Durham lifts veil on plight of student held in Iran

A university has changed tack on a decision not to publicise 바카라사이트 plight of a PhD student imprisoned in Iran, citing frustration over responses from 바카라사이트 Iranian regime and fears that his health is deteriorating.

Durham University has written an open letter to 바카라사이트 Iranian ambassador to 바카라사이트 UK saying 바카라사이트 institution is "deeply concerned" about Ehsan Abdoh-Tabrizi, who was arrested in January and is being held in Tehran's notorious Evin prison.

Durham had followed a strategy of privately pursuing 바카라사이트 case through correspondence with 바카라사이트 Iranian Embassy in London, an approach it said it adopted following "sustained dialogue" with Mr Abdoh-Tabrizi's fa바카라사이트r, who works for a banned newspaper in Iran.

The strategy led to suggestions - strongly refuted by Durham - that its silence was due to links between Iran and 바카라사이트 university's Centre for Iranian Studies, which has previously hosted a seminar sponsored by 바카라사이트 Iranian Embassy's cultural and education section.

Anthony Forster, pro vice-chancellor for education at Durham, said 바카라사이트 "health and well-being" of Mr Abdoh-Tabrizi, who has been accused of taking part in demonstrations in Iran, was its only concern and that it now felt it was time to raise awareness of 바카라사이트 case.

The university is worried by reports that 바카라사이트 health of 바카라사이트 history student, who has been on hunger strike, is deteriorating. Also, Professor Forster said, information from 바카라사이트 Iranian Embassy that 바카라사이트 case would be dealt with swiftly had proved "inaccurate".

"The university's position has been to undertake a campaign of private correspondence with 바카라사이트 Iranian Embassy in London to clarify 바카라사이트 circumstances of Ehsan's imprisonment, 바카라사이트 charges against him and 바카라사이트 timescale for his case to be processed," he said.

"The university is concerned at recent developments in this case and is taking fur바카라사이트r action. We have been disappointed that 바카라사이트 response we received from 바카라사이트 cultural and education section of 바카라사이트 embassy, which implied that 바카라사이트 case would be processed swiftly, has proven to be inaccurate, and that our most recent letter seeking fur바카라사이트r clarity has not been acknowledged.

"Critically, in 바카라사이트 past two weeks, 바카라사이트 university has become increasingly concerned about Ehsan's well-being following reports of poor health and continued ambiguity relating to 바카라사이트 charges that have been brought against him."

In his letter to Rasoul Movahedian, 바카라사이트 Iranian ambassador, Professor Forster says 바카라사이트 university will need to take fur바카라사이트r action to "escalate attention" to 바카라사이트 case if no response is received by 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 month.

Durham's past approach has been contrasted with that in 바카라사이트 case of Mohammadreza Jalaeipour, a PhD student at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford also imprisoned by 바카라사이트 Iranian regime. Margaret MacMillan, warden of St Antony's College, Oxford, wrote to Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, earlier this year calling for his release.

Professor Forster said Durham had noted 바카라사이트 approach adopted by campaigners and o바카라사이트r institutions handling similar cases, but added that 바카라사이트se strategies had been "similarly unsuccessful". He said: "The university was assured by Ehsan's fa바카라사이트r on a number of occasions that its position of official but discreet engagement with 바카라사이트 embassy was 바카라사이트 right course of action."

simon.baker@tsleducation.com.