Call for Action: VUB asks for help to save Iranian-Swedish doctor Ahmadreza Djalali from execution

Recent news report that Iranian-Swedish doctor Ahmadreza Djalali, specialist in disaster medicine and guets lecturer at VUB, has been placed in solitary confinement and was informed that he would soon be executed.

The Rector of Vrije Universiteit Brussel,  Prof. Caroline Pauwels, has issued a new letter addressed to all UNICA partners urging to help to save the scientist from execution. You may read the letter below. Attached you may also find the example letter from Amnesty International that can be e-mailed to the Iranian Embassy in Belgium.

 

Dear UNICA member,
Dear colleague,

 

Ahmadreza Djalali, an Iranian-Swedish doctor, specialized in disaster medicine and a guest lecturer at our university, has been in prison in Iran for more than four years. He was arrested by the Iranian security forces in 2016 during a working visit to Iran. After his arrest, he was held in solitary confinement for months and tortured. After a manifestly unfair and opaque trial, Dr. Djalali was finally sentenced to death. Evidence of his guilt is still lacking today. Observers from the embassies were banned, lawyers were either assigned by the judicial (religious) authorities, or were banned or rejected by the judicial authorities. Dr. Djalali has not been granted reliable legal or medical assistance. His health condition is worrying.

Tuesday November, 24th 2020, we received very disturbing news. Ahmadreza Djalali called his wife Vida Mehrannia with the alarming message that he had to say goodbye. He was placed in solitary confinement and was informed that he would soon be executed. The Iranian authorities have instructed the judicial authority to put him in solitary confinement and to carry out his execution within one week.

Dr. Djalali is a renowned academic who does not belong on death row. Moreover, our colleague dr. Djalali did not receive a fair trial. This is a gross violation of universal human rights.

The Vrije Universiteit Brussel is joining forces with Amnesty International to convince the Iranian government to repeal the death penalty and to release Dr. Djalali.

You will find more detailed information on our website:

https://today.vub.be/en/article/vub-backs-amnesty-international-s-action...

 

How can you help to save dr. Djalali?

  1. Share your concerns about the situation of Ahmadreza Djalali on your social media channels and tag on Twitter and Instagram the President of Iran @hrouhani, the Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs @jzarif and the 'Supreme Leader' @khamenei_ir with the hashtag #SaveAhmadreza.
     
  2. Bring the situation of Ahmadreza Djalali to the attention of local and international media so that the Iranian government can no longer ignore this global outrage.
     
  3. You can also send an e-mail to the Iranian Embassy in Belgium at secretariat@iranembassy.be . You can use the example e-mail from Amnesty International attached to this message. 

 

Openness, tolerance and respect for person and society are some of the basic values of our university.
We hope that you, as member of UNICA, will share these values by joining us in the action to save our colleague Ahmadreza Djalali.

Your help can save his life.

On behalf of Ahmadreza Djalali and his family we thank you for your cooperation.
 

Yours sincerely,

Prof. dr. Caroline Pauwels

Rector VUB

 

See also: Call for Action "VUB Professor Dr. Ahmadreza Djalali threatened with a death penalty in Iran" from Caroline Pauwels and Ives Hubloue, 2017

Photo (c): Amnesty International

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