Australian Senator Urges UN to Release Elite Students Arrested in Iran

The National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) informs that the Australian Senator Eric Abetz wrote a letter to Javaid Rehman, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran, urging him to increase pressure on the Iranian regime to release two elite students, Ali Younesi and Amir Hossain Moradi, as well as other young political prisoners.

Amir Hossein Moradi disappeared on April 10 and Ali Younesi was brought home the same day with injuries and marks of torture.

As the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) states on its news portal, Ali won the gold medal at the 12th International Astronomical and Astrophysical Olympiad, which was held in China in 2018. Previously, he had won the silver and gold medals at the National Olympiad astronomy in 2016 and 2017. Amir Hossein also won the silver medal of the Olympiad in 2017. The judiciary of the Iranian regime, after nearly a month of secrecy, announced on May 5 that it had arrested these students. Shortly after, the MEK Iran announced the names of 18 other people recently and secretly arrested by the regime.

An Iranian prison report indicates that Ali Younesi contracted COVID-19.

According to the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), since the arrest of these human rights activists, many renowned human rights organizations and politicians around the world, such as Senator Abetz, have condemned the arbitrary arrest of these prisoners by the regime Iranian and demanded their immediate release.

The full text of Senator Abetz's letter was published at the website of National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) and is as follows:



Dear Dr. Javaid Rehman,



In recent weeks, the Iranian intelligence and security ministry and the pasdaran intelligence services have arrested large numbers of young activists, particularly families and supporters of the MEK Iran. The Iranian regime has also increased its persecution of Iranian religious minorities.

According to the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), many have been sent to prison and some temporarily released on bail to pledge not to participate in any anti-regime activity. Among those arrested was Ali Younesi, described by Amnesty International as a "prisoner of conscience” targeted solely for his family ties and at risk of torture or other ill-treatment.

Iran's Human Rights Monitor recently said in its May 2020 monthly report that “Although the coronavirus has ravaged various provinces in Iran, the regime’s security and judiciary have intensified the persecution of minorities and political and political activists. civil rights".

I urge you, as the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iran, to facilitate an independent international fact-finding mission to Iran to investigate allegations of persecution against supporters of the MEK Iran, NCRI and others political and religious minorities.


Regards,

Eric Abetz


Liberal senator from Tasmania


National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI)