Author and poet Dr. Sedigheh Vasmaghi was released on bail on November 4, 2017. Vasmaghi had been held in Evin prison since October 22 where she was brought for interrogation after her return from Sweden.

PEN welcomes Vasmaghi’s release and continues to call for any charges against her solely relating to her peaceful exercise of her right to freedom of expression to be dropped. PEN International will continue to closely monitor Vasmasghi’s case as the next hearing is expected to be held in November. 

PEN also calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all other writers currently detained in Iran in connection with their peaceful exercise of their right to freedom of expression and assembly, in accordance with Articles 9, 19 and 21 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Iran is a state party.

TAKE ACTION!

Please send appeals:

  • Welcoming the release of author and poet Dr. Sedigheh Vasmaghi, and calling for all charges against her solely related to her peaceful exercise of freedom of expression to be dropped;
  • Calling for the immediate and unconditional release of all other writers currently detained in Iran solely in connection with their peaceful exercise of their right to freedom of expression and assembly, in accordance with Articles 9, 19 and 21 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Iran is a state party.

Write to:

Leader of the Islamic Republic
Grand Ayatollah Sayed ‘Ali Khamenei
The Office of the Supreme Leader
Islamic Republic Street — End of Shahid Keshvar Doust Street,
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Email: http://www.leader.ir/langs/en/index.php?p=letter 
Twitter: @khamenei_ir English-language account), @Khamenei_ar (Arabic-language), @Khamenei_es (Spanish-language account).

Head of the Judiciary
Ayatollah Sadegh Larijani
c/o Public Relations Office
Number 4, Deadend of 1 Azizi – Vali Asr Street
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran

President of the Islamic Republic of Iran
Hassan Rouhani
Pasteur Street, Pasteur Square
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Email: [email protected]

http://rouhani.ir/register.php 
Twitter: @HassanRouhani (English) and
@Rouhani_ir (Persian)

And copy to the Embassy of Iran in your country. You can find embassy addresses here. Please inform PEN of any action you take, and of any responses you receive.

Background

 On October 14, 2017, Vasmaghi, along with her husband, arrived from Sweden to Iran where she was detained for several hours at Tehran’s International Airport. Vasmaghi was then released and ordered to reappear for interrogation on October 22, where she was brought before Branch 28 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, which is responsible for protecting the Iranian political regime. Vasmaghi was then immediately transferred to Evin prison where she was detained until November 4 when she was released on bail of one billion rials (approximately US$28,000).

Vasmaghi is a well-known poet, writer, and women’s rights activist. She obtained her PhD in law at Tehran University and is one of few women to have taught the subject of Islamic law in Iran. Vasmaghi has published her first poetry collection Praying for Rain in 1989, for which she received the 1991 Best Book Award by the University of Al-Zahra, Tehran. Since then, she has published five collections of poetry in addition to several academic books, and translated classical Arabic poetry to Persian.

For the previous RAN alert on Sedigheh Vasmaghi’s case, click here.

For any further information, please contact Nael Georges, PEN International, Koops Mill Mews, 162-164 Abbey Street, London SE1 2AN | Tel: +44 (0) 207 405 0338 | Email: [email protected]