Women’s Rights Activists Arrested in Peaceful Solidarity Demonstrations in Iran
16 June 2008
Nine women attempting to take
part in a small, peaceful seminar to commemorate a day of solidarity with
Iranian women were arrested in Tehran on Thursday. The women -Aida Saadat,
Nahid Mirhaj, Nafiseh Azad, Nasrin Sotoodeh, Jelve Javaheri, Jila Baniyagoub,
Sarah Loghmani Farideh Ghaeb and Aliyeh Matlabzadeh - were arrested and taken
to a detention centre, and released later in the evening.
The seminar organized by the Campaign for Equality in honour of the anniversary
of the day of solidarity of Iranian women, was due to take place in the Rahe
Abrisham Gallery, but security forces prevented it from taking place by forcing
the gallery owner to shut the doors. The nine women were arrested outside the
gallery.
The Campaign for Equality is a network which works to end legal discrimination
against women. The campaign informs women of their rights, and is aiming to
collect one million signatures from the Iranian public to a petition against
discriminatory laws.
22 Khordad (usually 12 June) is identified by women’s rights activists in Iran
as their national day of solidarity against laws which discriminate against
women. Three years ago on this day, women’s rights activists organized a
demonstration in front of Tehran University, which was unprecedented in size.
The following year, a similar peaceful demonstration was broken up violently,
and resulted in 70 arrests. Activists have pledged to continue activities on
this date until their demands are met by the authorities.
Women in Iran face widespread discrimination under the law. They are excluded
from key areas of political participation and do not have equal rights with men
in marriage, divorce, child custody and inheritance.
The Iranian authorities must: