Dr. Leslie Ramsammy, Minister of Health, Guyana, and President of the World Health Assembly, issued the following appeal on behalf of Arash and Kamiar Alaei in commemoration of the Global Day of Action for the Alaeis. Dr. Ramsammy’s statement was covered by national media in Guyana, and he was also interviewed by the BBC and Carribean Radio Network (CRC) about this c

ase.

As a Minister of Health, a public health professional, an activist against HIV, and as the President of the World Health Assembly, I am saddened by the continuing imprisonment of Arash and Kamiar Alaei, two Iranian physicians and public health professionals. I join my public health colleagues around the world to add my voice in seeking a just resolution to this unfortunate incident.

Whatever the perceived missteps of the Alaei brothers, they have suffered enough and I pray and hope the Government of Iran would intervene to ensure the freedom of two public health professionals so that they can continue their work in public health in Iran.

The present issue is not about attribution. It is about making it possible for two talented and dedicated public health professionals to contribute to the achievement of the MDGs and better health for all people, particularly Iranians.

The possibility of better health for all is one that attracted Arash and Kamiar Alaei to the public health arena. The quest for better health is a common goal of all of human kind. The realization of better health for all needs the combined talents and commitment of public health professionals like the Alaei brothers.

Arash and Kamiar Alaei’s commitment to the prevention and control of HIV in Iran and around the world brought them in close collaboration with a global team working to ensure HIV is brought under control. This kind of collaboration has resulted in significant inroads against HIV. The future of the world depends on continued inroads against HIV. No one is served, none benefits when anyone of us is taken away from the fight.

I am certain that the Iranian Government and the people of Iran share the same values of justice and mercy and the global quest for health and long lives for all of our peoples. I have followed the struggles of the Iranian people and their Government over decades to ensure that the Iranian people are able to live a decent and dignified life. I admire the pride of the Iranian people. It is for these reasons that I am confident that a re-examination of the circumstances would result in the freedom of my public health colleagues and brothers.

A mistake has been made and if the Alaei brothers have contributed to the mistake, I am hoping that President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad would ensure that two of his Iranian brothers are given the opportunity to contribute further to the successful confrontation against HIV in Iran and globally.

I join my public health colleagues around the world to appeal to President Ahmadinejad to do whatever is possible that these two public health professionals could be freed and resume their important contributions to public health in Iran and globally.