Yaghoghil Shaolian detained in Iranian-prison accused of espionage

E7AFEXQNVZ6V 

Yaghoghil Shaolian has been sentenced to two and a half years in prison, being accused of espionage

7 December 2009 @09:30

I received a phone call from Mr. Yoseph Shaolian, father, residing in Iran… “Please, pray for him”

24 November, 2009

LATEST reply from The Honourable Lawrence Cannon, P.C., M.P.
Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs

Re: Yaghoghil Shaolian, 19, sentenced to two and a half years in Iranian-prison‏

From:	Melissa.Lantsman@international.gc.ca
Sent:	November 24, 2009 10:43:01 PM
To:	ariehperecowicz@msn.com; cannon.l@parl.gc.ca; cannol1@parl.gc.ca
Cc:	cotlei1@parl.gc.ca; Hliebman@hotmail.com

Mr. Perecowicz,

I apologize for the late reply to your email, dated November 12, 2009. I have enclosed the Minister’s response to your concerns. Please feel free to contact me should you have any additional inquires.

Regards,
Melissa Lantsman

—————————————

Dear Arieh Perecowicz:

Thank you for your email, sent to my Office on November 12, 2009, concerning the situation of human rights in Iran and the case of Mr. Yaghoghil Shaolian, an Iranian national detained by the Iranian government.

The Government of Canada is deeply troubled by the current situation in Iran and has taken many opportunities to express its condemnation of Iran’s human rights abuses and to call for the release of all those unjustly detained in Iran. On June 15, 2009, I made a statement in which I outlined Canada’s concerns regarding allegations of irregularities in the voting process and reports of violent crackdowns by Iranian security forces on their own citizens. Furthermore, on June 21, 2009, I made another statement condemning the use of violence against protestors. You may read my statements at http://w01.international.gc.ca/minpub/index.asp

Officials of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada have also relayed these concerns directly to the Iranian Chargé d’Affaires in Ottawa, on a number of occasions, as Iran is not represented by an ambassador in Canada. As well, on June 22, 2009, the Right Honourable Stephen Harper, Prime Minister, made a statement on the situation in Iran, which you may view at www.pm.gc.ca/eng/media.asp?category=3&id=2647. Canada has also consistently called upon the Iranian authorities to release all political prisoners and journalists who have been unjustly detained, and to uphold all of its human rights obligations, both in law and in practice.

On June 17, 2009, in the House of Commons, Prime Minister Harper clearly articulated Canada’s position on Iran:

There is no secret to the Government of Canada’s position. We have been outspoken for a very long time in the councils of the United Nations and elsewhere about the unacceptable ideology, democratic practices and human rights record of the Government of Iran. We are obviously strongly displeased by the reaction that has taken place by authorities to events this week.

We encourage those authorities to respect people’s basic human rights and to move forward on democratic progress in this country. We find the behaviour of that regime unacceptable in so many ways that I cannot even begin to name them.

On the same day, I stated in the House of Commons that:

Everyone knows that this government has been very active on the Iran file, particularly in terms of condemnation and the commitment we made at the United Nations to condemn human rights abuses.

In addition, Mr. John Weston, Member of Parliament and Government Liaison to the Persian and Iranian Community, introduced the following motion, which was unanimously adopted by the House of Commons:

That the House express:

its solidarity with, and support for, the democratic aspirations of the Iranian people;
its concern with ongoing violations of civil and human rights in Iran, and calls for the immediate release of all political prisoners; and its support for a transparent electoral process that respects the genuine will of the Iranian people.

On July 8, 2009, Canada joined with other G8 countries in expressing serious concerns about recent events in Iran. G8 Leaders deplored the post-electoral violence, which led to the loss of lives of civilians, calling interference with media, unjustified detentions of journalists and recent arrests of foreign nationals unacceptable. They called upon Iran to solve the situation through democratic dialogue and the rule of law. You may read the statement at www.canadainternational.gc.ca/g8/summit-sommet/2009/political_declaration-declaration_politique.aspx.

On October 20, 2009, Prime Minister Harper welcomed the safe release of Canadian journalist Maziar Bahari by the Government of Iran. However, he stated that “while we rejoice today for Maziar Bahari’s homecoming, we must not forget about the countless others who remain unjustly imprisoned in Iran today.”

The Government of Canada will continue to call upon Iran to respect the human rights of all Iranians, and that ordinary Iranians must be able to freely express their views without fear of intimidation or violence.

The Canadian government’s concerns about human rights in Iran are long-standing. As part of its ongoing efforts to focus the international community’s attention on the human rights situation in Iran, Canada successfully led a resolution on this situation at the fall session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) for six consecutive years. Canada and 41 co-sponsors tabled a resolution at Third Committee of UNGA, for the seventh year on November 10, 2009. The resolution, which passed with significant margin of support on Friday, Noverember 20, 2009 calls on the Government of Iran to fully respect its human rights obligations and implement previous resolutions. It also expresses deep concerns about increasing discrimination and other human rights violations against persons belonging to religious, ethnic, linguistic or other minorities, recognized or otherwise, including, inter alia, Arabs, Azeris, Baluchis, Kurds, Christians, Jews, Sufis and Sunni Muslims and their defenders. Collective efforts to table such resolutions send a strong signal that the international community remains deeply concerned about Iran’s unacceptable human rights violations.

Please be assured that Canada will continue to use all means available to raise its concerns about human rights, including the post-election situation and the continued unjust detention of Iranian and foreign nationals, such as Mr. Shaolian, in Iran.

Thank you for taking the time to write and share your concerns.

Sincerely,

The Honourable Lawrence Cannon, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Foreign Affairs

An email went off to the Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs,

The Honorable Mr. Lawrence Cannon, MP

12 November, 2009

RE: Yaghoghil Shaolian, 19, sentenced to two and a half years in Iranian-prison‏

From:	Arieh Perecowicz (ariehperecowicz@msn.com)
Sent:	November 12, 2009 8:11:23 PM
To:	melissa.lantsman@international.gc.ca
Cc:	Professor HON. Mr. Irving Cotler (cotlei1@parl.gc.ca)
Bcc:	B’nai Brith Parliament (parliamenthill@bnaibrith.ca); atlas@adamatlas.com; Enza Martuccelli (enzam@cjc.ca); slimovitch@montrealcriminallaw.com; Rabbi R. J. Poupko (rabbi@shul.org); Beryl Wajsman (editor@thesuburban.com)

Dear Melissa,  

My name is Arieh Perecowicz.  

I am a proud Montrealer, and Canadian, who is gravely concerned about human rights. 

I am writing you – particularly in the wake of Canada’s sponsorship, of a resolution in the United Nations, on Iran’s deplorable human rights record – to request, that your government uses its good offices to intervene on behalf and monitor the conditions and trial of Mr. Yaghoghil Shaolian, an Iranian national, who was picked up and falsely imprisoned on trumped up charges, and risks arbitrary severe punishment, or even death. His predicament, as a member of Iran’s small and vulnerable Jewish community, is most precarious, and urgently requires Canada’s and the international community’s protest and intervention.

Will Canada – together with our allies and international partners – intervene to monitor his conditions of detention, his trial, provide legal assistance, and otherwise protect the life of this innocent Iranian citizen?

I thank you for your time, and I look forward to your reply on how Canada might help save this life. 

Yours truly, 

Arieh Perecowicz  

CC: Hon. Irwin Cotler, MP Mount Royal

P.S.

For further information, relating to this Young-Teen, you may visit my blog at

http://lionpuppyheart.wordpress.com/2009/11/15/yaghoghil-shaolian-detained-in-iranian-prison-accused-of-espionage/

Arieh Perecowicz ariehperecowicz@msn.com

CELL        : 514-235-4225

 Latest News:

 Latest Update:

Breaking development:

Family Information:

Edwin Shaolian living in Los-Angeles, California, USA  is a cousin of the Grandfather of  Yaghoghil Shaolian, on the Father’s side. The Father was a prisoner in Iranian-prison.

Ms. Senehie is Yaghoghil Shaolian’s Aunt, being his Mother’s Sister, lives in L.A. California.

Yaghoghil Shaolian’s Father’s name is Yosseph, Yosef, Josef , Yoseph, Yossef, Joseph, or Mousa and his Mother’s name is Lita.

A close friend of the family named Sharouna Shaoolian.

Some family go under the family names: Shamouelian – and - Shamouel.

We are waitting to make contact with the family in Iran…

                                                                    -30-

Thursday, 29 October, 2009

An email reply from Professor Hon. Mr. Irwin Cotler, MP 

(Mount Royal, Lib.) Canadian Parliament

RE: Yaghoghil Shaolian, 19‏

From:	CotleI@parl.gc.ca
Sent:	October 29, 2009 1:13:37 PM
To:	ariehperecowicz@msn.com

Dear Arieh,

Thank you for your e-mail regarding Yaghoghil Shaolian.

I have been working in concert  with others to free the detainees. Indeed I spoke yet again about this in Parliament today and will be doing so again tomorrow. 

We will keep doing what we can.

 

Irwin Cotler

 The above email was in responce to the following email from

October 21, 2009

From: Arieh Perecowicz [mailto:ariehperecowicz@msn.com]

Sent: October 21, 2009 9:48 PM

To: Cotler, Irwin – Riding 1; Cotler, Irwin – M.P.; Mr. Howard Liebman

Cc: Enza Martuccelli; Enza Martuccelli

Subject: FW: Yaghoghil Shaolian, 19

Hello Mr. Cotler and Mr. Howard, 

I suppose, it is time to investigate as to whether Yaghoghil Shaolian is still alive and his where about,

than to do ALL we can to get him FREE!

Three months in an Iranian-prison, for a teenager, is 92 days to long!!!

Time for action if it is not too late?

Arieh Perecowicz ariehperecowicz@msn.com

CELL        : 514-235-4225

ADDRESS: 5450, Cranbrooke Ave. Apt. #106,

 

                     Cote-St.-Luc, (Mtl.), Quebec, H4X-2E1

22 Oct 2009 : Column 1617W 

Iran: Religious Freedom

Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the human rights situation of the Jewish community in Iran since July 2009; and if he will make a statement. [293293]

22 Oct 2009 : Column 1619W

Mr. Ivan Lewis: The situation of the Jewish community in Iran has long been of concern to us. Its members have suffered discrimination under the Islamic Republic: for example, Iranian Jews are barred from running for President, and from a number of professions, such as the armed forces. President Ahmadinejad’s repeated denials of the Holocaust— most recently at the UN General Assembly in September—only serve to increase our concern.

We have been disturbed by the Iranian authorities’ response to the protests that followed the disputed June 2009 presidential election, and in particular by the death and imprisonment sentences handed down in recent days. One of those convicted was the Jewish teenager, Yaghoghil Shaolian. He has been sentenced to two and a half years in prison. We are seeking more information about his case, as well as those of the other defendants, and will raise our concerns with the Iranian authorities, since those convicted and sentenced appear to have been denied a fair trial.

http://www.fotoglif.com/f/7t9p5ba4foqv

Photo from fOTOGLIF

Iranian Jewish teenager Yaghoghil Shaolian, appears in court for his alleged involvement in the turmoil following the recent presidential election on in Tehran, Iran on August 16, 2009. Iran began the third mass trial on Sunday of those arrested on charges of rioting following the disputed presidential vote in Tehran. UPI/ILNA/Hoshang Hadi Photo via Newscom

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?blobcol=urlimage&blobheader=image%2Fjpeg&blobheadername1=Cache-Control&blobheadervalue1=max-age%3D420&blobkey=id&blobtable=JPImage&blobwhere=1249418615179&cachecontrol=5%3A0%3A0+*%2F*%2F*&ssbinary=true

Yaghoghil Shaolian, 19, Jewish-Teenager

17 August, 2009

By Nasser Karimi Associated Press Teheran

August 16th, 2009

Iran defies condemnation, expands opposition trial

TEHRAN, Iran — Iran expanded a mass trial of opposition supporters on Sunday with the addition of 25 defendants — including a Jewish teenager — in defiance of international condemnation, as France said Iran agreed to release a French woman held on spying charges from prison…

The trial, now in its third session…

The U.S. last week labeled the event a “show trial.”…

The additional defendants brought the total number being tried to 135…

A 24-year-old French academic, Clotilde Reiss,… was freed Sunday from an Iranian prison,…

France is also asking for all charges to be dropped against another of its citizens, Nazak Afshar…She appeared during a previous court session before being released from prison…

One of the new defendants was Yaghoghil Shaolian, 19, a member of Iran’s Jewish community, which numbers about 25,000 people. He was quoted by the semiofficial Fars news agency as saying that he was not an activist but that he got caught up in the moment and threw stones at a Tehran bank during a protest.

Iran’s only Jewish parliamentarian, Siamak Mereh Sedq, confirmed the detention of Shaolian and his Jewish identity to The Associated Press. He said the detention was not connected to his religion and that Shaolian is innocent.

Yaghoghil Shaolian, 19, was quoted as saying he did not join the protests, but just threw some stones at a bank branch in central Tehran on June 14, resulting in his arrest.

The report said lawyer of Shaolian asked the court for a reasonable and fair prosecution due to Shaolian’s youth.

Iran’s sole Jewish parliamentarian, Siamak Mereh Sedq, confirmed the detention of Shaolian and his Jewish identity to The Associated Press.

“I have been pursuing his case since we learned about his detention,” said Mereh Sedq. He said Shaolian’s detention was not related to his religion.

“He is innocent, we hope to see his release soon based on Islamic mercy,” he said.

Shaolian’s trial is the first time a Jew has been tried in Iran since 2000 when 13 Jews were charged with spying for Israel.

“I have been treated with good behavior in jail, specially considering that I am from a religious minority,” Yaghoghil Shaolian, a 29-year-old Jew, said during the third court hearing of those detained during unrests after June 12 presidential election in Iran.

Also during his defense, Shaolian apologized to the Iranian people and Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei for his participation in the unrests.

According to indictment filed against him by Tehran’s prosecutor general, Shaolian is accused of acting against national security through participating in illegal rallies, vandalizing and setting ablaze public and private properties and propagation against the Islamic Republic.

The prosecutor opened the trial with a general indictment of all 25 defendants, accusing them of plotting the post-election disturbances years ahead of time, said the state news agency.

The semi-official Fars news agency reported one of the people on trial belonged to Iran’s Jewish community.

Yaghoghil Shaolian, 19, was quoted as saying he did not join the protests, but just threw some stones at a bank branch in central Teheran on June 14, resulting in his arrest.

 

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