Davood Bagheri is an Iranian student activist who helped organise the recent wave of student demonstrations. He fled Iran in fear for his life but was arrested by Turkish police trying to cross the border into Greece.

Davood has been held for three months in Erdine prison and tortured repeatedly. After a suicide attempt he was released to visit hospital and then reimprisoned. If he is deported back to Iran, Davood could face execution.

Please sign the online PETITION demanding Davood be released and be granted asylum-seeker status. The following is an open letter from the Bureau for Defence of Refugees describing his case:

Open letter to:

United Nations – Refugee section in Geneva and Ankara

Re: Davood Bagheri (David Baghleri), the Iranian political refugee commits suicide in

Edirne – Turkey prison

Copy to Amnesty International in Turkey (International Secretariat, Turkey Team) and Human Rights Organisations

12^th July 2008

We have previously informed your office in Geneva and Turkey and Amnesty International of the plight of Davood Bagheri (David Baghleri), the Iranian refugee who was arrested by the Turkish police on 06^th April 2008. It has been more than 3 months since Davood (David) was imprisoned and tortured physiologically and physically in Edirne prison. According to news reached our office, following his severe conditions and harsh treatment in prison, Mr. Bagheri committed suicide but is still alive. He was taken to hospital but was soon returned to prison. He is still in detention. This is not tolerable. Mr. Bagheri must be freed immediately and given refugee status in a third safe country.

Our bureau contacted your office in Geneva and Ankara about Mr. Bagheri. Our representatives in Turkey have also met your officials in Ankara. We requested an immediate reaction from your office regarding a quick resolution to Mr. Bagheri’s case. We requested that Mr. Bagheri must be freed and granted refugee status to travel to a third safe country. Unfortunately, so far no action has been taken on your part. You are responsible for his life, safety and wellbeing. The indifference of your office in Ankara has resulted to such dire situation for Mr. Bagheri to the extend that he attempted suicide. We have not forgotten Karim Tojali, an Iranian refugee who was deported to Iran by the Turkish government and was executed by the Islamic regime of Iran. We will not allow another human tragedy to be repeated.

Bureau for Defence of Refugees (BDR) is deeply concerned about the plight of Mr. Davood Bagheri in Turkey and expects UN officials in Ankara to take appropriate and immediate actions to free Davood and grant him refugee status.

We would like to inform you that an online petition has been created by political activists in condemnation of the Turkish government and in support of Davood. To view the petition please clicks on the link. http://www.petitiononline.com/db20085/petition.html

Yours truly,

Sirwan Ghaderi

Secretary of BDR