Update: Yeganeh Salehi has been released without charge on 6 October 2014. Jason is still detained on charges of “espionage”, “collaboration with hostile governments”, “gathering classified information” and “disseminating propaganda against Iran”.

The Gulf Center for Human Rights (GCHR) calls for the immediate and unconditional release of independent journalists Jason Rezaian and Yeganeh Salehi, a married couple. After a raid by Iranian security forces on the night of 22 July 2014, Jason Rezaian (reporter for the “Washington Post”) and Yeganeh Salehi (reporter for the UAE-based “The National”) were arrested in Tehran. Their personal belongings, including laptops, books and notes, were confiscated and from then on, their contact with the outside world was very limited, almost null. After two months of “temporary detention”, which in fact was extended twice, charges against these two journalists are still not clear. Neither of them are allowed access to lawyers either.

Based on a family visit to Rezaian and Salehi, both seem to have lost a worrisome amount of weight in prison. Additionally, Mary Rezaian, mother of Jason Rezaian states: “Jason uses medication for high blood pressure, without it, his health is dangerously compromised.”

Rezaian and Salehi insisted that they could not understand the reasons behind their detention since they have not committed any crimes. Both journalists were reporting from and about Iran, and had obtained licenses from the Iranian Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance which gives them full-fledged rights, according to law, to their journalism activities within Iran.

Rezaian and Salehi still haven’t been informed when they might be released and are concerned about the repercussions escalating day by day. This type of detention silences other reporters and prevents them from exercising their right to freedom of speech and expression. The GCHR strongly believes that Rezaian and Salehi’s ongoing detention is directly related to their journalistic activities and violates their right to freedom of information and expression. “His work was not controversial,” stated Rezaian’s mother, “but an honest record of his encounters with the people and the soul of Iran.”

The GCHR is very concerned that the arrest of Jason Rezaian and Yeganeh Salehi is part of an ongoing trend of harassment against journalists in Iran. As such, the GCHR condemns this act of detention and urges the government of Iran:

1. To immediately and unconditionally release the licensed journalists Jason Rezaian and Yeganeh Salehi;
2. To ensure the physical and psychological integrity and security of Jason Rezaian and Yeganeh Salehi, which includes, providing any necessary medical attention they both might need;
3. To guarantee in all circumstances that human rights defenders in Iran are able to carry out their legitimate human rights activities without fear of reprisals and free of all restrictions including judicial harassment.

The GCHR respectfully reminds the Iranian government that the United Nations Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, adopted by consensus by the UN General Assembly on 9 December 1998, recognizes the legitimacy of the activities of human rights defenders, their right to freedom of association and to carry out their activities without fear of reprisals. We would particularly draw your attention to Article 6 (b and c): “Everyone has the right, individually and in association with others: (b) As provided for in human rights and other applicable international instruments, to freely publish, impart or disseminate to others views, information and knowledge on all human rights and fundamental freedoms; (c) To study, discuss, form and hold opinions on the observance, both in law and in practice, of all human rights and fundamental freedoms and, through these and other appropriate means, to draw public attention to those matters”, and to Article 12 (1 and 2): “(1) Everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to participate in peaceful activities against violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms. (2) The State shall take all necessary measures to ensure the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually and in association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the present Declaration.”

Also we remind the Iranian government of the following:

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights states under:
Article 5: No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
Article 9: No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile.
Article 10: Everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, in the determination of his rights and obligations and of any criminal charge against him.
Article 19: Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.