Fariba Adelkhah, an anthropologist at the Paris Institute of Political Studies, is still in prison for alleged espionage and propaganda charges without clear evidence, despite a reputation for being apolitical. She faces cardiac health problems and should be released on time served.
June 23, 2022
Ebrahim Raisi
President of the Islamic Republic of Iran
The Presidency,
Pasteur Street, Pasteur Square
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Email: media@rouhani.ir
Dear President Raisi:
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 in regard to Fariba Adelkhah, an anthropologist at the Paris Institute of Political Studies, where she was the director of research at Centre for International Studies (CERI) and a distinguished scholar of Iranian religion, society, and politics during the second half of the previous century. Since 2019, she has been serving a five-year sentence (sometimes under house arrest) for alleged charges of espionage, propagating propaganda, and undermining state security without clear evidence, given her reputation for being apolitical.
We write to urge your government to release Ms. Adelkhah without delay considering the time that she has served already. The nonviolent nature of her alleged crimes does not justify imprisonment. The Committee is concerned that she is not getting proper medical care for her cardiac conditions. She should also be granted access to both her family, legal counsel, and the French consulate. She should be allowed to return to France.
Thank you for your attention to this serious matter. We will be closely following developments in this case.
Sincerely,
Joel L. Lebowitz, Paul H. Plotz, Walter Reich, Eugene M. Chudnovsky, Alexander Greer
Co-Chairs, Committee of Concerned Scientists
cc:
Majid Takht Ravanchi
Permanent Representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran
to the United Nations
622 Third Avenue, 34th Floor
New York, NY 10017
Phone: (212) 687-2020
Fax: (212) 867-7086
Email: iran@un.int
Twitter: @TakhtRavanchi
Antony J. Blinken
Secretary of State
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street, NW
Washington, DC 20520 USA
Phone: (202) 647-4000
Twitter: @ABlinken
Hossein Amir-Abdollahian
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran
Imam Khomeini Street, Imam Khomeini Square,
Tehran, Iran
Email: info@mfa.gov.ir