{"id":932,"date":"2016-06-15T10:47:08","date_gmt":"2016-06-15T10:47:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.iransos.com\/en\/?p=932"},"modified":"2016-06-15T10:47:08","modified_gmt":"2016-06-15T10:47:08","slug":"un-body-calls-for-immediate-release-of-bahareh-hedayat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.iransos.com\/en\/?p=932","title":{"rendered":"UN Body Calls for Immediate Release of Bahareh Hedayat"},"content":{"rendered":"

Iranian women\u2019s rights activist and human rights defender, Bahareh Hedayat<\/p><\/div>\n

June 15, 2016\u2014The United Nation\u2019s Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) has issued an opinion<\/a> on the case of the Iranian women\u2019s rights activist and human rights defender, Bahareh Hedayat, demanding her immediate release. The opinion ruled Hedayat\u2019s imprisonment since 2009 is arbitrary and against international law.<\/p>\n

WGAD\u2019s consideration and ruling of Hedayat\u2019s case, adopted on April, 19, 2016 and released on May 26, 2016, comes in response to a submission to the WGAD by the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran.<\/p>\n

Hedayat was given a brief furlough (temporary leave) from Evin Prison\u2019s Women\u2019s Ward on June 7, 2016, but was returned to prison less than a week later on June 13. The Campaign calls for her immediate release in light of the WGAD ruling.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is high time for this injustice to end. After almost seven years of unlawful imprisonment, the Iranian authorities should release her immediately,\u201d said Hadi Ghaemi, the Campaign\u2019s executive director.<\/p>\n

The WGAD opinion noted that the Judicial proceedings against Hedayat were riddled with breaches of due process and international law.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe deprivation of liberty of Bahareh Hedayat was arbitrary, being in contravention of articles 9, 10, 11, 19 and 20 of the UDHR [the Universal Declaration of Human Rights] and articles 9, 10, 14, 19 and 21 of the ICCPR [the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights], and falls within categories I, II and III of the categories applicable to the consideration of cases submitted to the Working Group,\u201d it stated.<\/p>\n

WGAD also expressed serious concern for Hedayat\u2019s health, stating:\u00a0\u201c\u2026 the Working Group wishes to record its grave concern about Ms. Hedayat\u2019s\u00a0deteriorating health since her detention in December 2009, particularly the allegations made by the source that she has not been provided with adequate medical care and that this may result in irreparable harm to her health and leave her permanently sterile.\u201d<\/p>\n

The WGAD ruling concludes by calling for her immediate release:\u00a0\u201cTaking into account all the circumstances of the case, especially the risk of\u00a0irreparable harm to Ms. Hedayat\u2019s health and physical integrity, the Working Group\u00a0considers that the adequate remedy would be to release Ms. Hedayat immediately, and accord her an enforceable.\u201d<\/p>\n

WGAD also noted that it communicated its concerns to the Government of Iran and requested it response, but the Government of Iran did not provide a reply within the standard response time required.<\/p>\n

Agents of the Ministry of Intelligence arrested Hedayat on December 30, 2009. On May 5, 2010, Branch 28 of the Revolutionary Court in Tehran sentenced Hedayat to a total of 7.5 years of imprisonment for the following three charges:<\/p>\n