From Mrs. Shobhaa De

Blogdosts, pass this on to all your friends in media. No. Pass it on to every single person you know who values freedom - it is all we really have!! The petition is self- explanatory. Our voices will help save an innocent man's life. And send a strong signal to oppressive regimes the world over that there are eyes, ears, voices and tears that still believe in human rights.
On 7/7/09, Intern1 wrote:
Dear Shobhaa De ,I'd be immensely grateful for your help.We are working with the Committee for the Protection of Journalists and Newsweek in New York to try and secure the release of the Iranian-Canadian journalist Maziar Bahari in Tehran. He was reporting on the elections in Iran and has been detained without charge since 21 June.We are asking leading editors and journalists around the world to sign a letter calling for his release. It will be sent to the head of the judiciary in Iran - and we would be delighted if you felt able to sign it. Signatories include CNN’s Cristiane Amanpour, leading Pakistani journalist Ahmed Rashid, the editor of Die Zeit, Josef Joffe, the editor of El Pais, Javier Moreno and celebrated Italian reporter Roberto Saviano.Maziar is one of the most remarkable reporters and film makers in his field. He has worked for the BBC (Newsnight and Panorama), and Channel 4, as well as reporting for Newsweek. His documentary films include ‘And Along Came A Spider’ about an Iranian serial killer and, most recently, ‘An Iranian Odyssey’ about the plot to overthrow Mossadegh in 1953.We believe that a strong protest from Maziar Bahari's peers at the highest level in Iran will form a significant part of the campaign for his release.http://www.newsweek.com/id/203036I look forward to hearing from you.With kind regards,Lily Ash Sakula,Index on Censorshipwww.indexoncensorship.org http://www.indexoncensorship.org/> +44 (0)20 7324 2522Sent on behalf of Jo Glanville, the Editor
jo@indexoncensorship.org
PETITIONWe are writing to express our grave concern at the detention of our esteemedfellow journalist Maziar Bahari and to request his immediate release. MrBahari has been detained since June 21. No charges have been brought againsthim, and he has not been granted access to a lawyer. As one of the mostimpartial and committed journalists in his field, he has been regularlyreporting from the Middle East, principally on Iran and Iraq, for the pastdecade, providing consistently balanced and insightful reports. As anaward-winning documentary film maker he has earned global respect for hiswork.We request his immediate release from custody and that he be allowed toresume his work. As a journalist, he was engaged in fulfilling hisprofessional duties, reporting on critical events following the elections.At a minimum he is entitled to the full protection of the laws of Iran,including the right to legal counsel. The Islamic Republic of Iran¹sdomestic laws recognize the right to free expression and Iran was one of thefirst countries in the world to ratify the International Covenant on Civiland Political Rights in 1975, which guarantees all individuals the freedomto seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardlessof frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print, in the form of art, orthrough any other media.As a group of leading international journalists and editors, who wish toensure that our fellow professionals are permitted to do their work safelyand freely, we ask you to consider this petition and return Mr Bahari to hisfriends, colleagues and family without further delay.