18.05.2010

Execution of Afghan must be stopped

Human rights groups said several thousand Afghans - some sources report six thousand Afghans - have been imprisoned in Iran, and from this number about three thousand people are at risk of execution. According to Afghan government officials’ nine people and according to parliamentary sources so far 49 persons have been executed effectively.

Despite official requests from Afghan side and human rights groups, responsible sources in Iran have not provided reliable and valid information and figures about the number of Afghan detainees and the charges against them. The Afghan government has also announced that contrary to official agreements between the two countries, the Iranian government has not informed the Afghan side about judicial sentences, especially death sentences ant its execution.

Since the nature of arrest, charges and trial proceedings of these Afghans in Iran are not transparent and the accused right to access an attorney is seriously in doubts, the process is not just and inconsistent with even in the established laws in Iran let alone valid international conventions that Iran is officially a party to and is committed honor them.

Unfortunately, news received from Iran indicate that the behavior of Iranian authorities in dealing with Afghan immigrants has increasingly become rood, insulting and aggressive. The anti Afghan spirit is contrary to standards of civilized relations among nations, especially close ties between the people of two countries that will leave in place unfortunate impact on present and future relations between the two neighboring countries without any doubt.

As far as the problem of drug trafficking, it needs to be said that this issue is a result of crisis of the past three decades in Afghanistan where the Islamic Republic of Iran, like other foreign parties had a role to play in its own capacity. If the Iranian government really wants to fight drug problem, the best way to resolve the crisis is to and help ensure peace and security and sustainable reconstruction of Afghanistan and respect the rights of its people. What it relates to the Afghan immigrants in Iran is further proof that certain circles in Iran are trying to provoke anti-Afghan sentiments in mind of Iranian public in order to deviant their mind from the main away from the reasons and sources of Iran's internal domestic problems.

Realizing the facts above we the under signers of this Declaration express our serious concern on the destiny of Afghan immigrant in Iran, call on the responsible government authorities and the Afghan Human Rights Commission to adopt, without hesitation, a decisive attitude and use all means in hand to fulfill their legal and conscience obligations against the Afghan immigrant, especially those who have been suffering from the painful fate.

We call upon the Afghan Human Rights Commission name a day of the next month as the day for Afghan immigrants on which the media and all responsible and interested authorities focus their attention to Afghan immigrant in Iran, Pakistan and other countries and draw the attention of international community to the issue.

We call upon the human rights groups, media and all interested institutions and all the international community to take necessary measures to stop the execution of Afghans and getting the Iranian authorities to treat the Afghan refugees and especially Afghan detainees in legal and civilized manner.
From our point of view behaviors towards the Afghan immigrants among them Afghan prisoners is a clear criteria to measure the honesty of Iranian officials towards their policies towards Afghanistan – Atmosphere of insult, humiliation and threat of Afghans in general and in total contradiction with high interest of present and future interests of both neighboring countries. We demand from Islamic Republic of Iran to refrain from arrogance attitude towards the Afghans and Afghanistan and treat them in legal and civilized manner. There is no doubt that such an approach will have a positive effect on the fate of relations between the two countries. We expect from our Iranian brothers and sisters to treat their Afghan brothers and sisters who are caught in bitter fate in a way that can be considered a pillar future relations between peoples and our countries.

Afghan media

Afghan Humanrights Associations

Afghan Cultural  Associations

Afghan Immigrant   Associations

Afghan and Iranian Personalities

You can found the original text in Dari with complete list of supporters under following  Internet address :

http://afghanasamai.com/Dscutions-poleticalcullture/Afghanasamai-2010/afghans-in-Iran-2.htm