvp.gov.ba, iprd@mfa.government.bg, ministar@mvpei.hr, minforeign1@mfa.gov.cy, podatelna@mzv.cz, udenrigsministeren@um.dk, vminfo@vm.ee, umi@formin.fi, bernard.kouchner@diplomatie.gouv.fr, inform@mfa.gov.ge, guido.westerwelle@auswaertiges-amt.de, gpapandreou@parliament.gr, titkarsag.konz@kum.hu, external@utn.stjr.is, minister@dfa.ie, gabinetto@cert.esteri.it, segreteria.frattini@esteri.it, urm@urm.lt, tonio.borg@gov.mt, secdep@mfa.md, m.verhagen@minbuza.nl, post@mfa.no, DNZPC.Sekretariat@msz.gov.pl, senec@mne.gov.pt, pm@pm.gov.pt, miguel.moratinos@maec.es, registrator@foreign.ministry.se, info@eda.admin.ch, turkcons.london@mfa.gov.tr, urgent-action@ohchr.org, Iran_team@amnesty.org

Request Bar Associations and Law Schools to Advocate for Mostafaei

SAMPLE LETTER

Dear Sir/Madam,
I am writing to you with an urgent request that your organization issue a formal statement condemning the Islamic Republic of Iran for harassment, persecution, and issuance of a warrant to arrest Mohammad Mostafaei, the Iranian human rights lawyer who has honorably and courageously defended Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani against a stoning execution in Iran.


Sakineh Ashtiani is the 43-year-old Iranian mother of two who was accused of the non-crime of adultery, found guilty despite lack of evidence and denial of the charges, lashed 99 times in front of her teen-aged son, and has spent 5 years in prison. She was later retried for the same non-crime; again, despite lack of any evidence and despite the refusal of 2 of the 5 judges in her case to find her guilty, she was sentenced to death by stoning. Her children, with the help of Mostafaei, launched a global campaign to try to win their mothers’ freedom.
The worldwide outcry against the execution of Sakineh Ashtiani has created embarrassment and political difficulties for the Islamic Republic, and they have harassed and attempted to intimidate Mr. Mostafaei in an effort to reduce the pressure on the regime that has been caused by the campaign for Mostafaei’s client Ashtiani. The regime took as hostages Mostafaei’s wife and brother-in-law (Fereshteh and Farhad Halimi), imprisoning them in a craven attempt to force Mostafaei to turn himself in.

We now hear disturbing rumours that Mostafaei has been arrested. Whether he is arrested or still in hiding, the Islamic Republic should be forced to comply with international social and legal standards in granting Mr. Mustafaei human and professional rights, and allowing him the freedom to fulfill his obligations towards his clients. The Islamic Republic of Iran is solely responsible for Mr. Mostafaei’s safety.

Mr. Mostafaei deserves the support of his colleagues in the legal profession, in the form of a public and formal condemnation of the reprehensible injustice of the Islamic Republic. The Islamic Republic should not be allowed a free hand to silence Mostafaei and terrorize his family in this way. Iranian lawyers must be free to represent their clients without fear of harassment and intimidation of themselves or their loved ones.

I therefore request that your organization issue a public statement demanding immediate and unconditional freedom of Mostafaei’s family from prison; demanding freedom of practice of law for Mohammad Mostafaei and all Iranian lawyers; and demanding an immediate end to harassment and intimidation of Mostafaei, his family, friends, and colleagues.

The world must break its silence on the Islamic Republic’s medieval criminal laws, and abuses even of that law. Your colleague, Geoffrey Robertson QC, appointed by the UN Secretary-General as one of the “distinguished jurist” members of the UN Internal Justice Council, has begun this work by issuing his findings on the massacre of political prisoners in Iran in 1988 (http://www.iranrights.org/english/attachments/doc_1115.pdf). I ask you to continue the fight for justice in Iran at a time when there is no justice to be found.

Sincerely,

[your name]

Addresses of Bar Associations and Law Schools: (compilation of Bar Association addresses courtesy of Shreen Ayob, with many grateful thanks)

International Bar Association (IBA) iba@int-bar.org
Lawyers and legal centers Communities Council of Europe (CCBE) ccbe@ccbe.eu
Organization of Lawyers for Lawyers (Advocaten voor Advocaten) info@lawyersforlawyers.nl
Goethe University School of Law info@ilf.uni-frankfurt.de
Santa Clara University Law School iflores@scu.edu, vbali@scu.edu
The Bar Council (UK) Ethics@BarCouncil.org.uk
Criminal Bar Association (UK) ADolan@barcouncil.org.uk
Alba (UK) enquiries@adminlaw.org.uk
The City of London Law Society (UK): mail@citysolicitors.org.uk
European Young Bar Association (UK): info@eyba.org
Estonian Bar Association: advokatuur@advokatuur.ee
The Finnish Bar Association: info@barassociation.fi
France:
Association Francaise des Avocats: ace@avocatline.com.fr
Association Francaise des Juristes d’Entreprise : admin@afje.org
Conseil National des Barreaux : presidence@cnb.advocat.fr
Arab Association for International Arbitration: ahdab@destination.com.lb
Ordre des Avocats de Paris: delegationgenerale@avocatparis.org

Law Society of Ireland general@lawsociety.ie
Netherlands Bar Association info@advocatenorde.nl
Germany:
German Bar Association dav@anwaltverein.de
The German Federal Bar: zentrale@brak.de

Budapest Bar Association (Hungary): bpbar@matavnet.hu
The Icelandic Bar Association: lmfi@lmfi.is
The Bar Council of Ireland: barcouncil@lawlibrary.ie
The Law Society of Ireland: general@lawsociety.ie
Italy:
Ordine degli Avvocati di Milano (Italy): segreteria@ordineavvocatimilano.it
Avvocati di Roma (Italy): consiglio@ordineavvocati.roma.it
Ordine Degli Avvocati Di Perugia (Italy): segreteria@ordineavvocati.perugia.it
Ordine degli Avvocati di Genova (Italy): ordavvge@split.it

Kosova Chamber of Advocates: info@oak-ks.org
Bar Association of Armenia info@iravaban.am
Austria rechtsanwaelte@oerak.at, office@rakwien.at
Azerbaijan Lawyers Confederation k_jafarli@yahoo.com
Belgium groups:
Institut des Juristes d’Entreprise: info@ije.be
Nederlandse Orde van Advocaten bij de Balie te Brussel: orde@baliebrussel.be
Orde van Vlaamse Balies: info@advocaat.be

Bulgaria:
Sofia Bar Association(Bulgaria): sak_sas@abv.bg
Supreme Bar Council of Bulgaria: VASarch@bitex.com
Interadvocat Bar Association (Bulgaria): todorova@bbcelegalconsultancy.com

Croatian Bar Association: hok-cba@hok-cba.hr
Cyprus Bar Association s: cybar@cytanet.com.cy
Czech Bar Association: international@cak.cz
The Danish Bar and Law Society: bbu@advocom.dk, uwk@danskeadvokater.dk
Association of Danish Law Firms: uwk@danskeadvokater.dk
The Latvian Council of Sworn Advocates: adv-pad@latnet.lv
Le Barreau de Luxembourg: info@barreau.lu
Amsterdam Bar Association: deken@aova.nl
Netherlands Bar Association: info@advocatenorde.nl
Law Society of Northern Ireland: info@lawsoc-ni.org
The General Council of the Bar of Northern Ireland: chief.executive@barcouncilni.org.uk
Norwegian Bar Association: post@advokatforeningen.no
Poland:
The Polish Bar Council: nra@nra.pl
National Council of Legal Advisers of Poland: kirp@kirp.pl

Ordem dos Advogados
Portugueses: cons.geral@cg.oa.pt

Romania:
Bucharest Bar Association (Romania): secretariat@baroulbucaresti.ro
Dolj Bar Association (Romania): baroul.dolj@rdscv.ro

Russia:
Federal Chamber of Lawyers of the Russian Federation: info@advpalata.com
International Union (Commonwealth) of Advocates (Russian): mcca@mail.ru
Moscow Chamber of Advocates: info@advokatymoscow.ru

Scotland associations: lawscot@lawscot.org.uk, carole.ferguson-walker@advocates.org.uk, lawscot@lawscot.org.uk
Spain:
Illustre Colegio de Abogados de Madrid: icam@icam.es
Illustre Collegio d’Advocats de Barcelona: internacional@icab.es
Ilustre Colegio de Abogados de Malaga: decano@icamalaga.es
Consejo General de la Abogacia Espanola: informacion@cgae.es
Ilustre Colegio de Abogados de Valencia: internacional@icav.es

The Swedish Bar Association: info@advokatsamfundet.se
Swiss Bar Association: info@swisslawyers.com
Ankara Bar Association (Turkey): ankarabarosu@ankarabarosu.org.tr
Union of Turkish Bars: admin@barobirlik.org.tr
Ukraine:
Ukrainian Bar Association: info@uba.ua
Union of Advocates of Ukraine: office@b-i-m.com.ua

Austrailia:
Law Council of Australia: mail@lawcouncil.asn.au
The Australian Bar Association: info@austbar.asn.au
Law Society of New South Wales: lawsociety@lawsocnsw.asn.au
The Law Society of the Australian Capital Territory: lawsoc@lawsocact.asn.au
The South Australian Bar Association: sabar@sabar.org.au
Victorian Bar Council: vicbar@vicbar.com.au

Japan Federation of Bar Associations: international@nichibenren.or.jp
The Japan Bar Association: masatsugu.suzuki@bakernet.com
Tokyo Bar Association: akita@toben.or.jp

New Zealand:
New Zealand Bar Association: nzbar@nzbar.org.nz
New Zealand Law Society: inquiries@lawyers.org.nz

Canadian Bar Association: info@cba.org
Chambre des notaires du Quebec: admin@cdnq.org
Federation of Law Societies of Canada: info@flsc.ca

Iranian American Bar Association: mail@iranbar.org
American Bar Association International Liaison Office: abailo@staff.abanet.org
Los Angeles County Bar Association: questions@lacba.org
National Association of Women Lawyers: nawl@nawl.org
State Bar of Michigan International Law Section: smcmann@mail.michbar.org
New York State Bar Association International Section: lcastilla@nysba.org

UK Law Schools and Societies
London School of Economics (LSE), dept of Law: lawdepartment@lse.ac.uk
LSE Law Society: a.y.tan@lse.ac.uk

City University Law School: law@city.ac.uk
School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) Law School: law@soas.ac.uk
SOAS Law Society: 219960@soas.ac.uk, 213515@soas.ac.uk

Oxford University Faculty of Law: lawfac@law.ox.ac.uk
Cambridge University Law Faculty: enquiries@law.cam.ac.uk
Imperial College Law Society: lawsoc@imperial.ac.uk
School of Law: Kings College: law-otherenquiries@kcl.ac.uk
Kings College Law Society: jack.browne@kcl.ac.uk, sebastian.multala@kcl.ac.uk

UCL Law School: h.genn@ucl.ac.uk, joanne.scott@ucl.ac.uk
UCL Law Society: ucl-law-society@ucl.ac.uk, k.bochenek@ucl.ac.uk

Nottingham Law School: gsr@ntu.ac.uk
Aberdeen Law School: p.beaumont@abdn.ac.uk
Edinburgh University Law School: law@ed.ac.uk
Surrey University Law School: fmlreception@surrey.ac.uk
Surrey University Law Society: ussu.lawsoc@surrey.ac.uk

Brunel Law School: international@brunel.ac.uk
Brunel Law Society: brunellawsociety@lawyer.com

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