The International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran has uncovered the documents of the perfunctory court proceeding that convicted Drs Kamiar and Arash Alaei.  The ICHRI website includes the original Farsi copy and an English translation. The documents cite as so-called evidence of their alleged wrongdoing against Iran, Kamiar’s and Arash’s participation in international HIV/AIDS conferences and sharing their expertise in harm reduction with the international scientific community. As we all  know, treating AIDS is NOT a crime, it’s good medicine.

The documents also reference confessions of Kamiar and Arash obtained during their detention in the notorious section 209 of Evin Prison. Given the history of interrogation techniques in section 209,  these confessions must be viewed as tainted and inadmissible in a court of law.

Also troubling in these court documents is the specious claim that Dr Kamiar Alaei’s affiliation with Harvard School of Public Health constitutes evidence of his communication with an enemy state. A pandemic like HIV/AIDS that knows no geographical, social or political boundaries demands a coordinated international response. The conviction of Drs Kamiar and Arash Alaei will have a chilling effect on international scientific collaboration.

One ray of hope for the Alaeis is the similarities between this case and that of recently released Iranian-American journalist Roxana Saberi. She was given a suspended sentence by the appeals court under the principle of Islamic kindness and mercy. We hope that Drs Kamiar and Arash Alaei’s lifesaving HIV/AIDS work for the people of Iran will motivate that same Islamic kindness and mercy.