Brian Hook: Join us in demanding the Iranian regime release Morad Tahbaz

Brian Hook, the US government's representative on Iran, once again called for the release of Morad Tahbaz, an environmental activist and Iranian-American citizen imprisoned in Iran.

In a video posted on the State Department's Twitter account on Monday, June 9, Mr. Hook said that Morad Tahbaz, a well-known environmentalist, is imprisoned in Iran for his work to protect endangered species.

The video shows images of Asiatic cheetahs, and Mr. Hook explains that there are only 50 of them left, and that too in Iran alone. In an effort to preserve the species, Mr. Tahbaz founded the Persian Heritage Wildlife Institute with Kavous Seyed Emami.

In this video, Mr. Hook points to Morad Tahbaz's efforts to introduce endangered species in Iran and preserve them.

Mr. Hook recalls that the work of Morad Tahbaz and his colleagues was praised by the United Nations Development Program in Iran, and the Environmental Protection Agency had given them permission to work in this field.

However, about two and a half years ago, Mr. Tahbaz and seven other environmental activists were arrested by the Revolutionary Guards on charges of espionage, following the arrest of Kavoos Seyed-Emami.

Brian Hook noted that the arrest of Mr. Tahbaz and his colleagues was met with widespread condemnation from governments, including the United States government and United Nations experts.

Mr. Hook, noting that even the Islamic Republic's Ministry of Intelligence, the parliament, and several other institutions did not find the spying charges to be true, says: "However, the corrupt judicial system sentenced "Morad" and seven others to up to 10 years in prison."

Brian Hook went on to call on environmental activists around the world to join the hundreds of researchers and environmental activists from 73 countries who have previously called for the release of Morad Tahbaz.

He also said that all governments that have relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran should condemn such sentences.

The US government's representative for Iran affairs, recalling Mr. Tahbaz's physical problems, called on all human rights and environmental activists to join the US government in demanding the release of this environmental activist.

US government officials have repeatedly condemned the imprisonment of environmental activists in Iran and called for their release.

Source: Voice of America