Human Rights Worsening in Iran; 101 Professionals to Obama

September 24, 2015
The Honorable Barack Obama
President of the United States
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20500

Mr. President,
We write to express our serious concern about the rapidly deteriorating situation of human rights in Iran.

Under the Iranian regime’s President, Hassan Rouhani, Iran has seen an unprecedented spike in the rate of unjustified executions. Amnesty International has described it as a “staggering” spree. Over 2,000 people have been put to death since Rouhani has taken office—a higher rate than his predecessor Mahmoud Ahmadinejad— many on political grounds, including Ali Saremi, Jafar Kazemi, Mohammad Ali Haj Aghai and Gholam reza Khosravi, who were hanged for supporting the main Iranian opposition group, the Mujahedin–e Khalq (MEK)

The cruel and brazen suppression of women and youth continues unabated. This year, pro–regime gangs splashed acid on the faces of young women for their choice of clothing. None of the culprits have been prosecuted. To the contrary, new repressive laws against women are being introduced at the Parliament. Freedom of religion is also severely curtailed.

Outside Iran’s borders, over 100 unarmed Iranian dissidents, including women, have been killed and many more wounded at the behest of the Iranian regime in several attacks on camps Ashraf and Liberty in Iraq. Most of these dissidents were murdered during Rouhani’s tenure.

Rouhani has long been personally and directly involved in regime policies. In 1988, his current Justice Minister was on the three–member panel of death committee, which issued orders for the massacre of 30,000 political prisoners upon a fatwa from then–Supreme Leader Ruhollah Khomeini.

Rouhani has stepped up Tehran’s nefarious support for Syrian dictator Bashar Assad, sectarian violence in Iraq, and the Houthis in Yemen, all to the detriment of the Iranian people.

As Iranian professionals and academics, we join millions of our compatriots to say that this regime does not represent the people of Iran. It should not be accepted as a member of the peaceful community of nations while it continues to develop nuclear weapons, sponsors terrorism, and undertakes a systematic policy of human rights abuses at home and abroad. The Iranian people have long called for democratic change. We expect the United States to lead international efforts in recognizing their cry for human rights, liberty and dignity.

We urge you to make the human rights crisis in Iran a priority of your foreign policy. A secular, democratic and non–nuclear Iran is far more reliable partner than any and all factions currently ruling Iran.

Sincerely,

• Dr. Hamid Allamehzadeh, Professor of Electronic Engineering, Eastern New Mexico University
• Mr. Masood Abooali, Senior Electrical Engineer, UNICOMGOV
• Mr. Ahmad Aghababa, Industrial Tech, Owner & manager, Sales and Investor, The Car Company
• Mr. Behrooz Aalam, Technical Lead, Staff Engineer Woodward Airframe Systems
• Dr. Mahshid N. Aalam, PharmD, Pharmacist, Aids Health Care Foundation
• Mrs. Parvin Alavi, Controller, ManPower
• Ms. Ameneh Amanpour, Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist
• Mr. Ross Amin, CEO Capitol Entertainment, Inc.
• Mrs. Pooran Arbabi, Registered D.H. (Dental Hygienist)
• Mr. Manoochehr Aria, BS, Electronics Engineer
• Mrs. Nasreen Azadian, Ph.D., L.A.C – Acupuncturist / Nutritionist
• Mr. Hamid R. Azimi, Senior Application Engineer, Oracle Corporation
• Mrs. Melody Badiee, Pharmacist, Brandon Regional Hospital
• Mr. Borzoo Badiee, Pharmacist, South Bay Hospital
• Dr. Alborz Bahador, Psy.D, Doctor of Psychology Holistic Cure Center
• Mr. Hossein Bahador, Physical Therapist, President of Stepxans Physical Therapy
• Ms. Parvin Bassiri, Senior Health Information Management, HIMS, Kaiser Permanente Masters of Sociology
• Mr. Hossein Beladi, Senior Civil, Transportation Engineer Burns and McDonnell
• Mrs. Kimia Besharatpour, Investment Manager, Bateman Management Group LLC, CHAFRA BMG LLP
• Mr. Javad Borhani, Chemist, Realtor Century 21st Award
• Mrs. Mehri Borhani, Chemist, Realtor Century 21st Award
• Mr. Babak Dadvand, Dir. Of Manufactoring, ECA Medical Instrument
• Mrs. Mahvash Dadvand, Registered Nurse, Critical Care, NHMC
• Dr. Firouz Daneshgari, Chairman, Department of Urology, University Hospitals Case Medical Center Professor, Urology, CWRU School of Medicine
• Mr. Fred Dastmalchi, Transportation Engineer / CalTrans
• Mrs. Kim Dastmalchi, Registered Nurse
• Mr. Masoud Dolati, Product manager, Cold Formed Steel Engineer, Cemco Steel
• Mr. Mehran Ebrahimi, President, Pioneer Motors MNM Realty
• Mr. Amir Emadi, MBA, Global Management CEO, Skylift Global, Inc
• Mrs. Mina Entezari, BA, Designer and Business Manager
• Mr. Javad Gerami, Civil Engineer
• Mr. Tim Mehdi Ghaemi, BS, Business Administration, Production Management Managing Broker, Alborz Real Estate Co.
• Ms. Mahie Ghoraishi, Director of Project management MHMR Tarrant County
• Mr. Hamid Goudarzi, Medical Laboratory Scientist, Pathology, University Hospital
• Dr. Reza Hatami, D.C., Ross Medical Center
• Mr. Farrokh Heidari, Computer System & Software Engineer
• Mr. Amir H. Heidarian, BS, Electrical Engineering Owner / Operator of Armon’s Catering
• Mrs. Maryam Hejazi, Clinical Lab Scientist, Microbiology Department, White Memorial Medical Center
• Dr. Aboozar Hesami, PhD, Research Scientist
• Mrs. Homeira Hesami, Medical Physicist, Las Colinas Cancer Center
• Mohammadreza Hesami, Medical Dosimetrist, Las Colinas Cancer Center
• Ms. Nasseem Hessami, Director of Business Development, Susssman Sales Company
• Mr. Nasser Hessami, Medical Technologist, Baylor Medical
• Mr. Shahram Homayounfar, VP of Finance, Diving Unlimited Int. Inc
• Dr. Hossain Jahansouz, Ph.D, Director, Preformulations Group, Amgen
• Mr. Ali Kairgadam, Senior Systems Engineer, Department of Defense
• Mrs. Jila Kazerounian, Computer Manager, University of Connecticut
• Dr. Sohrob Kazerounian, Research Scientist, NNAISENSE
• Prof and Dean Kazem Kazerounian, Professor of Mechanical Engineering, UCONN
• Mr. Rahmat Kermani, Systems Engineer, (EDS)
• Mr. Abbas Keshavarzi, Health Care Professional Endoscopy University Hospital
• Dr. Khalil Khani, Ass. Professor in Forestry, Botany and Rangeland Ecology
• Dr. Masood Maghsoodi, Pharmacy Manager, Family Fare Pharmacy
• Dr. Afsaneh Maghsoodi, MD, Gynecologist
• Mr. Bahram Maheronnaghsh, Architect
• Mr. Nariman Maleki Assistant Manager , OC Dental Corp.
• Mrs. Peymaneh MirShafei, BS, Computer Design, Mathematics, Consultant
• Dr. Sudabeh Moavenian, DDS, MS, DMD, periodontist
• Mr. Nader Moavenian, Software Engineer
• Mr. Mehran Mohajer, Civil Engineer, project engineer
• Mr. Ahmad Moein, Electronic Engineer, Consultant
• Mr. Behrouz Moein, Executive Chef, Boudin Restaurant
• Mr. Ali Moradi, Research Assistant
• Mr. Karim Moradi, Computer Engineer, Traffic Signal Technician, MTA
• Mr. Iman Moridi, Psychotherapist & Forensic Mental Health specialist
• Mr. Morteza Mohammadzadeh, Company Owner, B&M Electronics
• Ms. Sara Moravej, IT Compliance Analyst, CPE Security, Symantec
• Mrs. Sheila Neinavaie, Computer programmer
• Ms. Tahmineh Nejadian, Senior software designer, Data management corporation
• Prof. Ali Parsa, Professor of History, Humanities and Religion, Adjunct Prof. Dept. of History, California State Univ.
• Dr. Ahmad Rad, Physician
• Ms. Mandana Roushanmeidan, MED, Behavioral Treatment Program Coordinator/ Behavioral Therapist, Virginia Home Based Counseling, P.C.
• Mr. Ray Sabo, CEO, OC Dental Corporation
• Dr. Paris Sabo CEO, Start Pure Company
• Dr. Majid Sadeghpour, Executive Pharmacist, Target Corporation
• Dr. Zahra Sadeghpour PharmD, Pharmacist, CVS Corporation
• Ms. Nasrin Saifi, Financial Specialist University of California Berkeley
• Dr. Saeid Sajadi, MD, Cosmetic Surgeon Lipo Body Enhancement Center
• Dr. Cyrus Samet, Pharmacist, University of Maryland, Washington Medical Center
• Dr. Azadeh Sami, D.O., M.S.P.H., Whole Child Pediatrics
• Prof. Alireza Sami, ME,PE,PhD. Professor, Petroleum Engineering Dept, Colorado School of Mines
• Prof. Hossein Saiedian, Ph.D, Professor and Associate Chair, EECS, University of Kansas
• Mrs. Farideh Sedighi, Software Engineer and Realtor, Bay Sotheby’s International Realty
• Mr. Manoocher Shadnia, TV Broadcast Engineer, ABC–TV Chicago
• Mr. Mohammad Shams, Electrical Engineer II/Medical physicist QC Diagnostics
• Mr. Javid Shenasi, National Pollution Discharge Elimination System Coordinator, California Department of Transportation
• Mr. Sadegh Shojai , Mechanical Engineer
• Dr. Mitra Sohrabi, St. Joseph Hospital
• Mr. Ali Soltani, Electrical Engineering Project Application Engineer – OEM and Packaged Drives Rockwell Automation
• Dr. Salem Taghlabi, SJMC Lab
• Prof. Mohammad Hosein Tasooji, Adjunct Professor – English Department, National University
• Dr. Siavash Tavakoli, Dentist, D.D.S
• Mr. Glenn A. Torshizi, Senior Radio Frequency (RF) Engineer RF Engineering Department, Sprint
• Mr. Abi Vahdatnia, City and Regional Planner
• Dr. Farrokh Vatan Technologist, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology
• Ms. Sima Yazdani, Sr. Technology Leader, Data scientist, Cisco Systems
• Mrs. Ensieh Yazdan panah, BA, Human Development, Women Studies, Freelance Interpreter and translator
• Mr. Hamid Yazdan Panah, Attorney at Law
• Dr. Ashraf Zadshir, MD, Program Director
• Mrs. Mandy Zangeneh, Supervisor, Harris County Hospital Dist.

101. Mr. Kasey Zangeneh, Mechanical Engineer, Business Fountain Foods Inc.