With support from the University of Richmond

History News Network

History News Network puts current events into historical perspective. Subscribe to our newsletter for new perspectives on the ways history continues to resonate in the present. Explore our archive of thousands of original op-eds and curated stories from around the web. Join us to learn more about the past, now.

Network of Concerned Historians calls for action to protect journalist arrested by Iran

Dear Colleagues,

Today, Scholars at Risk (SAR) reports about Mehrnoushe Solouki, a filmmaker and journalism graduate student at Quebec University (UQAM), who, while making a documentary on burial rites of religious minorities in Iran, allegedly stumbled upon a site that was reportedly a mass grave of regime opponents summarily executed in 1988. On 17 November 2007, she was tried on charges of “intent to commit propaganda”. I hope that you can send the recommended urgent appeals immediately. Please remember to write in your professional capacity. Thank you.

With best wishes,

Antoon De Baets
(Network of Concerned Historians)

IRAN

SCHOLARS AT RISK CALLS FOR LETTERS ON BEHALF OF
DETAINED GRADUATE STUDENT MEHRNOUSHE SOLOUKI

Date: December 4, 2007

Scholars at Risk (SAR) is deeply concerned about the trial and travel restrictions facing Mehrnoushe Solouki, a graduate student and joint French and Iranian citizen who has been kept from leaving Iran. SAR calls for letters, faxes and emails calling for authorities to explain publicly the reasons for Ms. Solouki’s trial and travel restrictions and to lift these restrictions immediately.

Scholars at Risk is an international network of universities and colleges dedicated to promoting academic freedom and to defending the human rights of scholars worldwide. SAR learned that Solouki, a filmmaker and graduate student at the Université de Quebec à Montréal (Canada), entered Iran with permission in December 2006 in order to film her third documentary, on the subject of the burial rites of religious minorities. The Iranian Ministry of Islamic Culture and Guidance granted Solouki a research license and officials were told in advance of locations where she would film. Solouki allegedly stumbled upon a site that was reportedly a mass grave of regime opponents summarily executed in 1988.

SAR learned that, following this incident, in February 2007, Solouki was arrested by five armed men and placed in Evin prison. She was released from prison when her parents posted bail of 85,000 Euros on March 28, 2007, but authorities confiscated her French passport, thus preventing her from leaving Iran. In breach of Iranian law limiting travel bans to six months, Solouki has still not been allowed to return to France.

On November 17, Solouki was tried in closed-door proceedings on charges of “intent to commit propaganda” against the Iranian regime. She has neither edited nor broadcast any film taken during her current stay. The trial was adjourned to an unspecified future date.

SAR calls on the authorities to explain the reasons behind Solouki’s detainment and trial and to lift the travel restrictions, in accordance with Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Scholars at Risk requests that urgent letters of appeal, emails and faxes be sent:

**respectfully calling for the full acquittal of Mehrnoushe Solouki in accordance with Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to which Iran is a signatory;

**respectfully urging authorities to allow Mehrnoushe Solouki to return home safely without further delay;

**respectfully seeking assurances of Mehrnoushe Solouki’s physical well-being while she is in custody pending any proceedings;

**respectfully reminding authorities that the free exchange of ideas across national boundaries is a core value of academic freedom and higher education generally.


WRITE TO:

Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic:
**His Excellency Ayatollah Sayed ‘Ali Khamenei
**The Office of the Supreme Leader
**Shoahada Street, Qom,
**Islamic Republic of Iran
**Email: info “AT” leader.ir
**Email: istiftaa “AT” wilayah.org


COPIES TO:

President:
**His Excellency Dr. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
**Pasteur Ave.
**Tehran 13168-43311
**Islamic Republic of Iran


Head of the Judiciary:
**His Excellency
**Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi
**Ministry of Justice, Park-e Shahrz
**Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
**Please send emails via the Judiciary website <iranjudiciary.org/feedback_en.html>


Minister of Intelligence:
**Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejeie
**Ministry of Intelligence,
**Second Negarestan Street,
**Pasdaran Avenue,
**Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
**Email: iranprobe “AT” iranprobe.com


H.E. Dr. Mohammad Javad Zarif, Ambassador of Iran to the United Nations
**Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations
**622 Third Avenue, 34th Floor
**New York, NY 10017, USA
**Fax: 212-867-7086


Scholars at Risk:
**c/o New York University
**194 Mercer St., Rm. 410
**New York, NY 10012, USA
**Tel: 212-998-2215
**Fax: 212-995 4402
**scholarsatrisk “AT” nyu.edu


Jonathan Travis:
**Programme Officer, Network for Education and Academic Rights
**London South Bank University
**90 London Road
**SE1 9LN London, UK
**Fax: 0044(0) 207 021 0881
**jonathan.travis “AT” nearinternational.org

==========

This message was first circulated to persons on the Network of Concerned Historians (NCH) mailing list. You have been included on this list either because you indicated your wish for updates on the NCH, or because it was suggested to us that you or your organization might be interested in this initiative. If at any time you would like to be removed from the list,
simply send us a reply stating your request. Please also feel free to contact us if you have any questions, comments, or concerns. You can reach us at the following address: antoondebaets@concernedhistorians.org.

For more information you may also visit the NCH website at: http://www.concernedhistorians.org

We invite you to forward information about NCH to other individuals and organizations who may be interested.