Free the Iranian Writer Raaouf Delphi

STOCKHOLM - Dec. 17, 2016 - PRLog -- In the night of the 13th of December 2016, the Iranian writer and poet Raaouf Delphi was assailed and arrested by the security guards of the Islamic Republic of Iran at his home in Abadan/Iran. Reportedly, his house was stormed unexpectedly and very aggressively. The guards also confiscated books, papers, all digital carries, including his computers, phone and laptop. Five days passed now, since Raaouf Delphi's, along with another writer Hassan Mousavi (Seyed Khoon) have been arrested and held in custody and their work and belongings confiscated. Since their arrest there has been no further information about the condition and well-being of both writers. We do believe that the level of aggression followed by a persistent silence by the Iranian authorities is cause for serious concern.

Raaouf Delphi is an Iranian writer from Abadan, active in literary circles and especially known for his participation as poet and co-lecturer at the London based Virtual Poetry College (Kaleje She'r), a web-operating group of literary activists that fosters innovative and modern Iranian literature. Delphi is furthermore collaborating with Exile Writers Ink in the UK, an organization that aims to facilitate the wider dissemination of work by writers in exile and to ensure they have a platform.

The arrest of Raaouf Delphi along with his colleague writer Hassan Mousavi (Seyed Khoon) is a deplorable event, which raises along a long trail of arrests of writers in Iran within the last months, further grave questions of human rights and freedom of speech in Iran. We, like all friends and family of the writers are seriously concerned about their condition.

We therefore call upon the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran to provide immediate and reliable information about the present location and condition of both writers and demand their prompt release.

We hereby call human rights institutions and activists as well as writers' associations around the globe to act for the release of Raaouf Delphi and Hassan Mousavi.

- Wisehouse Publishing (www.wisehouse-publishing.com)