How often do we read about common citizens being detained for unknown reasons?
I never thought one of these people would be someone I know.
Former Moussavi supporter Majid Zamani has been detained in Tehran without cause despite repeated broken promises for his release.
Please take five minutes to read this letter written by his brother:
In the Name of God
His Excellency Ayatollah Sadegh Larijani,
Head of the Judiciary, Islamic Republic of Iran,More than four months have passed since a number of political activists have been imprisoned based on unclear charges. While some of these detainees are established political personalities in Iran, others belong to a new generation of activists who are unknown outside of political circles.
Majid Zamani is such a person. A graduate of the Technical College of Tehran University, he earned an MBA degree from the University of Illinois and later a Master’s of Public Administration (MPA) from Columbia University. Despite professional opportunities available to him after graduation, he returned to Iran about 3 years ago. In conversations with friends and family in the years following his return, Majid always insisted that he could be of greater service inside Iran than outside.
During the elections, Majid was a supporter of the candidacy of Mir Hussein Moussavi. But following the announcement of the election results, Majid accepted the outcome and returned to his job the morning after election-day. He cautioned those around him to follow legal means for resolving the dispute and keep away from street demonstrations. Despite this, and to the great surprise of colleagues and family, Mr. Zamani was arrested outside his workplace in mid-June.
At the age of 25, before going abroad to continue his education, Majid served as the deputy director at the Institute for Studies in Theoretical Physics and Mathematics (IPM) and also worked with the Iranian Parliament Research Center. After earning his second master’s degree in the United States, he worked as a Middle East Analyst at the World Bank. Despite opportunities to build a career at the World Bank, Majid returned home in 2007 to enter public service in the country he loves. After his return, Majid was assigned as consultant to the Secretary General of the Asian Parliamentary Assembly. He held this post during the two years of Iran’s presidency of the Assembly and accompanied the presidency of the Assembly on official functions. He later held positions at financial firms affiliated with the Ministry of Industry. Majid also served as consultant to the exploratory election committee of the mayor of Tehran, who at the time was considering a run in the presidential elections.
Inquiries by Majid’s family to the Revolutionary Court and Evin prison have only resulted in repeated promises of his freedom on bail. However, each time these promises have not been fulfilled and he continues to be held in prison on unspecified charges and without access to a lawyer. It has been reported that part of the case against him is based on his attendance of American Universities and his work at the World Bank. Unfortunately, Majid’s professional and educational experience abroad has been used as an excuse to put pressure on him to confess to false crimes.
We, the undersigned, express our grave concern that Majid Zamani is detained under unclear charges and has been subject to pressure while in prison. Majid Zamani is an asset for Iran, a person with a successful record in some of the most prestigious universities in the world; a person who gave up career opportunities abroad in order to enter public service in the country he loves. Unfortunately, we see that Majid and others like him have been denied their basic rights during the unexpected events of the past months.
We, the undersigned, have each in one way or another come to know Majid Zamani in our work places or universities; or have come to know the dreams and aspirations of the “Majid Zamanis” of the world for a better tomorrow. We ask that Majid and other political prisoners be afforded the inalienable rights guaranteed to them in the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and that the Honorable Head of the Judiciary, as the guarantor of those rights, ensures that justice is served in the cases of all political detainees.
To sign this petition in English please visit: http://freemajidzamani.com/
UPDATE: Majid has been released on bail!