Arzhang Davoodi was given a death sentence three years ago in Iran. In October, 2003, he was arrested after he assisted in the making of a TV documentary called “Forbidden Iran,” in which he commented on plight of political prisoners in Iran. He was punished for exercising his right to free, peaceful expression. He has always been non-violent. Arzhang Davoodi and was named a prisoner of conscience by Amnesty International. After his arrest, he was sentenced to 15 years and 70 lashes in prison.
In 2011, an additional 14 months was added to his sentence, and new charges were brought against him. Now, his sentence has been lengthened yet again, this time to 20 years and eight months. Yet during all this time, he has been in prison, often in solitary confinement, incapable of any act of violence, without even the means of conveying his peaceful nonviolent thought to the public outside prison. He has now been sentenced to death.
Please write to:

Leader of the Islamic Republic
Ayatollah Sayed ‘Ali Khamenei
The Office of the Supreme Leader
KeshvarDoust Street,
Tehran
Islamic Republic of Iran

Your Excellency Head of the Judiciary
Ayatollah Sadegh Larijani
c/o Public Relations Office
Number 4, 2 Azizi Street intersection
Tehran
Islamic Republic of Iran
Your Excellency

Your Excellency,

I am writing to you about the writer and poet Mr. Arzhang Davoodi who was sentenced to death for his alleged membership and support of banned group People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI) on 20 July 2014. The sentence was imposed despite an apparent lack of evidence and after grossly unfair proceedings. He had been given less than an hour on 3 June to present his defence before a Revolutionary Court in the southern city of Bandar Abbas, which relayed it to a Revolutionary Court in Karaj, responsible for issuing the death sentence. Neither Arzhang Davoodi nor his lawyer were allowed to appear before the court which issued the verdict.

Arzhang Davoodi is a prisoner of conscience, jailed, and now sentenced to death, for his political opinions and peaceful exercise of the right to freedom of expression. He has no links with the PMOI or any armed groups. I call on you, Your Excellency, to overturn Arzhang Davoodi’s death sentence and to release Arzhang Davoodi, as he is a prisoner of conscience, held solely for the peaceful exercise of his right to freedom of expression. Arzhang Davoodi continues to suffer from severe health problems, please appeal to the authorities to release this old, harmless and idealistic man to get the medical attention he needs and live out his last days unimprisoned.

Sincerely,