UN: Iran's detention of Zeinab Jalaian is arbitrary
kurdistan
United Nations
Arbitrary Detention
Iran
Zeinab Jalaian
Bahareh Hedayat
Iranian Kurds
Rojhalat
GENEVA, Switzerland (Kurdistan24) - The United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) announced in a statement that Iran has arbitrarily detained Kurdish political prisoner, Zeinab Jalalian.
In a statement released on June 29, WGAD adopted the cases of 101 individuals in 17 countries including two women in Iran: Zeinab Jalalian and Bahaheh Hedayat.
"The Working Group urges the [Iranian] Government to ensure that Ms. Jalalian is not subjected to further torture or ill-treatment. The Working Group also urges the Government to fully investigate the circumstances surrounding her arbitrary deprivation of liberty, and to take appropriate measures against those responsible for the violation of her rights," the statement read.
32-year-old Jalalian was engaged in social and political activism, in particular assisting Kurdish women by providing education and social services in Iran and Iraq.
She visited an Iranian girls’ high school where she delivered a speech about women’s rights.
She visited an Iranian girls’ high school where she delivered a speech about women’s rights.
On or around 10 March 2008, Jalalian was traveling on a bus from Kermanshah to Sanandaj when she was arrested by four armed Iranian intelligence security officers at Ghazanchi inspection post near Kamyaran.
She was prevented from accessing adequate medical care, and her right to health was actively impeded by the ill-treatment she suffered in pre-trial detention.
WGAD investigates allegations of individuals being deprived of their liberty in an arbitrary manner and in contrast with international human rights standards believes Iran has broken its own laws in dealing with the detained Kurdish woman.
WGAD investigates allegations of individuals being deprived of their liberty in an arbitrary manner and in contrast with international human rights standards believes Iran has broken its own laws in dealing with the detained Kurdish woman.
"The arrest and detention of Ms. Jalalian was contrary to Iranian law, including the requirement that an arrest order be issued on the basis of sufficient evidence."
Iran has obtained a confession from Ms. Jalalian under torture which lacks credibility.
"Other Iranian legal requirements were not met, as Ms. Jalalian was arrested by intelligence officers and detained in an intelligence service facility (both contrary to the law), the interrogators did not issue a temporary detention order, and the courts did not review the continued detention of Ms. Jalalian four months after her arrest, as required by law," WGDA said.
Jalalian was reportedly not informed of the reasons for her arrest and was not promptly informed of the charges against her.
She was interrogated before and after her trial without legal representation and was not informed of her right to counsel until three weeks before her trial.
Before and after the trial, her lawyers were prevented from meeting with her and accessing her files, and this interfered with the right to effective counsel.
Her family was not informed of her arrest until three weeks after she had been detained.