International campaign for release of Iranian activist

Shiva Nazar-Ahari

As fears rise for the life of Iranian human rights activist, Shiva Nazar-Ahari, demonstrations staged in the past few days by Iranians abroad demanding her release were accompanied with support from Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch as well as the European Union.

Human rights websites report that Iranians abroad have been gathering in various cities of the world in the past few days and the gatherings continue today to demand the release of human rights activists, Shiva Nazar-Ahari who has been detained by the Islamic Republic.

Iran’s Committee of Human Rights Reporters (CHRR) has also organized a campaign for the release of their fellow member in Iran.

Iranians in Berlin, London, Paris, Rome, Washington, Frankfurt, Toronto and Gutenberg have staged demonstrations in support of Shiva Nazar-Ahari in recent days.

Amnesty International has also joined in the efforts for the release of Nazar-Ahari. Phillip Luther, Deputy Director of Amnesty International’s Middle East and North Africa Program condemned the charges against the Iranian human rights activist saying: “Such vague charges do not amount to a recognizable criminal offence. The Iranian authorities must immediately release Shiva Nazar Ahari and drop any charges brought against her solely for the peaceful exercise of her rights to freedom of expression and association.”

He added: “This trial seems to be more about the Iranian security forces seeking to justify the continuation of the clampdown on dissent and human rights defenders than about a genuine process towards obtaining justice.”

In a statement on Wednesday, Human Rights Watch called on the Iranian judiciary to ensure Shiva Nazar-Ahari gets a fair trial including complete access to her lawyer, ample time to prepare for the defence and the ability to challenge the evidence against her.

They also urged the judiciary to “release her from pre-trial detention, where she is being held in violation of international and Iranian law.”

Heidi Hautala, Chairwoman of the European Parliament’s Subcommittee on Human Rights also issued a statement on Wednesday calling for the release of Shiva Nazar-Ahari expressing grave concern that her life may be in danger.

Shiva Nazar-Ahari was arrested in the protests that followed the controversial re-election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in the 2009 presidential elections. She was arrested on June 14, 2009 and released in September of that year on a $200,000 bail.

She was arrested again in December of 2009 prior to the demonstrations that accompanied the funeral of the dissident cleric, Grand Ayatollah Montazeri.

Nazar-Ahari has been kept behind bars since last December on the charges of “assembly and collusion to commit crime”, “propaganda against the regime” and “rebellion against God (moharebeh)”; the last of which can carry the death penalty.

Shiva Nazar-Ahari’s trial is to take place today in Tehran.