Amnesty International highlights the Alaei case in annual report
Posted on Wednesday, Jun 3, 2009 at 4:24 pm by Peter Witzler
Amnesty International highlighted the imprisonment of the Alaei brothers in its annual report on the state of the world’s human rights. In a section on human rights in Iran, Amnesty International notes:
Brothers Arash and Kamiar Alaei, both medical doctors specializing in HIV and AIDS prevention and treatment, were arrested in June and detained without charge possibly because of their links with US-based NGOs and their criticism of government policy towards HIV and AIDs programmes. They faced an unfair trial on 31 December [2008], accused of having “co-operated” with an “enemy government” and seeking to overthrow the Iranian government. During the trial, the prosecutor told the court of additional, secret evidence which the brothers’ attorney had no opportunity to refute because the prosecutor did not disclose it.
This criticism of the Iranian government from a leading human rights research and advocacy organization puts additional pressure on Iranian authorities to free the Alaeis.
Amnesty International’s report emphasizes the toll the global economic crisis is taking on human rights. Financial Times included an interview Amnesty International’s Secretary General Irene Khan in an article on the recent release of the report:
“Underlying the economic crisis is an explosive human rights crisis. The economic downturn has aggravated abuses, distracted attention from them and created new problems,” Ms Khan said yesterday. “In the name of security, human rights were trampled on. Now, in the name of economic recovery, they are being relegated to the back seat.
“The world needs a new global deal on human rights – not paper promises but commitment and concrete action from governments to defuse the human rights time-bomb,” she said.
Don’t let the Alaeis’ freedom and the wellbeing of AIDS patients in Iran and around the world be forgotten in the midst of economic crisis. Take action today by signing the petition and/or writing a letter (sample letter) to the Iranian Embassy in your country calling for the release of the doctors.
