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As clock ticks toward another Trump presidency, federal death row prisoners appeal for clemency

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President-elect Donald Trump’s return to office is putting a spotlight on the U.S. penitentiary in Terre Haute, which houses federal death row. In Bloomington, a small community of death row spiritual advisors is struggling to support the prisoners to whom they minister.  Ross Martinie Eiler is a Mennonite, Episcopal lay minister and member of the Catholic Worker movement, which assists the homeless. And for the past three years, he’s served as a spiritual advisor for a man on federal death row.
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Human rights lawyer Mohammad Mostafaei urges the Iranian authorities to release his wife and brother in law

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Mohammad Mostafaei
After 1 week of no new about whereabouts of the human rights lawyer Mohammad Mostafaei, he sent an open letter to Tehran's public prosecutor today.

The human rights lawyer Mohammad Mostafaei asked in an open letter to Jafar Dowlatabadi the public prosecutor of Tehran, to release his wife and brother in law.

Mr. Mostafaei wrote in his letter: "The district prosecutor of Shahid Moghaddas, has in an act which is unjustifiable and contrary to the principle of personal crimes, taken hostage my wife and brother in law, and announced that they will not be released until I present myself". Mr. Mostafaei characterized this action as "abuse of power" and "acts of personal taste".

Mr. Mostafaei explained that he presented himself to the prosecutor's office last Saturday after being summoned "legally". Later the same day he was once again summoned by phone and he had decided to go to the prosecutor's office the next day. However he was told by his father in law that his wife and brother in alw were taken into custody late that night.

He writes" After hearing this disturbing news I intended first to go to the Evin Prison, but I don't tolerate so much lawlessness and violations of basic human rights, and despite the fact that they were holding my loved ones I decided not to participate in anu judicial process that doesn't adhere to basic principles of the law including the principle of crimes and punishments of being personal, presumption of innocence, the principle of legality of crimes (the hostage taking is illegal), principle of people having a fair hearing, the principle of impartiality of judges and hundreds of other principles. I decided not to present myself to the prosecutor's office unless they decide to come and arrest me.

Mr Mostafaei finally asks the prosecutor general to "release his wife and brother in law who have been taken as hostages" and that "he is willing to be present in any fair trial court and accept any fair charges and punishments".

Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, the spokesperson of Iran Human Rights urged the international community, UN, the International Bar Association and all national and international lawyer associations to show their support for the human rights lawyer Mohammad Mostafaei and put pressure on the Iranian authoriteis to stop harrasment of Mr. Mostafai and his family. Amiry-Moghaddam said: Mr. Mostafaei has been defending tens of the weakest victims in the Iranian society, and has defended and managed to release several minors on the death row and women sentenced to death by stoning. It is the world community's moral responsibility to defend Mr. Mostafaei's rights.

Source: Iran Human Rights, July 31, 2010
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