Iran urged to free doctors

World health leaders have called for the release of two Iranian doctors who have pioneered HIV/Aids programmes.

Drs Arash and Kamiar Alaei, who are brothers, have been detained in a prison in Tehran since June 2008.

They were indicted this month with charges of communicating with an "enemy government", their attorney Masoud Shafie told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran.

Mr Shafie claimed that the brothers had already been detained for two months longer than the Iranian penal code allows.

More than 3,000 people have signed a petition calling for their release and prominent global health figures have signed a letter of appeal.

Dr Kamiar Alaei was expected to resume his studies at a public health school in the US this autumn after receiving a masters from Harvard while Dr Arash Alaei is a former Iranian leader in tuberculosis and lung disease.

The brothers have implemented several HIV/Aids programmes, focusing in particular on intravenous drug users.

Iran recently sent an aid convoy of doctors and medical supplies to the Gaza strip, the Independent reported.

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