Iran: Treatment by government authorities and other groups, of the family and "supporters" of the writers Faraj Sarkouhi (various spellings) and Ahmand Shamlou; current whereabouts and activities of Ahmand Shamlou (1999)

This Response focuses on the treatment by government authorities, and other groups, of the family members of the writers Faraj Sarkouhi and Ahmand Shamlou in Iran.

Several sources provided information on these two men through correspondence and a telephone interview. The sources are a researcher for the Middle East of the International PEN Writers in Prison Committee (7 Oct. 1999); the Executive Director - International of PEN Canada, who obtained her information from a "prominent member" of the Iranian Writers Association (of which Sarkouhi is a co-founder) and whom she describes as "extremely well-connected to the Iranian literary scene, an academic, and completely trustworthy" (29 Sept. 1999); and, a representative of Article 19 – the International Centre Against Censorship – who has worked at that organization for more than 10 years and who has, during that time, served as International Secretary of the Joint Rushdie Defence Committee, provided regular reports to the UN Special Representative on Iran, and "monitored the situation in Iran on a regular basis" (24 and 29 Sept. 1999).

All of these persons identified Ahmad Shamlou (Shamloo) as very prominent and well-respected within Iran as a writer/poet who had in the past experienced difficulties as a consequence of his criticism of the government. Both the representative of Article 19 and the Executive Director - International of PEN Canada, stated that he is now quite old and sick and living in Iran. The representative of Article 19 stated that he had just recently had a leg amputated, while the Executive Director - International of PEN Canada stated that he is in the hospital and in "bad shape" as he is suffering from various ailments including diabetes, arthritis, and heart problems. Both of these persons stated that because of his renown in Iran, the Iranian authorities are unlikely to take any action against him. The representative of Article 19 said: "A lot, not all, of his work is banned in Iran. The authorities sometimes visit him, politely, to ask him not to make problems. They would not dare to hurt him. [Faraj] Sarkohi said that if anything happened to Shamlou as a result of harrassment by government it would cause another revolution."

However, the researcher for International PEN Writers in Prison Committee said that Shamlou could, at this time, "face dangers" similar to those of members of the Iranian Writers' Association, Kanoun, three of whose members were killed last year allegedly by members of the security forces (29 Sept. 1999).

With regard to Shamlou's family, the representative of Article 19 said that he "has one daughter who has been in England for 13 years, one son a theatrical artist who has studied in Italy and is now in Iran and who does have problems with the authorities because of the nature of his work, and …  the eldest [son], who is a car dealer and who has no problems" (29 Sept. 1999). However, the researcher with the International PEN Writers in Prison Committee International PEN Writers in Prison Committee, stated that he is "unaware" of the situation of Shamlou's family members (29 Sept. 1999). A representative of the Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE) and the International Freedom of Exchange Clearing House (IFEX), and a senior researcher on the Middle East/North Africa for Freedom House, stated that their organizations had no information pertaining to the treatment in Iran of Ahmand Shamlou, his family, or his "supporters" (24 Sept. 1999).

With the exception of the senior researcher for Freedom House, the persons mentioned above all provided some information pertaining to Faraj Sarkouhi. The representative of IFEX and CJFE stated that the most recent report they have pertaining to Sarkouhi is dated 14 June 1999. The report, which refers to his receiving the World Association of Newspapers (WAN) Golden Pen of Freedom award (ibid.), contains "no reference to threats against his family or supporters in Iran" (CJFE/IFEX 24 Sept. 1999). She added that she interviewed him when he was in Toronto in April 1999 but their conversation did not touch on the treatment of his family or his "supporters" as they "mainly spoke about the state of press freedom in Iran."

The Executive Director - International of PEN Canada, stated that in her conversations with a "prominent member" of the Iranian Writers Association, he emphasized that one cannot speak generally about "supporters" of writers (7 Oct. 1999). She stated that he had advised that the term "supporters" is "impossible to define" in relation to writers. He said that each case needs to be looked at individually, as to whether the person is suffering from, or at risk of, ill treatment. As such, for him to provide information on the treatment of persons connected to either Sarkouhi or Shamlou, he would first need the person's name. However, with regard to Sarkouhi's family he stated that one of Sarkouhi's brother had been "in danger" and that he had suffered a heart attack as a result. This brother is now in Germany, where Faraj Sarkouhi himself has resided with his family (ibid.) since leaving Iran in May 1998 (IFEX 14 June 1999). The Executive Director-International of PEN Canada stated that the member of the Iranian Writers Association to whom she had spoken, had stated that Sarkouhi "is not worried about his other brothers and mother" who remain in Iran (7 Oct. 1999).

The representative of Article 19 stated that she had spoken directly to Sarkouhi on 29 September 1999 "who advises…as follows":

1. His brother who leaked the letter to the West revealing Faraj Sarkohi's detention in January 1997 has suffered harrassment and rearrest since then. He was refused permission to leave Iran for a bypass operation on his heart and an operation he had in Iran failed to relieve the problem. After persistent refusals to allow him to travel to Germany for treatment, two months ago he was allowed to travel to the Gulf for an operation and has since travelled to Germany where he remains.

2. His immediate family is still in Iran and subject to harrassment by the authorities, but others siblings and their families do not face any problems (29 Sept. 1999).

However, she also wrote that:

Faraj Sarkohi asked me to tell you that since he has been in Europe (and especially in Germany) he has been told by immigration lawyers that more than 1,000 Iranians seeking refuge have claimed to have translated The Satanic Verses. Many others are now claiming either to be related to Faraj Sarkohi or to have worked for him (ibid.)

She concluded by stating: "The situation in Iran is still hostile to freedom of expression. Four students face execution for having demonstrated against the closure of newspapers and several editors have recently been imprisoned" (ibid.).

The researcher for the International PEN Writers in Prison Committee stated that it is "not aware of the circumstances surrounding Mr. Sarkoohi's remaining family in Iran. His children also live in the west, as far as we know" (29 Sept. 1999).

Several publications identify Sarkouhi as the former editor of Adineh and state that the paper was closed by Iranian authorities in February 1999 (AP 14 June 1999; AFP 3 Feb. 1999; DPA 7 Aug. 1999; ibid. 2 Feb. 1999). Iranian judicial authorities charged that the paper had published false material and "corrupt articles" and its editor at that time, Gholam-Hussein Zakeri, was fined 9 million rials (ibid.; AFP 3 Feb. 1999).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

Agence France Presse (AFP). 3 February 1999. "Liberal Magazine Banned in Iran." (NEXIS)

Article 19 – International Centre Against Censorship, London. 29 September. Correspondence from representative.

Associated Press (AP). 14 June 1999. Ernst E. Abegg. "Iran Editor Honored At Paper Forum." (NEXIS)

Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE) and International Freedom of Exchange Clearing House (IFEX), Toronto. 24 September 1999. Correspondence from representative.

Deutsche Presse-Agentur (DPA). 7 August 1999. "'Rogue Agent' Also Involved in Mykonos Affair - Tehran Daily." (NEXIS)

_____. 2 February 1999. "Court Revokes License of Liberal Iranian Magazine." (NEXIS)

Freedom House, New York. 24 September 1999. Correspondence from a senior researcher for Middle East/North Africa.

International Freedom of Exchange Clearing House (IFEX). 14 June 1999. "Iranian Editor Receives WAN Golden Pen Award." [Accessed 20 Oct. 1999]

International PEN Writers in Prison Committee, London.. 29 September 1999. Correspondence from Researcher/Middle East.

PEN Canada, Toronto. 22 September 1999. Telephone interview with Executive Director - International.