To The Canadian Government

URGENT ACTION APPEAL

We, the undersigned, are academic colleagues, former students, and friends of Professor Ramin Jahanbegloo, a Canadian-Iranian academic, detained by the Iranian Government since April 27, 2006.

We are appalled and outraged that this prominent international scholar, associated with the University of Toronto and Harvard University, has been arbitrarily detained by the Iranian Government and been denied the most fundamental rights and protections afforded by international custom and convention.

We hereby demand the immediate and unconditional release of Dr. Ramin Jahanbegloo, a prisoner of conscience, who has made important contributions to numerous disciplines in the social sciences and humanities. In particular, we are alarmed that he has been unlawfully detained and is being held incommunicado at Tehran's notorious Evin prison.

We expect the Canadian Government to hold Iranian authorities to account and advocate forcefully on Dr. Jahanbegloo's behalf by demanding his immediate release and ensuring that he is accorded all applicable international individual protections, including assurances that his rights to due process and access to counsel are respected.