Readership Survey
My Iranian-Canadian colleague Ramin Jahanbegloo, who taught political science at the University of Toronto from 1997 to 2001, has been arrested by the Iranian authorities in Tehran and is currently being detained in the Evin Prison. That's the same prison where Canadian-Iranian journalist Zahra Kazemi died in 2003, apparently as the result of torture. It is not clear what, if any, charges have been laid against him, but it is clear that he is being detained because of his political and philosophical writings.
Ramin, who is a Canadian citizen, is a scholar of international stature who has published extensively in English, French and Farsi. A political moderate, he has always been circumspect in his commentary on the Iranian regime.
I urge members of the University community to write letters in support of Ramin, pleading for his humane treatment and release. Amnesty International has issued an urgent action appeal, which gives some background on his case and provides addresses for the appropriate Iranian leaders. The appeal can be found at www.amnesty.ca/take_action/actions/canada_iran_jahanbegloo.php.
I have available three letter templates — one for each of the Iranian leaders noted on the Amnesty website. To receive copies of these, contact me at oshabani@uoguelph.ca.
Thank you for your support of a friend and colleague whose life represents the ideals of intellectual freedom that are so dear to us all.
Prof. Omid Payrow Shabani, Department of Philosophy
At Guelph welcomes letters to the editor. They should be limited to 500 words and submitted electronically to Barbara Chance at b.chance@exec.uoguelph.ca.
