BOARD OF DIRECTORS
 
Arnold Amber
CBC Television Network News
President
 
Mori Abdolalian
CJFE Journalists in Exile
 
Alison Armstrong
Journalist/writer
 
Bob Carty
CBC-Radio "This Morning"
 
Barbara Falk
Writer/Lecturer
 
Roger Holmes
The Wainwright Star Chronicle
 
Paul Knox
The Globe and Mail
 
Steve Lukits
Royal Military College
 
John Norris
Lawyer, Ruby, Edwardh
 
Carol Off
CBC Television Network News
 
Philip Tunley
Lawyer, McCarthy Tétrault LLP
 
Olivia Ward
The Toronto Star
ADVISORY BOARD
 
Peter Desbarats
Maclean-Hunter Chair for Communications Ethics, Ryerson
 
Parker Barss Donham
freelance
 
John Honderich
The Toronto Star
 
John Macfarlane
Toronto Life
 
Joe Matyas
Southern Ontario Newspaper Guild
 
Ann Medina
freelance
 
Rick Moffat
Radio-TV News Directors Assn.
 
Lynda Powless
Native Journalists' Association
 
Lloyd Robertson
CTV News
 
Robert Scully
Télémision Information Inc.
 
Julian Sher
Canadian Association of Journalists
 
Keith Spicer
Institut du Monde anglophone Université de Paris III Sorbonne nouvelle
 
Norman Webster
Montreal

His Excellency Abbas Assemi, Chargé d'Affaires
Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran
245 Metcalfe Street
Ottawa (Ontario) K2P 2K2

August 18, 2006

Excellency,

I am writing on behalf of Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE), a non-profit, non-governmental organization that works to promote and protect press freedom and freedom of expression around the world.

CJFE recently learned that on August 3 the interior ministry announced that the Center for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR), co-founded by Nobel peace laureate Dr. Shirin Ebadi, was deemed an illegal organization as it had not obtained a proper permit.

It is our understanding that under the Iranian constitution such non-governmental organisations, operating peacefully and within the law, are not required to obtain permission.

CDHR has defended journalists, dissidents and students facing prosecution for exercising basic human rights pro bono. Since its inception four years ago, CDHR has represented the family of Canadian Iranian photojournalist, Zahra Kazemi and Akbar Ganji, winner of CJFE's 2000 International Press Freedom Awards. The closure of the organisation and the imprisonment of its workers would not only silence an important voice in the defence of journalists and others, but will create a chilling effect for free expression in the future.

CJFE is concerned that the space for free expression in Iran is growing ever smaller. According to members of the International Freedom of Expression eXchange, at least 11 journalists have been imprisoned so far this year.

CJFE calls on the government to allow its scholars and journalists and citizens the right to speak freely, without fear of punishment. We urge the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran to publicly acknowledge CDHR's right to continue the important work it is doing, in safety and without fear of repercussions.

I look forward to your response.

Yours sincerely,

Arnold Amber
CJFE President