In the Name of the Almighty
Honorable Secretary-General of the United Nations!
Your Excellency, Mr. Ban Ki-Moon
With respectful greetings
I, Mohammad Reza Ruhi-Nejad, inform you that my 23 year old son, Hamed Ruhi-Nejad, was arrested on May 3, 2009 - before the tenth presidential elections – by a group identifying themselves as members of the Presidential National Security Agency, and transferred to Ward 209 of Evin prison. My family and I had no news of my son’s situation for over 4 months until my wife finally obtained permission to visit him through the Islamic Revolutionary Court’s Public Prosecutor’s Office.
My son has advanced M.S. (Multiple Sclerosis) and suffers from severe anemia. As a second year philosophy student at Shahid Beheshti University, he lost sight in his right eye and both his hands are in a semi-paralyzed state. Moreover, due to the lack of medical attention and his troubled internal systems – such as his digestive system – the threat of death is always with him.
Because of his M.S. and his association with a certain Mohammad Reza Ali Zamani (who himself has been sentenced to death in the aftermath of the events following the 10th presidential elections in Iran) who was known to have knowledge of medical treatments, Hamed left Iran for treatment and to pursue his studies. With the ultimate destination of the United States in mind, he left the country through Iraq. He resided in Iraq for a while and realizing that Mr. Ali Zamani was unable to do anything for him, returned to Iran in August in cooperation with the Ministry of Information.
Nine months after my son’s return and more than a month before the presidential elections, security forces from the Ministry of Information came to my house at night and arrested my son, this 23 year old youth who had no connections or affiliations to any groups and whose simple purpose in going to Iraq was to ultimately seek medical treatment in America.
My son was judged in court proceedings that were directly linked to the events following the recent elections and as a result the shockingly severe sentence of execution was issued on his behalf.
While battling with the hard to cure disease of M.S. and maintaining his innocence and lack of information, Hamed was sentenced to death after 36 days in solitary confinement in the Ministry of Information’s Ward 209 and several more months of group confinement.
Hamed is currently confined in Ward 350 of Evin Prison, getting weaker by the day and without any thorough medical care or follow up on the baseless accusations of his association with a group of Iranian Royalists, he awaits imminent disaster.
Your Excellency, Mr. Ban Ki-Moon!
Honorable Secretary General of the United Nations!
Hamed, a youth interested in ideas who has remained active and curious in high school and university, is today faced with an unfair and mind-boggling death sentence. We represent the worried and anxious family of Hamed Ruhi-Nejad, and as Hamed’s father, I ask that you work toward the release of Hamed from such an unjust and heavy judgment of execution through any means possible. Hamed’s serious physical condition brings him face to face with death. As his family and as his father, I ask from you, as the Secretary-General of the largest organization of all nations, to strive to the utmost of your ability to save our son Hamed from this death sentence and to endeavor to find treatment for this young Iranian student.
I look forward to your prompt action and that of other international organizations.
Mohammad Reza Ruhi-Nejad, father of political prisoner Hamed Ruhi-Nejad who carries a death sentence.
Cc:
United Nations High Commissioner of Human Rights
United Nations Human Rights Council
International Human Rights Observer
Reporters without Borders
Amnesty International
Iranian Human Rights Activists in Europe and North America
