Dr. Ahmadreza Djalali, an expert in Disaster Medicine, was arrested and has been detained in Evin Prison since April 2016. He has been charged with “collaborating with hostile governments” and “acting against national security.” Dr. Djalali is an Iranian National who was residing with his family in Sweden, but would return to Iran to do training with professionals in disaster medicine. Dr. Djalali’s trial is scheduled for August 2nd. CCS, along with SAR, PHR and other human rights groups has called for the release of Dr. Djalali. CCS’ most recent commuications are a letter to President Rouhani asking for his assistance in this matter, and a letter to The Iranian Academy of Medical Sciences asking that they request their members to send letters of support.
July 16, 2017
President Hassan Rouhani
The Presidency
Pasteur Street
Pasteur Square
Tehran, Iran
Your Excellency,
The Committee of Concerned Scientists is an independent organization of scientists, physicians, engineers and scholars devoted to the protection and advancement of human rights and scientific freedom for colleagues all over the world.
We are writing on behalf of our colleague Dr. Ahmadreza Djalali who has been detained in Tehran’s Evin prison since April 2016 and was recently threatened with the death penalty by a court in Tehran.
We understand that Dr. Djalali, an Iranian national and resident of Sweden, was arrested by Iranian Ministry of Intelligence officials while traveling to Iran to attend workshops in disaster medicine at universities in Tehran and Shiraz. He has been detained in Tehran’s Evin prison for approximately ten months for alleged “collaboration with hostile governments” and “acting against national security.” During the first seven months of captivity he was denied a lawyer. Now, prosecution authorities refuse to allow his attorney to take up Ahmadreza Djalali’s defense.
Dr. Djalali is a highly-respected scientist who is well known and admired within the international community for his high-quality research and teaching. A physician and expert in disaster medicine, Dr. Djalali completed his PhD studies at the Karolinska Institute (Sweden) and obtained a master’s degree in Disaster Medicine (EMDM) jointly organized by the Research Center in Emergency and Disaster Medicine of the Università del Piemonte Orientale (CRIMEDIM, Italy) and the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (ReGEDiM, Belgium). He subsequently completed a postdoctoral research fellowship at the CRIMEDIM. Dr. Djalali has worked alongside researchers from all over the world to improve the operational capacity of hospitals in countries suffering from extreme poverty and affected by disasters and armed conflicts. He has authored more than 45 publications.
Dr. Djalali is known by his colleagues and students to be very respectful of his native home, the Islamic Republic of Iran, and one of his aims was to increase the understanding and shared relationship between the country where he lived and worked and other countries in the region in fostering excellence in the development of Emergency and Disaster Medicine and research applied to humanitarian assistance. Colleagues indicate that he always spoke of his Iranian heritage with great respect and pride.
The Islamic Republic of Iran must respect the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, of which they are a signatory, and allow Dr. Djalali to be defended by and given regular access to an attorney of his choice, and refrain from torture or ill treatment.
We welcome any additional information that may clarify our understanding of these events. Absent this, the facts suggest that Dr. Djalali has been arrested for peacefully exercising his right to academic freedom, freedom of expression, freedom of association, and freedom of assembly, and has been denied proper access to legal counsel and due process. We, his friends and colleagues, together with other organizations including Physicians for Human Rights and Scholars at Risk, are calling for Djalali’s immediate release and speedy return to his family and employment.
We are also asking that prosecution authorities ensure that Dr. Djalali has immediate access to a qualified health professional who can provide health care in compliance with medical ethics, including the principles of confidentiality, autonomy and informed consent.
Thank you for your attention and response.
Sincerely,
Joel L. Lebowitz, Paul H. Plotz, Walter Reich, Eugene M. Chudnovsky, Alexander Greer
Co-Chairs, Committee of Concerned Scientists
Cc:
Ayatollah Sayed ‘Ali Khamenei
Office of the Supreme Leader
Islamic Republic Street – End of Shahid
Keshvar Doust Street
Tehran, Iran
Ayatollah Sadegh Larijani
Head of the Judiciary
c/o Public Relations Office, #4
Deadend of 1 Azizi Vali Asr Street
Tehran, Iran
July 16, 2017
Professor Seyed Alireza Marandi, M.D., President
The Iranian Academy of Medical Sciences
National Library Blvd., Haqqani Expressway
POB 19395/4655 Tehran
Islamic Republic of Iran
Fax: +9821 88645499
Dear Dr. Marandi:
The Committee of Concerned Scientists is an independent organization of scientists, physicians, engineers and scholars devoted to the protection and advancement of human rights and scientific freedom for colleagues all over the world.
We are writing you again today to express our grave concern for Dr. Ahmadreza Djalali, an Iranian-born resident of Sweden, who is an expert on Emergency and Disaster Medicine. Dr. Djalali had been to Tehran numerous times to work with state organizations such as the Red Crescent and never experienced any problems.
However, on April 24, 2016, during his visit on the invitation of Tehran University, Dr. Djalali was arrested and taken to Evin prison. He had been held in solitary confinement for seven months with no access to an attorney, continually interrogated and unable to see his family. Eventually he was transferred to a public ward and was permitted legal counsel.
On December 25th, 2016, Dr. Djalali was informed that he was going to receive the maximum sentence, which was the death penalty, for “collaborating with enemy states.” Previously, however, he was informed that his case had been reviewed and his trial would begin shortly. Dr. Djalali informed his family that he was forced to sign a confession, but its contents are unknown to him. He was recently on a hunger strike, taking fluids but refusing food. He has now ceased.
The case of Dr. Djalali has been in the news and has become widely known. Besides the enormous suffering that it causes to Dr. Djalali and his family, it is hurting the image of the Islamic Republic of Iran. His colleagues, as well as medical doctors all over the world, have been united in rejecting charges against Dr. Djalali and demanding his unconditional release. Governments and human rights organizations have spoken on his behalf.
We are asking for your help. We trust that you will use your and the Academy’s influence to help achieve Dr. Djalali’s release and his return to his family and place of residence. If you can inform your members that his trial is scheduled for August 2nd and if there is anything they can do to assist him that would be greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Joel L. Lebowitz, Paul H. Plotz, Walter Reich, Eugene M. Chudnovsky, Alexander Greer
Co-Chairs, Committee of Concerned Scientists
Cc:
Professor Fereidoun Azizi, VP for Research, azizi@endocrin.ac.ir
Mrs. Nazi Afkam, Program Manager, afkham@ams.ac.ir
