Dear Sir/Madame

The Association of Iranian Blog writers (Penlog) has learnt that Ms, Simin Khalatbari Azad whose Blog is at http://azad-s.blogspot.com/, an Iranian asylum seeker and a Penlog member, is on the verge of being extradited to Iran where, upon her arrival, she will most certainly be arrested by the Iranian authorities and her life will be in grave danger. Ms Simin Khalatbari Azad is a blog-writer who is widely known within the blogsphere for having been a political prisoner in Iran and by her pictures which are available on the Internet. A great number of blog-writers who live in Iran have been arrested and prosecuted. Some of the famous cases include Mohamad Reza Nasab-Abdullahi, Mojtaba Samiee, Kianoush Sanjari and Arash Sigarchi. These people lived in Iran and the regime could trace their identities. The fact that Ms Simin Khalatbari Azad is known by her real name and has been in contact with the opposition further increases the risk to her life. According to the Geneva Convention of 1951 and the non-refoulement article of the international asylum seekers act, passed in 1951 and its protocol, the Belgium government has agreed to protect asylum seekers who are at risk of persecution, by refraining from extraditing them back to the countries they escaped from. We urge the Belgium authorities to observe the International asylum seekers conventions and protect Ms Khalatbari Azad and her child, who will most certainly be arrested upon arrival if they are returned to Iran.

Sincerely Yours
Association of Iranian Blog writers (Penlog)