Campaign and petition to support imprisoned Kurdish rights activist for Nobel Peace Prize

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Organizations and individuals are asking for support for the nomination of the imprisoned founder of the Human Rights Organization of Kurdistan (HROK), Mr. Mohammad Sadegh Kaboudvand, for the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize.

Kurdish rights activist and journalist, Mr. Mohammad Sadegh Kaboudvand, has been charged and convicted for acting against national security in Iran by establishing a human rights organization that under his watch has allegedly “spread propaganda” against the Iranian regime through publications and the distribution of documents of information. He is also charged for openly opposing the Islamic penal code and criticizing penalties such as stoning and hanging as well as his support for the release of the political prisoners in Iran.

Mr. Kaboudvand is a prominent human rights activist that founded HROK in 2005. He was instrumental in creating a civil society network for Kurdish youth and activists in Kurdistan of Iran to voice their opinions in a peaceful manner. In January 2009, Mr. Kaboudvand was awarded the Hellman/Hammett grant given to persecuted writers by Human Rights Watch, and in April 2009 he was named “International Journalist of the Year” at the British Press Awards.

He is currently serving his prison sentence, and according to several reports, is currently suffering from very serious medical problems, and with a lack of proper care, his health has only further been deteriorating in prison. Human rights activists and organizations, including the Human Rights Watch, have demanded that Iranian authorities grant him medical care that is not available at the prison’s medical center.

The main website and petition in support of Mr. Kaboudvand’s candidacy for the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize is located at http://www.kabudwand.com/