Mohammad Sedigh Kaboudvand & his family

Statement of five Political Parties and Organizations

We Demand the Immediate and Unconditional Release of Mohammad Sedigh Kaboudvand

Mohammad Sedigh Kaboudvand, journalist and founder of Kurdistan Human Rights Organization has started his unlimited hunger strike on the 27^th of May 2012 in protest to the illegal and inhuman behaviour of the regime, judiciary and security officials. His main demand is to receive permission to visit his ailing son in the hospital. Mr. Kaboudvand’s son became ill due to an unknown disease and has been hospitalized ever since January of 2011. During the time period of January 2011 until May 2012, he was allowed to visit his ailing son several times, but only for short periods of time. That right was revoked and in protest Mohammad Sedigh Kaboudvand started his “dry” hunger strike on 14^th of July 2012 but has recently come to accept his friends request to at least drink water; his health is now rapidly deteriorating.

Mohammad Sedigh kaboudvand suffers from several diseases. He is one of those who have become ill to many kinds of diseases in the Islamic Republic prisons. The prison officials disregard doctors’ recommendations for his treatment and his leave for medical treatment. And now the side effect of long hunger strike has been added to his physical problems. Despite of his son’s incurable disease, the officials deny him of having a treatment leave and are pitilessly trying to gradually end his life.

Mohammad Sedigh Kaboudvand , is the former editor in chief of weekly journal of “Payame Mardome Kurdistan” (Kurdistan People’s Message) and founder of Kurdistan Human Rights Organization. Other than defending human rights, he has not committed any crimes. The governments allegations against him is only limited to his journalistic and human rights activities, and with these unfounded allegations he was sentenced to ten an a half years imprisonment and have been in prison ever since 1^st of July 2007. All the evidences indicate that his life is in serious danger. Without consideration to his physical condition, the Islamic Republic continues it’s revengeful and inhuman behaviour against him.

Like all the other political and prisoner of conscience in the Islamic Republic Mohammad Sedigh Kaboudvand has committed no crimes which would deserve imprisonment. As a journalist and human rights defender, he has defended the rights and freedom of the people and is solely demanding consideration of the humans’ rights and respect to the people’s basic rights and freedom of people. Like other activists of workers, women, students and ethnic minorities movements, human rights defenders, political prisoners, lawyers, journalists and bloggers he has no other demands than living in a free society without oppression, imprisonment and suppression.

We the republican political parties and organizations as defenders of freedom and equality, separation of religion from state, democracy, human rights and elimination of any kind of race-, gender-, or beliefs discrimination, together with human rights groups and organizations and together with civil society movements activists demand for the immediate and unconditional release of Mr. Mohammad Sedigh Kaboudvand and all political and prisoners of conscience.

  

Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan

Komala Party of Iranian Kurdistan

Organization of Unity of Iranian People’s Fedaian

Organization of Iranian People's Fadaian (Majority)

Provisional Council of the Iranian Left Socialists

Monday 23^rd July, 2012