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OO RUEHAG
DE RUEHBS #1512 1251538
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 051538Z MAY 06
FM AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS
TO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA IMMEDIATE 0142
RUEHDE/AMCONSUL DUBAI IMMEDIATE 0015
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL IMMEDIATE 0093
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1793

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRUSSELS 001512 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/05/2016 
TAGS: PHUM PREL IR BE AU CA
SUBJECT: (C) BELGIANS CONCERNED ABOUT DETAINED IRANIAN 
ACADEMIC: LOW PROFILE REQUESTED 
 
 
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires William Imbrie.  Reasons: 1.4 (b) and 
(d). 
 
1, (C) Summary:  Belgian Officials remain concerned about the 
situation of Iranian academic Ramin Jehanbegloo (a Canadian 
citizen) who was detained on his way to Brussels to attend 
the German Marshall Fund conference.  They are following the 
case closely but EU President Austria has the lead, including 
in Teheran, where EU missions are closely coordinating, and 
along with the Canadians quietly in touch with the Iranians. 
The family has told the Austrians that they are in touch with 
the authorities and with Jehanbegloo in detention and plead 
that this not be made a public issue for nw. The EU and 
Belgians agree, and we urge ther wishes be respected.  End 
summary. 
 
¶2.  (C)  Belgian PM Diplomatic Advisor Chris Hoornaert 
approached DCM Aril 27 on the margins of the German Marshall 
Fund conference (septel) to report that the Belgian 
government had received an inquiry from the family of Ramin 
Jehanbegloo, the sole conference invitee from Iran. 
Jehanbegloo had gone to the airport to fly to Brussels, but 
had not been heard from since.  On May 4, we provided the 
Hoornaert and the MFA with U.S. press information from an 
Iranian news agency that the Teheran had announced 
Jehanbegloo had been arrested and was being held in Evin 
prison.  We noted this was another example of poor Iranian 
human rights behavior. 
 
¶3.  (C)  MFA Middle East Deputy Marie-Antoinette Simons 
called embassy May 5 to report that information had begun to 
emerge on Jehanbegloo's situation early in the week.  Now 
international attention was growing, and Iranian press was 
beginning to make very negative comments about Jehanbegloo. 
She noted Jehanbegloo had obtained an Austrian Schengen visa, 
which he needed in order to leave the country, as he was also 
due to speak at the Bruno Kreisky Forum.  He was picked up by 
Iranian authorities after he had checked in to his flight to 
Europe.  As soon as they learned about this the EU Heads of 
Mission (HOMS) in Teheran convened, on May 2.  The Italian 
Ambassador urged action as he saw this a new move against the 
intelligentsia; the Austrian urged caution.  EU HOMS report 
that the Canadian ambassador in Teheran is viewed with deep 
suspicion by the Iranians. 
 
¶4.  (C) Simons relayed that the issue has since been 
discussed in the EU COHOM, its Human Rights Committee in 
Brussels.  The Austrian presidency was in contact with his 
family.  The family was in touch with Iranian authorities and 
had regular contact with Jehanbegloo himself in prison, who 
was apparently in no physical danger.  The family was very 
upset about all the attention the case is receiving, as they 
believed they could resolve the situation with the 
authorities.  They pleaded for the international community to 
refrain from raising this publicly.  The Austrians, Italians 
and Canadians continue quietly to engage with Iran.  The 
family asked that this be the only engagement for now.  The 
EU and the Belgians agree with the family. 
 
¶5. (C) Comment:  We recommend that we comply with the 
Jehanbegloo family's request that we not discuss this in 
public. 
IMBRIE 
.