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Political Activist Abdollah Momeni Sentenced to Eight Years in Prison

Abdollah Momeni, the spokesperson for the Alumni Association of Iran has been sentenced to eight years in prison. He was one of the more than 100 people charged in a mass trial before a Revolutionary Court with inciting the post-12 June election unrest in Iran and it is feared that he has been ill-treated in detention.

The evidence produced against him included “contacts with [the] human rights NGOs Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.” Official court papers alleged that, among other things, Abdollah Momeni had confessed to undermining the system by questioning the election to cause unrest, and to contacts with anti-revolutionary foreign media, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch in order to conduct propaganda against the system. He also requested a pardon. Amnesty International fears his statements were made under duress.

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Ayatollah Sayed Ali Khamenei - His Excellency

Ayatollah Sadeqh Larijani - His Excellency

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Dear (recipient name),

Dear Your Excellency:

I am writing to you to express my deep concern over the case of Abdollah Momeni, the spokesperson for the Alumni Association of Iran (Advar-e Tahkim Vahdat), who has been sentenced to eight years in prison. He was one of six people charged in the 14 September session of the mass trial in a Revolutionary Court in Tehran of persons accused of inciting the post-12 June election unrest in Iran. I am very concerned that he may have been ill-treated in detention.

Abdollah Momeni also reportedly confessed to having questioned the election results, and to contacting foreign media and international human rights organizations in order to carry out propaganda against the system. I am concerned that these confessions may have been made under duress.

Abdollah Momeni was arrested on 21 June at the headquarters of presidential candidate Mehdi Karroubi. It is not certain where he is being detained.  When his wife and brother visited him in Evin Prison on 8 August, they reported that he was not able to walk unassisted, that he had lost weight, appeared disoriented, and that his eyes were puffy and bruised.  Human Rights organizations have criticized the trial sessions held in the Revolutionary Court for their failure to adhere to international standards for fair trials.

Abdollah Momeni has been detained solely for his peaceful political opinions. He is a prisoner of conscience, and I therefore urge that he be immediately and unconditionally released from detention. I further urge you to insure that he will not be subjected to torture or ill-treatment in detention, and that he be granted immediate access to his lawyer and any necessary medical treatment.

Thank you very much for your attention.

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