Call for Iran to Release the Namazis
October 13, 2020
We the undersigned, representing former United Nations staff, international organizations, academics, civil society members, and concerned members of the international community are writing to express publicly our serious concern and dismay for the ongoing unjust detention of Baquer and Siamak Namazi in Iran. The United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention has also found both Baquer and Siamak Namazi as wrongly arrested and convicted and called for their release by Iran.
Baquer Namazi, a distinguished retired senior UNICEF official, was unjustly convicted and imprisoned. While Baquer Namazi has now been let out from Iran’s Evin prison due to his ill health, he is prevented from leaving the country to get needed medical attention. As a UNICEF official, Baquer worked tirelessly for the cause of impoverished women and children in the most dangerous parts of the world. 84-year old Baquer Namazi is sick and old and deserves to spend the little time left with his family.
October 13, 2020 marks the FIFTH anniversary of the unjust imprisonment for Baquer's son, Siamak Namazi. His cruel incarceration has been the longest among American-Iranians imprisoned by Iran. Siamak's imprisonment is all the more difficult to understand, given that for years he worked on removing obstacles to bringing medicine and medical equipment to those in need in Iran.
The horrors and pain that the Namazi family are enduring is beyond our imagination. We call upon the Iranian authorities to end the continued suffering of father, son and the entire family and to allow them to leave Iran and be with their loved ones. It is time for Iran to let Baquer and Siamak go.
Signed by:
Agatha Pratt - UNICEF/Chief, Child Survival Program, DRC
Ahmad Kiarostami - Kiarostami Foundation
Amal Hashim - Research Assistant to Arif Hasan
Amir Ansari - Ex UNICEF staff member
Angela Raven-Roberts - UNICEF CEE/CIS Chief of Emergency
Anjana Mangalagiri - Retired
Anowara Bari Khan - Administration and Finance Manager, UNICEF Pakistan
Anthony Kennedy - Retired UNICEF staff member, finished career as Director Program Funding
Anthony Lake - Retired
Anupama Rao Singb - Regional Director, East Asia and tbe Pacific, UNICEF
Arif Hasan - Chairperson Urban Resource Center, Karachi
Arshin Adib-Moghaddam - Professor in Global Thought, SOAS, University of London
Ayalew Abai - Former UNICEF Director & Comptroller
Basikila Wa Mputu - UNICEF’s Retired
Basim Kawash - UNICEF Retiree
Beatrix Bazin Rushton - Contracts Manager
Bernadette Abegglen-Verazzi - Retraitée
Beverley Carlson - Senior Programme Officer
Beverley Womg - UNICEF, Cashier
Bijaya Gopal Rajbhandari - Representative, Thailand
Bilge Bassani - UNICEF Staff and CE OFXB Foundation
Blanca San German - Ex-UNICEF
Boudewijn Mohr - UNICEF retired
Bruce Kennedy - UNICEF Programme Officer
Carl Tinstman - Representatives
Carol Bellamy - UNICEF Hqts
Carroll Long - UNICEF Representative in Myanmar (ret'd)
Celita San Agustin-Mohrbeck - NYHQ DFM, Chief Field Accounts
Daljit Sawhney - Retired Systems Analyst at UNICEF
David Bull CBE - Ex CEO of UNICEF UK
David Halliday - Director, Supply Division (retired 1996)
Detlef Palm - Former UNICEF Representative
Devinder Das Chopra - Asstt. Rep UNICEF Yemen {Retd 1994}
Dina Craissati - Senior Adviser Education UNICEF
Doreen Lobo - UNICEF, Chief, Field Services, DFAM
Dorrit Alopaeus-Ståhl - UNICEF Area Representative 1995-1997
Ebun Ekunwe - Health And Nutrition Chief, Port Moresby PNG
Ed Lannert - Director Human Resources, UNICEF
Eimi Watanabe - Former UNICEF Representative in India
Ellen Tolmie - UNICEF Sr. Photography Editor 1992-2013
Ellen Yaffe - Comptroller
Esther Guluma - Former UNICEF Regional Director for West and Central Africa
Everett M Ressler - Former - UNICEF, Emergency Preparedness Unit
Ezio Gianni Murzi - Former UNICEF Regional Director
Flora Sibanda-Mulder - UNICEF retiree
Fouad Kronfol - UNICEF, Director Personnel (ret)
Francisco Eugenio Basili Domínguez - UNICEF Programme Coordinator in Antananarivo
Franziska von Vietinghoff - Programme Officer UNICEF
Geeta Nambiar - HR Specialist
George Dawson - Chief of Operations
George Kassis - EX-UNICEF
Gloria M. Kodzwa - Retired, former UNICEF Representative
Gopalan Balagopal - UNICEF Representative DPR Korea
Hans Olsen - Dep. Director PFP, Representative Malaysia
Hans Spruijt - Program Director Water & Environmental Sanitation (latest duty stations: Ethiopia, China and Bangladesh
Hoda Hallab - Ex UNICEF
Honorine Nachia - UNICEF Senior Operstions
Ingrid Kolb-Hindarmanto - Ex UNICEF
Isabelle Austin - UNICEF Deputy Representative Retired
Isiye Ndombi - Deputy UNICEF Regional Director, EAP
J. Bertrand Mendis - UNICEF Representative (Retired)
Jacqueline O'MAHONY - UNICEF
James J. Mayrides - Area Representative for Central America and Panama
James Joseph Mohan Jr - UNICEF Representative Afghanistan
James M. Sherry M.D., Ph.D. - (Former) Chief of Health
Janet Nelson - Deputy Director, UNICEF Regional Office in Geneva
Jean Dricot - UNICEF retiree
Jeanne Harrison - My father is Former Regional Director David P. Haxton
Jesper Morch - Former Representative, UNICEF
Johanna Strieck - Director, Office of Internal Audit (retired)
Joseph Acar - Human Resources Nanager
Josephine Rajasegera - Operations officer
Joshi Vishwas - UNICEF IPO
Juan Aguilar - XUNICEF; Representative in Peru/Paraguay, Myanmar; Nicaragua; Kazakhstan; Zambia and Dominican Republic
Julia Spry-Leverton - Former UNICEF Chief of Communication and Advocacy
Justin H.J. Maeda - Country Representative; UNICEF Zimbabwe
Kano Yamamoto - Comptroller, UNICEF HQ
Karen Rasmussen - Procurement Officer UNICEF, UNOPS, UNFPA
Kari Egge - UNICEF Representative to I. R. Iran
Karin Sham Poo - Deputy Executive Director
Karsten Sohns, Grad. Ing. - Chief of Operations
Kul Chandra Gautam - Former Deputy Executive Director, UNICEF & Assistant Secretary-General, United Nations
Kulbhushan kothari - Senior Advisor, Unicef HQ, NY
Lamy Kuntonda Munkonda - Former
Leila Bisharat - UNICEF/Representative to Egypt
Luzma Montano- Deputy Representative, UNICEF Libya (Retired)
M. Anis Salem - Former UNICEF Representative
M. Tarique Farooqui - UNICEF Representative
Maie Ayoub - UNICEF Senior Manager
Malikkamadom Rajan - Retired UNICEF Staff
Manolita V. Ocampo - UNICEF Human Resources Officer
Manuel Tristan - Peruvian Citizen
Marco Vianello-Chiodo - Former deputy executive director of UNICEF
Margaret Murray-Lee - Senior External Relations Officer, UNICEF Office for Former Soviet Union ans Eastern Europe
Maria Calivis - Former UNICEF Regional Director For MENA
Maria Dammer - UNICEF/retired/Systems Analyst
Maria Eloisa F. Diaz - Wife of former UNICEF Representative Ralph Diaz
Mariam Traoré Kanakomo - Former C4D chief
Maripol G. Mendoza - Sr. Audit assistant, UNICEF
Mark Stirling - UNICEF colleague and friend
Mary Martin - Ex UNICEF / manager
Mikko Lainejoki - Chief, Contacting
Milada Pejovic - Administrative Assistant
Misrak Elias - UNICEF Representative in South Africa
N.K.Viswanathan - Retired Sr. Operations Officer
Nagayo Sawa - Information Officer, UNICEF Tokyo (former)
Nahid Siamdoust - Harvard University
Nancy Terreri - Retired UNICEF Representative & Sr. Advisor
Narendra P Shrestha - Former UNICEF Official
Neill McKee - Writer
Nicole Toutounji - Photo Editor
Niki Akhavan - Associate Professor, Catholic University
Nohora Beltrán - Former
P R Racherla - Sr Programme Asst, Chennai, India
Padmini Grot - Retired Senior Intersectoral Adviser, UNICEF
Pasti Silvia - UNICEF/former child protection officer
Paula M Claycomb - UNICEF retiree
Pauline O'Dea Knutsson - Child Protection Officer, Unicef
Peter Adamson - Editor 'State of the World's Children' report 1980-1996
Peter Greaves - Formerly Nutrition Adviser, New York.
Pierrette Vu Thi - Retraitée de l'UNICEF
Prem Subba - Chief of Operations
Richard M Pordes - Senior Fundraising Advisor, UNICEF
Robert David Cohen - Director, Rain Barrel Communications; UNICEF retiree
Robert Fuderich - Former UNICEF Representative to Uzbekistan, UNICEF Representative to Jamaica
Rohini de Silva - Deputy director HR
Ronald Ernst van Dijk - Chief Planning &Social Policy / Deputy Representative (retired)
Rosanat Remane Mota - Operations Manager
Ruben Gutierrez - Retired UNICEF Operations Manager
Rumishael Shoo - Former UNICEF Regional health adviser unicef ESARO.
Sandra Haji-Ahmed - Former United Nations Officer
Sawon Hong - EAPRO regional advisor for child protection
Shadi Shadi - Civic Society
Shahida Azfar - UNICEF
Shamsul Farooq - Director (retired), UNICEF Copenhagen
Sharad Sapra - Retired
Sheila Barry Tacon - Representative
Silvia Luciani - Ex UNICEF Representative in Guinea Bissau
Staffan de Mistura - Former Unicef Director of Pubblic Affairs
Subhash Dasgupta - Programme Officer UNICEF/CEECIS/Genev
Svetlana Marojevic - Education Specialist
Sylvia Roth - UNICEF Budget Officer Africa Regions
Taimur Ahmed - SZABIST Faculty of Media Sciences
Tharnkamol Suvilaisunthorn - Planning Specialist, UNICEF Jakarta (2010)
Thazin Oo - Former Deputy Representative, UNICEF
Thomas C McDermott - Former UNICEF Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa
Ute Deseniss-Gros - UNICEF Retiree
Van Haecke Viviane - Prog. Specialist, UNICEF Reg Off. Geneva
Venkatarama Muthuswami - Colleague and well wisher of Namazi and family
Victor Soler Sala - UNICEF Representative to CHINA
Victoria Haeri - Retired UNICEF staff member
Yasmin Cheema - Independent heritage consultant
Zafrul Hannan - Former UNICEF Supply Officer
Open Letter on the Continued Detention of Iranian Dual-Nationals
September 15, 2020
As the 75th Sessions of the United Nations General Assembly opens in tomorrow, we, the undersigned, are writing to raise serious concerns about the continuing, prolonged detention of Iranian-American citizen Siamak Namazi and other dual nationals in Iran who have been unjustly convicted on vaguely and arbitrarily defined national security charges, without due process and in unfair trials.
This fall marks the 5th year that Siamak, a business executive and humanitarian, has been behind bars. In 2016, a revolutionary court in a secret trial sentenced Siamak to 10 years in prison on the made-up charge of cooperating with the “hostile” US government. Siamak’s repeated requests for a fair trial, due process, and even temporary release on furlough – for which he is eligible under Iranian law – after five years of unjust imprisonment have landed on deaf ears.
Retired senior UNICEF official Iranian-American Baquer Namazi, Siamak’s 84 year old father – who was arrested in 2016 – has also been convicted on similar arbitrary charges. Due to his ill health, he has been granted a medical furlough. However, although gravely ill, Iran refuses to allow Baquer Namazi to leave the country to get the necessary medical attention. His health continues to deteriorate, and he will not likely survive much longer.
Sadly, Siamak and Baquer are only two among the several known cases of dual nationals, such as Morad Tahbaz, Iranian-American conservationist and businessman, and Fariba Adelkhah, French-Iranian anthropologist, who have been arrested, charged unjustly and imprisoned in recent years. Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, British-Iranian charity worker, has been granted leave from prison, but cannot leave the country to reunite with her family, and is reportedly facing a new charge.
The use of prisoners as bargaining chips in order to coerce other governments to provide concessions is a cruel policy and strategy that the Islamic Republic has been using, and it has to end. At a time when Iran is in need of the goodwill of the international Iranian diaspora to fight the Covid-19 pandemic and other challenges, the continued arbitrary detention of dual nationals seriously undermines the international standing of the country, and has a chilling effect on the return of other Iranian dual nationals.
We call on the Iranian authorities to release all innocent dual nationals who are arbitrarily detained in Iran and end the injustice against them and their families.
We also call on all other governments that engage with Iran on bilateral and multilateral issues to raise the pleas of the dual nationals detained in Iran and to do everything in their power to bring them home.
List of Signatories:
Ahmad Sadri, Lakeforest University
Bijan Khajehpour, Eurasian Nexus Partners, Vienna
Cornelia Ernst, Member of the European Parliament, Germany
Ernest Urtasun, Members of the European Parliament
Ervand Abrahamian, Professor Emeritus, City University of New York
Farideh Farhi, Department of Political Science, University of Hawai'i at Manoa
Gary Sick, Columbia University
Haleh Esfandiari, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
Jamal Abdi, National Iranian American Council
John Tirman, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Jytte Guteland, Members of the European Parliament
Kaveh Madani, Yale University
Mahmoud Sadri, Texas Woman’s University
Mehdi Noorbaksh,
Professor of International Affairs and business, Harrisburg University of Science and Technology
Mehrzad Boroujerdi, Virginia Tech University
Mohsen Kadivar, Duke University, Research Professor
Muhammad Sahimi, Professor, University of Southern California
Nader Hashemi, University of Denver
Narges Bajoghli, Johns Hopkins University
Noam Chomsky, University of Arizona
Paul R. Pillar, Georgetown University
Professor T. Atabaki, International Institute of Social History
Rami Khouri
Ramin Jahanbegloo, Jindal Global Law School
Ramon Blecua, Spanish Diplomat
Reza Aslan, University of California Riverside
Robert Malley, Former White House Coordinator for the Middle East, North Africa and Gulf Region under President Obama
Rouzbeh Parsi, Director, European Middle East Research Group (EMERG)
Tim Guldimann, Former Swiss Ambassador to Tehran, former Member of Swiss Parliament
Trita Parsi, Georgetown University
Vali Nasr, Professor, Johns Hopkins University
William O. Beeman, University of Minnesota
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