Professor Manouchehr Ganji
Organization for Human Rights and
Fundamental Freedoms for Iran
(202) 338-1052 Facsimile
July 14, 2006
President Vladimir Putin
G-8 Summit
St. Petersburg
Dear Mr. President:
The G-8 Summit will soon be held in St. Petersburg, under your Presidency. As reported in the press, one of the topics of Agenda will be Iran. In that regard, as Secretary-General of The Organization for Human Rights in Iran, I take this opportunity to bring a very urgent and disturbing matter to your attention.
Mr. President, as you very well know, Sir, one of the main purposes of the G-8 and the United Nations is life - in the language of the UN Charter, "universal respect for the observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms" for all. Article 7 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, ratified by 154 UN Member states, including all the G-8 countries and Iran, states: "no one shall be subjected to torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment..."
I humbly request from you and your distinguished colleagues at the Summit, Sir, to take a brief look at the attached footage of an official video put out by the Government of The Islamic Republic of Iran, and, in all fairness, decide for yourselves, how dreadful, gross and disturbing the human rights situation continues to be in Iran today. These gross and systematic violations have been taking place for twenty eight years in Iran. For the sake of history, please kindly note that through this letter and the attached video, the Organization for Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms for Iran, on behalf of the Iranian people, has once again officially brought the deteriorating situation of human rights in Iran to the attention of the distinguished leaders of the G8 countries.
Mr. President, in my humble opinion, in today's world, for the Heads of States of the major industrial democracies to know of the prevalence of such atrocious conditions and to refrain from doing anything against it, is indeed the travesty of justice. In view of the fact that the topic of Iran is, for other reasons, on top of the G8 Summit Agenda, I urge the Summit through your respectful Office to take appropriate actions in condemning these gross and systemic violations of human rights in Iran.
In anticipation of hearing from you, please accept, Mr. President, the assurances of my highest considerations.
Sincerely yours,
Manouchehr Ganji
MG/bb
PS: SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1To view the footage of acts of stoning, plugging eyes, cutting arms, legs, floggings and the text of the Law of Vengeance and more please clique here [ www.iri-crimes.de and www.derafsh.org ].