To: United Nations
To The Secretary General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-Moon, The United Nations
Your Excellency
Peaceful and non-violent demonstrations by the citizens of Iran, since 13 June till 20 June 2009, protesting the results of the recent presidential elections, have been brutally suppressed by government agencies. More than 55 people have been reportedly killed and thousands detained by the Islamic Republic of Iran for demonstrating peacefully. Even children, who were bystanders, were not spared.
On 12 June 2009 the Ministry of Interior held the 10th Presidential Elections of Iran. Strangely, within hours of the closing of polling stations, the incumbent, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, was announced president. Millions of Iranians who had voted, advocated and petitioned for the leaders of the opposition, Mehdi Karroubi and Mirhossein Mousavi, took to the streets in the next five days to show their dissatisfaction with the announced election results, claming it was rigged. They were all calling for re-elections.
Spontaneous and peaceful protests broke out throughout the country and citizens of all ages participated. Demonstrations were peaceful till disrupted by hired hooligans of the government, who have been repeatedly used on earlier occasions by the Iranian regime to strike fear among dissidents and to justify tougher law enforcement. These hooligans even entered student dormitories in Tehran, Shiraz and Esfahan universities. Communication and information links have been censored. Electronic media used by the protestors were blocked or filtered, like websites, weblogs, and text messaging on telephone networks. Local newspapers have not been able to give accurate information, which has been witnessed by hundreds of thousands of Iranian and the press all over the world. Citizens are being harassed and subjected to searches after dark for no reason.
In light of the current situation, we appeal to the UN to honor the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, to which the government of Iran is a party, by:
A. Calling for an investigation of the violation of ARTICLE 5 and ARTICLE 9 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. (No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment; No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile) by the Islamic Republic of Iran by giving a list of those detained since 13 June 2009 and procedures followed to protect their rights.
B. Holding accountable the Islamic Republic of Iran for violation of ARTICLE 20 [Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association].
C. Holding an Indepent investigation into the rigging of elections on 12 June 2009 by the Islamic Republic of Iran under ARTICLE 21 [(1) Everyone has the right to take part in the government of his country, directly or through freely chosen representatives. (2) Everyone has the right of equal access to public service in his country. (3) The will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government; this will shall be expressed in periodic and genuine elections which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret vote or by equivalent free voting procedures.]
D. Calling to allow the free-flow of information by respecting the right of citizens to freedom of expression and opinion foreseen in ARTICLE 19 [Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers].
E. Asking the Islamic Republic of Iran to provide equal protection of the law to all its citizens regardeless of political affiliation, according to ARTICLE 7.
Sincerely yours,
Group of Iranian Artists & Writers ( residents of City of Tehran ).
( Names withheld , due to obvious safety issues . )
Sincerely,
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