Imminent Execution of Farzad Kamangar

Leader of the Islamic Republic
His Excellency Ayatollah Sayed Ali Khamenei
The Office of the Supreme Leader
Islamic Republic Street - Shahid Keshvar Doust Street
Tehran
Islamic Republic of Iran

Email: info@leader.ir
date: 26 November 2008

Your Excellency Ayatollah Khamenei,

Imminent Execution of Farzad Kamangar

I am writing to you on behalf of the British Trades Union Congressto appeal to your good offices to stay the execution of Farzad Kamangar.

We have just been informed that Mr Kamangar has been taken from his cell in preparation for execution and that security officers are said to have told him he is about to be executed.

We are deeply concerned about this development, and would like to bring to your urgent attention, that although Mr. Kamangar has been sentenced to death on 25 February 2008 by the Revolutionary Court of Tehran, his lawyer has said: 'Nothing in Kamangar's judicial files and records demonstrates any links to the charges brought against him.' Mr. Kamangar was cleared of all charges during the investigation process.

Despite this, he has been kept in prison. He was seen for the last time at Evin prison's health clinic and his physical condition was reported to be poor. Witnesses testified that he had been beaten and Mr. Kamangar has not been allowed to see his lawyer or family members for the past two months.

Education International (EI), supported by teachers unions in Britain and around the world, has been appealing to the Iranian authorities to commute Mr. Kamangar's death sentence and ensure his case is reviewed fairly, and has led a campaign, with over 1,700 on-line messages appealing to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to ensure a fair trial. EI has also appealed repeatedly to Iranian judicial authorities to halt the execution.

The Trades Union Congressis now appealing to you directly to use your good offices to stay the execution of Mr. Kamangar, a 32 year-old school teacher, who has been devoting his loyal service to the education of children in Kamyaran for twelve years. He was also a member of the Kurdish Teachers Trade Association (KTTA), and in charge of public relations for the union, in order to help improve working conditions for teachers in the region.

The international reputation of the Islamic Republic of Iran would be tarnished by executing a peaceful teacher based on a flawed trial, and we strongly urge you to show mercy and pardon Mr. Kamangar, so he can be released from prison and continue his important work of educating Iranian children and improving working conditions for workers in Iran.

I trust that your intervention in this case will be important to ensure the right to life and freedom of Mr. Kamangar.

Yours sincerely,

Brendan Barber
General Secretary

Cc HE Ambassador Mr Rasoul Movahedian Attar