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Iranian Women's Human Rights Defenders Arrested: HRF Calls for Immediate Release
Two Iranian women’s rights activists, Mahboubeh Hossein Zadeh and Nahid Keshavarz, were arrested on April 2 as they were collecting signatures in support of a petition to reform Iranian laws that discriminate against women. After refusing to sign an agreement to end their activities in support of women’s rights, the women were charged with “actions against national security” and transferred to Evin prison earlier today.
“The peaceful activities of these activists constitute legitimate actions to promote the human rights of women,” stated Neil Hicks, Director of the Human Rights Defenders Program at Human Rights First. “The government should fulfill its obligations under international law to respect freedom of expression and assembly and release these women immediately and unconditionally.”
Mahboubeh Hossein Zadeh and Nahid Keshavarz are both active members of the One Million Signatures Campaign, which aims to educate women in Iran about their legal rights and promote reform of discriminatory laws. Three other members of the Campaign, Sara Imanian, Homayoun Nami and Saiedeh Amin, were also arrested but were released after spending a day in detention. These latest arrests are only the most recent incident of harassment by the Iranian authorities directed against peaceful women’s rights activists. On March 4, Iranian police arrested and jailed 33 women demonstrating peacefully in front of the Islamic Revolutionary Court in Tehran. Following international pressure, all of the women were released, the last two on March 19, but only on payment of high bail. And in the last year, the Iranian authorities have prevented or broken up several peaceful public gatherings organized by women’s rights advocates. They have also blocked access within Iran to websites about women’s rights and calling for reform of discriminatory Iranian laws and practices.
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Sadr and Abbasgholizadeh Released from Prison!
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After 15 days of imprisonment on mostly unknown charges, two leaders of Iran's women's rights movement are released from jail.
In the early hours of Monday, March 19, 2007 (Tehran local time), Shadi Sadr and Mahboubeh Abbasgholizadeh, two prominent members of Iran’s women’s rights movement, were released from Tehran’s infamous Evin prison. The two women were arrested 15 days ago, on March 4, 2007, along with 31 other women, during a peaceful demonstration outside Tehran’s Revolution Court.
While the other women were released within a few days after the arrest, Sadr and Abbasgholizadeh were held in solitary confinement in Evin’s ward 209 until their families posted bail in the amounts of 200,000 and 250,000 tomas (roughly $200,000 and $250,0000) respectively.
The full details of the charges against the two have never been specified.
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CALL TO ACTION: Demand the Release of Women's Rights Defenders in Tehran's Evin Prison
Prisoners of conscience Mahboubeh Abbasgholizadeh and Shadi Sadr remain detained in solitary confinement in Section 209 of Evin Prison in Tehran.
Mahboubeh Abbasgholizadeh is said to suffer from arthritis and migraine, and Shadi Sadr from chronic stomach pain, possibly an ulcer. It is feared that neither women is receiving adequate medical treatment. Mahboubeh Abbasgholizadeh has not been allowed to contact anyone since her arrest; Shadi Sadr has been allowed to telephone her husband twice.
On 12 March, one of the lawyers representing the two women, Farideh Gheyrat, told the AFP news agency the two women had received one-month temporary detention orders, saying that they both faced ''two charges that have not been disclosed to me, in addition to the accusations of disturbing public
order faced by all those detained.'' She added that she had protested against the orders, saying, ''Temporary detention should only be ordered when investigations are not enough or it is feared that the accused will flee or destroy evidence. None of these are true in my defendants' case.'' It is
believed that the undisclosed charges may include that of ''acting against state security,'' which carries a sentence of between two and five years' imprisonment.
The two were among 33 women detained on 4 March during a protest in Tehran. Thirty detainees were released without charge between 6 and 8 March, although charges may be made at a later date. Some of those previously released have described the cells in which they were held as damp and cold, without toilet facilities. The detainees were apparently forced to sleep on the floor, and were required to share blankets for warmth. Those detained have also reported being blindfolded and interrogated by security forces during the night, depriving them of sleep. They were also denied access to medical treatment, although their families were told that all necessary treatment was being offered to them.
Mahboubeh Abbasgholizadeh is the editor of the Zanan (Women) quarterly journal and is a key member of the ''Stop Stoning Forever'' Campaign, launched in September 2006 to end the practice of stoning to death in Iran. She has also served as the director of the NGO Training Center, an organization
aimed at strengthening civil society. In November 2004, Mahboubeh Abbasgholizadeh was detained by security forces for over a month in connection with her human rights activities. Shadi Sadr, a lawyer and journalist, is the director of Raahi, a legal advice centre for women. She founded Zanan-e Iran (Women of Iran), the first website dedicated to the work of Iranian women's rights activists ( http://www.raahi.org) and she has written extensively about Iranian women and their legal
rights. She has represented activists and journalists and has represented several women sentenced to execution, whose
convictions were subsequently overturned. She is also involved in the ''Stop Stoning Forever'' Campaign.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Mahboubeh Abbasgholizadeh and Shadi Sadr were among 33 women arrested while protesting about the trial of five women's rights activists (Fariba Davoodi Mohajer, Shahla Entesari,Noushin Ahmadi Khorassani, Parvin Ardalan and Sussan Tahmasebi) in Branch 6 of the Revolutionary Court in Tehran on charges of ''propaganda against the system'', ''acting against national security'' and ''participating in an illegal demonstration.'' The charges relate to their involvement in a peaceful demonstration on 12 June 2006 which demanded equal rights in law for women in Iran. The protest was forcibly broken up by security forces, who arrested at least 70 people.
The authorities in Evin Prison have a history of delaying or denying access to medical treatment to detainees, possibly to increase the pressure on them.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible:
- express concern at the continued detention of Mahboubeh Abbasgholizadeh and Shadi Sadr;
- call for their immediate and unconditional release as they are held solely for the peaceful exercise of their
right to freedom of expression and association;
- call for both to be granted immediate and regular access to their families, lawyers and to all necessary medical
treatment;
- call for all charges to be dropped against those charged in connection with the peaceful demonstration on 12
June 2006, or in connection with the peaceful protest on 4 March 2007.
APPEALS TO:
Leader of the Islamic Republic:
Ayatollah Sayed 'Ali Khamenei
Leader of the Islamic Republic
The Office of the Supreme Leader
Shahid Keshvar Doost Street
Tehran. Islamic Republic of Iran
Fax: 011 98 251 7774 2228 (mark ''For the Office of His
Excellency, Ayatollah Khamenei'')
Email: Via website, in English:
http://www.leader.ir/langs/EN/index.php?p=sendletter
Salutation: Your Excellency
Minister of Intelligence:
Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejeie
Ministry of Intelligence
Second Negarestan Street
Pasdaran Avenue
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Email: iranprobe@iranprobe.com
COPIES TO:
President:
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
The Presidency
Palestine Avenue
Azerbaijan Intersection
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Email: dr-ahmadinejad@president.ir
via website: www.president.ir/email
Head of the Judiciary:
Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi
Ministry of Justice
Ministry of Justice Building
Panzdah-Khordad Square
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Fax: 011 98 21 3390 4986 (please keep trying; send appeals
by post or email if you cannot get through)
Email: info@dadgostary-tehran.ir (In the subject line write:
For the attention of Ayatollah Shahroudi)
Speaker of Parliament:
His Excellency Gholamali Haddad Adel
Majles-e Shoura-ye Eslami
Baharestan Square
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Fax: 011 98 21 3355 6408
Email:
hadadadel@majlis.ir
Iran does not presently have an embassy in United States.
Instead, please send copies to:
Iranian Interests Section
2209 Wisconsin Ave NW
Washington DC 20007
Phone: 202 965 4990
Fax: 202 965 1073
Email: requests@daftar.org
Please send appeals immediately.
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Copyright © 2007 SaveDelara™ and its licensors. All Rights Reserved
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