An Open Letter from the Iranian Academic Community Worldwide
A statement by the Iranian academics in support of freedom and democracy in Iran
To: Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
The United Nations
350 East 35th Street
New York, NY 10016
Date: June 11, 2010
Dear Sir;
As the anniversary of the disputed presidential elections in Iran on June 12, 2009 draws near; as we look back at the horrific beatings and killings of the peaceful protesters; as we remember the fallen compatriots whose lives were cut short by assassins’ bullets; as we stand in solidarity with the just demands of our fellow Iranians for democracy and the rule of law; as we show our determination to fight for the immediate release of thousands of political prisoners; and as we strive to comfort the victims of rape and torture in the prisons of the religious regime, we the undersigned members of the Iranian academic community worldwide plead to your high office and peace-loving humanity to stand with us in condemning the atrocities committed by the Islamic Republic against the Iranian people. We ask you to help us stop this killing machine.
In the past year, those who have dared to stand up to the corruption and atrocities have been subject to arrest, torture, and even execution under the watch of Sayyid Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic. Some political prisoners have simply disappeared, leaving their grieving families to search cemeteries for their remains. And a great many more Iranian citizens have felt the painful loss of civic and democratic rights in their everyday lives.
For many years, Sayyid Ali Khamenei has ruled the country ostensibly to establish a virtuous society, promote equality among Iranians, provide prosperity and security in this world and ensure salvation in the other, and fight for egalitarianism and the cause of the downtrodden abroad. In practice, however, he has promoted wickedness instead of virtue; a cult of personality instead of equality; poverty, arbitrary rule, and engineered elections instead of prosperity, security, and the rule of law; and international brinkmanship and support for terrorism instead of peaceful diplomacy. Mr. Khamenei is no good for Iran; worse for the world; and a disaster for the religion.
In the past year, many more Iranians have become aware of the regime’s brutality and seemingly insatiable appetite for power. Many are now believe that the leader’s religious absolutism contradicts the fundamentals of human rights and violates the basic tenets of the religion itself. And, as it may happen when power threatens to slip from the grasp of tyrants, this loss in legitimacy has spurred even more outlandish claims about Khamenei’s religious credentials and attachment to honorable saints. The more Iranians criticize the absolutism and savagery of the regime, the more the regime portrays itself as representing the wrath of God. The more nations around the world distance themselves from the Islamic Republic, the more its rulers exaggerate their military power and prowess in diplomacy. The struggle in Iran today is between the cult of the engineered presidency and the followers of the rule of law; between superstitious extremism and rational moderation; and between apocalyptic end-of-day religious fundamentalism and God-loving, peace-seeking, and violence-abhorring spirituality.
Imagine a people who in protesting peacefully for their democratic rights are beaten, tortured, raped, and murdered; imagine the perished lives that are buried in unmarked graves; and imagine the unbearable pain and suffering of loving parents when they are told that their sons and daughters are gone forever—no chance to say the final goodbye, no possibility for burial ceremonies, no knowledge of the burial site, and no identifiable permanent resting place. This is a brutality beyond imagination.
The tragic death of Neda Agha Soltan, a female student of philosophy, shot by a member of the Basij militia on June 20, 2009 in broad daylight epitomizes the despotic nature of the ruling establishment. Recently, the regime executed some of the bravest sons and daughters of our beloved Kurdistan. It murdered peaceful activists, who were guided only by the feelings of love for their country. We only envisage listening to the patriots’ mesmerizing recital of their covenant with the nation as they faced their executioner; “O’ Iran, to you my blood and my soul;” and the grieving father responding, “there is no life without Iran.”
Despite the danger inherent in dissidence, many Iranians stand strong in their opposition. As observed by millions the world over, their movement not only refused to back down after the rigged elections, but has grown bigger and bolder against the beatings, mass-arrests, rapes, show trials, and killings that have followed. They are resolute in demanding the rule of law, the realization of their democratic rights, and an end to religious absolutism.
On the anniversary of this fateful day, we ask you and the democratic people of the world to join us in offering our heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims of the atrocities of the Islamic Republic, in expressing our solidarity with the political prisoners, and in condemning the brutality of the regime against our great nation.
Toward these ends, please join us in demanding the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners, the holding of free and fair elections, and the punishment of those responsible for the beating, killing, torturing, and murdering of peaceful protesters.
signatories:
Afshari, Reza:Professor of History, Pace University, New York, USA
Alamdari, Kazem: Professor of Sociology, California State University, Northridge, USA
Baghi, Heibatollah: Professor of Biostatistics, George Mason University, VA, USA
Barati, Mehran: Free University Berlin-Germany, Research Unit Globalization and Int’l Politics, Germany
Bastani, Bahar MD: Professor of Medicine – Nephrology and Director of kidney transplantation at Saint Louis University, USA
Bina, Cyrus: Distinguished Research Professor of Economics; University of Minnesota, USA.
Darvishpour, Mehrdad: Malardalen University ,Sweden
Daryaee, Touraj: Howard Baskerville Professor in the history,University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
Dastmalchi, Parviz: Writer, Political Analyst, Berlin, Germany
Farhang, Mansour: Professor of Political Science, Bennington College, Vermont, USA
Farhang, Jahanpour: Associate Fellow, Faculty of Oriental Studies, University of Oxford
Ganjbakhsh, Amir Hossei: Senior Investigator, National Institute of Health, Bethesda, MD ,USA
Gorji, Ali: Professor of Neuroscience Research and Neurophysiology; Munster University, Germany
Hashemi, Nader: Assistant Professor of Middle East and Islamic Politics Josef Korbel School of International Studies University of Denver
Hosseini, Ali: Writer, Political activist, London, UK
Izadi, Kazem: Former professor of sociology , University of Tehran, Iran
Jafari, Marzi: Professor and Dean; The City University of New York Lehman College, New York, USA
Jahanbegloo, Ramin: Professor, University of Toronto, Canada
Kamaly, Hossein: Fanny de Bary Asst. Professor, Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, Barnard College, USA
Kangarlu, Alayar: Professor of Medical Physics, Columbia University and New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, USA
Karam, Ghassan: Prof. Pace University ;Economics Department, Pace University; Pleasantville NY USA
Karimi-Hakak, Mahmood: Professor of Theatre and Film, Department of Creative Arts, Siena College, New York; Artistic Director, Mahak International Artists Inc., New York, USA
Keddie, Nikki: Professor Emerita of History, UCLA ;Santa Monica, CA, USA
Keshavars, Fatemeh: Professor and Chair, Asian & Near Eastern Languages and Literatures Washington University in St. Louis, IN, USA
Khosrokhavar, Farhad: Professor, Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales, Paris, France
Kian, Azadeh: Professeur de sociologie, Directrice du CEDREF Université Paris-Diderot-Paris, France
Mahdian, Mohammad Ph.D.: Senior Research Scientist, Yahoo! Inc., California, USA.
Malekahmadi, Farsha: Associate Professor of Sociology, Naugatuck Valley Community, College, CT, USA
Mashayekhi, Mehrdad: Assistant Professor, Georgetown University, Washington DC, USA
Mehdi, Mansouri: Ph.D., Associate Professor, Herzing University, USA
Melikian, Assieh: Associate Professor of Environmental Health Medicine, New York University, USA
Mirfakhraie, Ahmad: BioTech College, Vice Presient, San Jose, Ca , USA
Mohammadi, Maji: Visiting Scholar, Stony Brook Institute for Global Studies, USA
Moghissi, Haideh: Professor and Associate Dean, FLAPS, York University, Canada
Monshipouri, Mahmood: Associate Professor, Dept. of Int’l Relations, San Francisco State University, CA, USA
Mousoli, Reza: BSc (Hons) MSc FHEA CED MBCS, Senior Lecturer, Canterbury Christ Church University, Kent, United Kingdom
Navab, Mohamad: Professor, Project Leader, Cardiology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Nayeri, Al: Assit. Prof of Theoretical Physics, Chapman University & University of California, Irvine
Niroomand-Rad, Azam: Professor Emeritus, , PhD, DSc, DACR, FAAPM, FACMP; Fellow, Past President of International Organization for Medical Physics, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
Nomani, Farhad: Professor of ecomomics, Chair of department of economics, The American university of Paris, Paris , France
Paivandi, Saee: Professor;Département Sciences de l’éducation Maître de conférences University Paris 8 France
Parsa, Misagh: Professor of Sociology, Dartmouth College, NH, USA
Rakei, Al: Theoretical Physicist, Washington DC, USA
Rahnema, Saeed: Professor of Political Science and Public Policy, York University, Canada
Rahni, Davoo: Professor of Chemistry, Pace University New York, NY, USA
Sabetian, Manoucher: Consultant surgeon. MB BS, FRCS, Ex-President Iranian PEN in Exile, United Kingdom
Sadeghi, Nader MD, FRCSC: Associate Professor of Surgery, Dir. Head & Neck Surgery George Washington,USA
Shariatmadari, Hassan: Theologian and Philosopher, former Director of Publication Department of Dar-al-Tabligh Islami ( 1973-80), Publisher and Chief Editor of Pyam Shadi and Nasle. Germany
Shirazi, Arman Ph.D.: Senior Scientist, CSM North America
Tehrani, Al: Professor of Engineering, Conestoga College, Canada
Tohidi, Nayereh: Professor & Chair, Department of Gender & Women’s Studies, California State University, Northridge, CA, USA
Ziai, Hossein: Jahangir and Eleanor Amuzegar Chair in Iranian Studies, Director of Iranian Studies, Department of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures, UCLA, CA, USA
An Open Letter from the Iranian Academic Community Worldwide
A statement by the Iranian academics in support of freedom and democracy in Iran
To: Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
The United Nations
350 East 35th Street
New York, NY 10016
Date: June 11, 2010
Dear Sir;
As the anniversary of the disputed presidential elections in Iran on June 12, 2009 draws near; as we look back at the horrific beatings and killings of the peaceful protesters; as we remember the fallen compatriots whose lives were cut short by assassins’ bullets; as we stand in solidarity with the just demands of our fellow Iranians for democracy and the rule of law; as we show our determination to fight for the immediate release of thousands of political prisoners; and as we strive to comfort the victims of rape and torture in the prisons of the religious regime, we the undersigned members of the Iranian academic community worldwide plead to your high office and peace-loving humanity to stand with us in condemning the atrocities committed by the Islamic Republic against the Iranian people. We ask you to help us stop this killing machine.
In the past year, those who have dared to stand up to the corruption and atrocities have been subject to arrest, torture, and even execution under the watch of Sayyid Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic. Some political prisoners have simply disappeared, leaving their grieving families to search cemeteries for their remains. And a great many more Iranian citizens have felt the painful loss of civic and democratic rights in their everyday lives.
For many years, Sayyid Ali Khamenei has ruled the country ostensibly to establish a virtuous society, promote equality among Iranians, provide prosperity and security in this world and ensure salvation in the other, and fight for egalitarianism and the cause of the downtrodden abroad. In practice, however, he has promoted wickedness instead of virtue; a cult of personality instead of equality; poverty, arbitrary rule, and engineered elections instead of prosperity, security, and the rule of law; and international brinkmanship and support for terrorism instead of peaceful diplomacy. Mr. Khamenei is no good for Iran; worse for the world; and a disaster for the religion.
In the past year, many more Iranians have become aware of the regime’s brutality and seemingly insatiable appetite for power. Many are now believe that the leader’s religious absolutism contradicts the fundamentals of human rights and violates the basic tenets of the religion itself. And, as it may happen when power threatens to slip from the grasp of tyrants, this loss in legitimacy has spurred even more outlandish claims about Khamenei’s religious credentials and attachment to honorable saints. The more Iranians criticize the absolutism and savagery of the regime, the more the regime portrays itself as representing the wrath of God. The more nations around the world distance themselves from the Islamic Republic, the more its rulers exaggerate their military power and prowess in diplomacy. The struggle in Iran today is between the cult of the engineered presidency and the followers of the rule of law; between superstitious extremism and rational moderation; and between apocalyptic end-of-day religious fundamentalism and God-loving, peace-seeking, and violence-abhorring spirituality.
Imagine a people who in protesting peacefully for their democratic rights are beaten, tortured, raped, and murdered; imagine the perished lives that are buried in unmarked graves; and imagine the unbearable pain and suffering of loving parents when they are told that their sons and daughters are gone forever—no chance to say the final goodbye, no possibility for burial ceremonies, no knowledge of the burial site, and no identifiable permanent resting place. This is a brutality beyond imagination.
The tragic death of Neda Agha Soltan, a female student of philosophy, shot by a member of the Basij militia on June 20, 2009 in broad daylight epitomizes the despotic nature of the ruling establishment. Recently, the regime executed some of the bravest sons and daughters of our beloved Kurdistan. It murdered peaceful activists, who were guided only by the feelings of love for their country. We only envisage listening to the patriots’ mesmerizing recital of their covenant with the nation as they faced their executioner; “O’ Iran, to you my blood and my soul;” and the grieving father responding, “there is no life without Iran.”
Despite the danger inherent in dissidence, many Iranians stand strong in their opposition. As observed by millions the world over, their movement not only refused to back down after the rigged elections, but has grown bigger and bolder against the beatings, mass-arrests, rapes, show trials, and killings that have followed. They are resolute in demanding the rule of law, the realization of their democratic rights, and an end to religious absolutism.
On the anniversary of this fateful day, we ask you and the democratic people of the world to join us in offering our heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims of the atrocities of the Islamic Republic, in expressing our solidarity with the political prisoners, and in condemning the brutality of the regime against our great nation.
Toward these ends, please join us in demanding the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners, the holding of free and fair elections, and the punishment of those responsible for the beating, killing, torturing, and murdering of peaceful protesters.
signatories:
Jun
11
2010