Jailed Iranian writer, rights activist awarded HRW grant
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 22 January 2009 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Jailed Iranian writer, rights activist awarded HRW grant, 22 January 2009, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/497ddd7ac.html [accessed 30 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
January 22, 2009
Mohammad Sadigh Kabudvand in 2007
An imprisoned Iranian rights activist and journalist, Mohammad Sadigh Kabudvand, is the latest recipient of a Hellman/Hammett grant, awarded by Human Rights Watch (HRW) to persecuted writers.
Kabudvand, the head of the Human Rights Organization of Kurdistan, is serving a 10-year sentence in Tehran's Evin prison.
Considered to be a prisoner of conscience, Kabudvand was sentenced in May 2008 for "acting against national security by establishing the Human Rights Organization of Kurdistan, widespread propaganda against the system by disseminating news, opposing Islamic penal laws by publicizing punishments such as stoning and executions, and advocating on behalf of political prisoners."
Already in poor health, Kabudvand suffered a heart attack in prison last month and is in urgent need of specialized medical care, which the authorities have refused.
Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East and North Africa director at Human Rights Watch, has said that Kabudvand's experience is "harsh testimony to the plight of journalists, dissidents, and other peaceful critics in Iran today."
Each year, HRW awards Hellman/Hammett grants to writers punished by their governments for expressing opposition views, criticizing government officials or actions, or writing about topics that the government does not want reported.
The amount of Kabudvand's grant was not given.
