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Human Rights Issues.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 December 2009

Tuesday, 15 December 2009

Questions (240)

Bernard J. Durkan

Question:

251 Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the position regarding the well-being of a person (details supplied), an Iranian academic, who was arrested in Iran on 9 July 2009; if an appeal hearing against the person’s sentence met international good practice regarding the person’s right to a defence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47126/09]

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Written answers

As the Deputy will be aware from my previous replies to him, most recently on 24 November, we have been following this case closely through our Embassy in Tehran.

Following his arrest at his home on 9 July and his subsequent appearance at one of the televised show trials, Dr Kian Tajbakhsh was sentenced on 20 October, reportedly on allegations of espionage and playing a role in the public unrest which followed the disputed June Presidential elections in Iran. The exact charges which were brought against Dr. Tajbakhsh, and indeed the length of his sentence, were not made clear at that time. Dr. Tajbakhsh's lawyer initially indicated that he would be imprisoned for 12 years or more. Recent reports that he now faces additional charges of espionage are causing profound concern. Our understanding is that Dr Tajbakhsh remains in detention in Tehran as he awaits a date for his appeal which has not yet been set. Unfortunately, as I stated in my previous reply, the situation in Iran, post-election, remains tense and complex and the legal system to which Dr Tajbakhsh is now subject is both opaque and slow moving. Many hundreds continue to remain in detention in Iran and it is still not clear when, and by what process, these will be properly tried or released.

The case of Dr. Tajbakhsh, as an American citizen, continues to be dealt with actively by the Swiss Embassy in Tehran, which represents US interests in Iran. In a strong statement on Dr. Tajbakhsh's case on 1 December, the EU Presidency reiterated its concerns and described the reports of Dr. Tajbakhsh facing additional charges as "deeply worrying". The EU statement also urged Iran to comply with all international and regional human rights instruments which it had ratified, and not least with the relevant articles of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights regarding the right to a fair trial, which is also enshrined in the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran. In a Declaration issued on 11 December, the European Council also reiterated its deep concerns about continued violations of human rights in Iran.

Senior officials of my Department have raised Dr. Tajbakhsh's case directly with the Iranian Ambassador to Ireland and have made clear our concerns at his sentencing and the possibility of his facing additional charges. I can assure the Deputy that we will continue to bring the case of detainees such as Dr. Tajbakhsh to the attention of the Iranian authorities. We will also avail of every opportunity to express our concerns about the marked deterioration of human rights in Iran, both nationally and in an EU and international context.

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