Release Omid Kokabee from Prison in Iran

Omid Kokabee, born in 1982, is an Iranian physicist and a postdoctoral student in atomic physics with a focus on laser research at the University of Texas at Austin. In 2011, he traveled back to Iran to visit his family, but was arrested on January 11, 2011 upon leaving Iran in the airport.
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In this photo released by the official website of the office of the Iranian Presidency, President Hassan Rouhani, right, meets with his South African counterpart Jacob Zuma at the Saadabad palace in Tehran, Iran, Sunday, April 24, 2016. (Iranian Presidency Office via AP)
In this photo released by the official website of the office of the Iranian Presidency, President Hassan Rouhani, right, meets with his South African counterpart Jacob Zuma at the Saadabad palace in Tehran, Iran, Sunday, April 24, 2016. (Iranian Presidency Office via AP)

To:His Excellency Ban-Ki MoonSecretary General of United NationsThe United NationsNew York, NY 10017

From:About 16,000 signatories from all around the world (refer to attachment)

2016-04-26-1461679577-273191-Omidkokabi.jpg

Re: International Campaign for the Immediate Release of Omid Kokabee from Prison in Iran

Your Excellency,

We, the undersigned from all around the world, are addressing you and calling on your sense of humanity and your responsibility as the United Nations's highest official to take action against an iniquity. Omid Kokabee, born in 1982, is an Iranian physicist and a postdoctoral student in atomic physics with a focus on laser research at the University of Texas at Austin. In 2011, he traveled back to Iran to visit his family, but was arrested on January 11, 2011 upon leaving Iran in the airport. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison and is currently serving time.

The main reason for his incarceration is his refusal to cooperate with the Iranian regime in its military projects. He was condemned based on absurd charges such as relations with the Academia and scientific circles and institutions abroad.

He has taken a strong and heroic position by resisting pressures and even withstanding prison instead of treading underfoot his moral principles as not to use his scientific knowledge for destructive purposes.

He has been saluted so far by multiple human rights awards. He is a brilliant physics student with no record of political activity who has undergone serious physical and psychological harms in prison. He has been suffering from an acute kidney disease for two years, yet the prison officials have been denying him access to advanced medical treatment. A few days ago, we were struck by the most dismal news: Omid's lawyer announced that unfortunately, he had been diagnosed with a type of kidney cancer (Renal Cell Carcinoma) due to a malignant tumor in his right kidney.

Omid has undergone an urgent nephrectomy surgery and his right kidney has been removed. The Iranian regime is responsible for Omid's health and should account for anything unfortunate happening to him.

With respect to Omid's particular situation as an Iranian with a sensitive scientific specialization, and as he himself expressed in a letter to the public prosecutor, there is serious concern that some invisible will in the corridors of power does not want him to come alive out of prison.

Omid's health condition is such that he shouldn't stay any longer in prison and deferral of his release would cause him irreversible harms. The Iranian regime should be urged to release Omid and his family should decide where he is to receive further treatment. We are writing this letter to call your attention to Omid's case, and ask you to use all available means to have Omid released from prison.

Attached you will find the web link in demonstration of the support of more than 15,000 signatories to this letter. This massive mobilization in favor of Omid (proved also by more than 300,000 #FreeOmid hashtags over the past few days), demonstrates that there is a high expectation of you in the public opinion in terms of quick action in this matter.

Waiting for your favorable action to save Omid's life, we remain. Best regards.

Attachment- signatories to the letter:Shirin Ebadi, Human Rights Lawyer & Activist, Founder of Defenders of Human Rights Center, Nobel Peace Prize laureate (2003)Nasrin Sotoudeh, Human Rights Lawyer & Activist; Sakharov Prize winner Mohammad Maleki, Former President of the University of Tehran, ActivistJafar Panahi, Film Director, Sakharov Prize winnerJavier El-Hage, Chief Legal Officer, Human Rights FoundationSonia Paban, Associate Professor in Physics at the University of Texas at AustinCan Kilic, Assistant Professor in Physics at the University of Texas at AustinMohammad Mostafaei, Human Rights lawyer & Director at Universal Tolerance OrganizationMahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, Professor in Molecular Neuroscience at University of Oslo & Human Rights ActivistAmmar Maleki, Assistant Professor in Political Science at Tilburg UniversityMehdi Marashi, Author, Professor Emeritus in Persian language and linguisticsAram Hesami, Professor in Political Science at Montgomery CollegeReza Farokhfal, Instructor in Farsi, Farsi Language Coordinator at the University of Colorado at BoulderMohammad Yaghoubi, Playwright and Theater DirectorRudi Bakhtiar, TV Producer and JournalistMahnaz Parakand, Human Rights Lawyer & ActivistAfrooz Maghzi, Human Rights LawyerMansoureh Shojaee, Human Rights Activist & WriterParastou Forouhar, Artist, Writer, and Human Rights ActivistReza Allamehzadeh, Filmmaker, Film critic and Writer Elahe Amani, Alternative Dispute Resolution Mediator at Mediators Beyond Borders InternationalSahand Tahmasebi, Neuropsychologist at UBC & Clinical Research Assistant at Vancouver Infectious Diseases CentreBijan Miremadi, Retired Professor in Physics and Research Scientist at Simon Fraser University, Former Dean and Founder of Engineeing School at Ahvaz University, IranNayereh Tohidi, Professor and Former Chair of the Department of Gender & Women Studies at the California State UniversityTamar Eilam Gindin, IranologistMasih Alinejad, JournalistReza Khandan, Rights ActivistMorteza Negahi, Author and Journalist Shirin Famili, JournalistAhmad Rafat, JournalistDarya Safai, Women's rights activistHamidReza ZarifiNia, JournalistNahid Ghani, Research Associate in History, Simon Fraser UniversityMehran Barati, Politician and Researcher at Free University of BerlinShahrzad Sepanlou, ArtistShahrokh Moshkin Ghalam, ArtistFereshteh Molavi, WriterSanaz Fotouhi, WriterMojdeh Shamsaee, ArtistSoheil Parsa, Film Director, Writer, ActorReza Allamehzadeh, Film DirectorMaede Soltani, Human Rights ActivistMaryam Hosseinkhah, Human Rights ActivistLida HosseiniNejad, JournalistHassan Nayeb Hashem, Human Rights ActivistAli Kheradpir, JournalistJamileh Nedai, Freelance Filmmaker and Theater Director Fati Mohammadi, ActressHamid Ehya, Theater Director, Actor, and Translator Hossein Sharang, Writer & PoetSoheil Azizi, Theater ActorMehrdad ArianNejad, Director at Tirgan Festival Shahrokh Heidari, CartoonistScott Amandola, Jaaz MusicianFatemeh Ekhtesari, PoetMehdi Mousavi, PoetShadi Yousefian, ArtistPotkin Azarmehr, Blogger and TV ProducerAfshin Nariman, TV Host and ProducerSam Ghandchi, JournalistPooya Jahandar, Human Rights ActivistPejman Akbarzadeh, Musician, Journalist and Radio Producer Mohammad Taghi Karoubi, Legal Adviser to Avicenna Research Center and Member of Bioethics and Law CommitteeMaryam Faghihimani, President at the Center for Cultural Diplomacy & DevelopmentDamon Golriz, Lecturer at The Hague University of applied sciences and a fellow of the research group International Peace, Justice and SecurityAhmed Pouri, Founder and Director of PRIME, Participating Refugees in Multicultural Europe Pouria Alimoradi, Ph.D Student of Iranian Studies at Toronto UniversityAvideh MotmaenFar, Journalist and ArtistSheema Kalbasi, poet, Filmmaker, and Rights ActivistNizam Missaghi, Physician and Civil Rights ActivistSepideh Shokri Poori, PhD Candidate, Faculté des lettres et des sciences humaines - Université LavalMasood MasjoodyAshkan MonfaredDaniel JafariSaeid HosseinpourAmir Yahya AyatollahiBehzad MehraniLeily NikounazarNasrin AfzaliAshkan SafaeiMehdi Jalali TehraniSaeed GhasseminejadAli AshtariSalman SimaMohammad IzadiAmirHossein EtemadiArash SobhaniBorzumehr TolouiYouhan NajdiEmad MolaeinejadNina VababAmin Riahi

And about 16,000 signatories from all around the world, to be found at this link.

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