#Human Rights
Target:
Ahmed Shaheed, UN, UNHCHR, State Department, EU, Navi Pillay, Ban Ki-Moon, European Parliament
Region:
GLOBAL
Website:
www.en-hrana.org

On December 1, 2012 it was reported that Dr. Ali Rashidi, an eminent Iranian economist and political activist, had been sentenced to two years imprisonment and 5 years ban of activity.

According to a report by Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), Dr. Ali Rashidi, Member of board of National Front, eminent economist, founding member of Iranian Economists Association, has been sentenced to two years imprisonment and 5 years ban of activity for writing about Iran's economic situation.

Dr. Rashidi was arrested on November 3, 2011 after being summoned to the Intelligence Ministry. He was sent to the notorious Evin Prison on November 15, 2011. In February 2012 he was reportedly released on bail pending his trial.

WHEREAS: Dr. Ali Rashidi has been sentenced to prison based purely on his peaceful pursuit of both his professional duties as an economist and expression of political and economic opinions both as a founding member of the Iranian Economists Association and a board member for the National Front party;

AND WHEREAS: Both this prison sentence and the imposition of a ban on the peaceful pursuit of his professional career are illegal under both international law (Articles 18 and 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights) and Iranian law (Article 24 of the Iranian Constitution;

AND WHEREAS: The imprisonment of Iran's leading economists at a time of profound economic crisis can only be considered a crime against the Iranian nation itself, and emblematic of the Islamic Republic regime's dirty war against Iran's nascent civil society;

THEREFORE: We, the undersigned, demand that all levels of the international community bring all possible pressure be brought to bear upon the Islamic Republic of Iran to immediately and unconditionally rescind the prison sentence and professional ban imposed on Dr. Ali Rashidi, and drop all charges brought against him.

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The Rescind Prison Sentence, Professional Ban on Dr. Ali Rashidi, Iranian Economist, Political Activist petition to Ahmed Shaheed, UN, UNHCHR, State Department, EU, Navi Pillay, Ban Ki-Moon, European Parliament was written by John S. Burke and is in the category Human Rights at GoPetition.