The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) and the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), has received new information and requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in Iran.
New information:
The Observatory has been informed by reliable sources of the release on bail of 30 of the 33 women rights activists who had been arrested in Tehran on March 4, 2007.
According to the information received, these 30 women where released between March 6 and 8, 2007. However, three of them remain in detention in the Evin prison, namely: Ms. Gila Baniyaaghoub, Ms. Mahboubeh Abbasgholizadeh and Ms. Shadi Sadr. They are currently on hunger strike.
The Observatory is particularly concerned about the situation of Ms. Gila Baniyaaghoub, whose health is very poor.
The Observatory is not aware of the existence of any official charges against them.
Background information:
On March 4, 2007, 33 women rights activists were arrested while peacefully gathering in the front of the Tehran Revolutionary Court to mark International Women’s Day, to be celebrated on March 8, 2007. They were also protesting against the trials of six women human rights defenders who are prosecuted in connection with their participation in a peaceful assembly in June 2006, and with their involvement in the "One million signatures" campaign[1].
The 33 women who were arrested include Ms. Assieh Amini; Ms. Gila Baniyaaghoub; Ms. Mahboubeh Abbasgholizadeh; Ms. Mahboubeh Hosseinzadeh; Ms. Sara Loghmani; Ms. Zara Amjadian; Ms. Maryam Hosseinkhah; Ms. Jelveh Javaheri; Ms. Niloufar Golkar; Ms. Parastou Dokouhi; Ms. Zeynab Peyghambarzadeh; Ms. Maryam Mirza; Ms. Saghar Laghai; Ms. Khadijeh Moghadam; Ms. Saghi Laghai; Ms. Nahid Keshavarz; Ms. Mahnaz Mohamadi; Ms. Nasrin Afzali; Ms. Talat Taghinia; Ms. Fakhri Shadfar; Ms. Maryam Shadfar; Ms. Elnaz Ansari; Ms. Fatemenh Govarai; Ms. Azadeh Frghani; Ms. Samiyeh Farid; Ms. Minou Mortazi and Ms. Sara Imanian.
Five of the six women currently prosecuted before the Tehran Revolutionary Court were amongst those arrested on March 4, 2007: Ms. Nahid Jafari; Ms. Sousan Tahmasebi; Ms. Parvin Ardalan; Ms. Noushin Ahmadi-Khorasani and Ms. Shahla Entesari. Ms. Fariba Davoudi-Mohajer is the sixth woman to be prosecuted in this case. One of their lawyers, Ms. Shadi Sadr had also been arrested.
Actions required:
Please write to the Iranian authorities and ask them to:
i. Guarantee in all circumstances the physical and psychological integrity of Ms. Gila Baniyaaghoub; Ms. Mahboubeh Abbasgholizadeh and Ms. Shadi Sadr;
ii. Provide Ms. Gila Baniyaaghoub with all the necessary medical care;
iii. Release them immediately and unconditionally since their detention is arbitrary;
iv. Drop all arbitrary charges against Ms. Nahid Jafari, Ms. Sousan Tahmasebi, Ms. Parvin Ardalan, Ms. Noushin Ahmadi-Khorasani, Ms. Shahla Entesari, and Ms. Fariba Davoudi-Mohajer;
v. Put an end to all acts of harassment against human rights defenders in Iran;
vi. Conform with the provisions of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on December 9, 1998, especially its Article 5a, which states that "for the purpose of promoting and protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms, everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, at the national and international levels, to meet peacefully" and Article 8(2), which provides that "everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to submit to governmental bodies and agencies and organisations concerned with public affairs criticism and proposals for improving their functioning and to draw attention to any aspect of their work that may hinder or impede the promotion, protection and realisation of human rights and fundamental freedoms";
vii. Ensure in all circumstances respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with international human rights standards and international instruments ratified by Iran.
Addresses:
· Leader of the Islamic Republic, His Excellency Ayatollah Sayed Ali Khamenei, the Presidency, Palestine Avenue, Azerbaijan Intersection, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran, Faxes: + 98.21.649.5880 / 21.774.2228, Email: webmaster@wilayah.org
· President, His Excellency Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the Presidency, Palestine Avenue, Azerbaijan Intersection, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran, Fax: + 98.21.649.5880, E-mail: khatami@president.ir
· Head of the Judiciary, His Excellency Mr. Jamal Karimi-Rad, Ministry of Justice Park-e Shahr, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran, Fax: +98.21.879.6671, Email: Irjpr@iranjudiciary.com
· Minister of Foreign Affairs, His Excellency Mr. Manuchehr Motaki, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sheikh Abdolmajid Keshk-e Mesri Av, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran, Fax: + 98.21.390.1999, Email: matbuat@mfa.gov
· Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Chemin du Petit-Saconnex 28, 1209 Geneva, Switzerland, Fax: +41 22 7330203, Email: mission.iran@ties.itu.int
· Ambassador Mr. Ahani, Embassy of Iran in Brussels, 415 avenue de Tervueren, 1150 Woluwe-Saint-Pierre, Belgium, Fax: + 32 2 762 39 15. Email: iran-embassy@yahoo.com
Please also write to diplomatic representations of the Islamic Republic of Iran in your respective countries.
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Geneva-Paris, March 8, 2007
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
The Observatory, a FIDH and OMCT venture, is dedicated to the protection of Human Rights Defenders and aims to offer them concrete support in their time of need.
The Observatory was the winner of the 1998 Human Rights Prize of the French Republic.
To contact the Observatory, call the emergency line:
Email : Appeals@fidh.omct.org
Tel et fax FIDH : + 33 1 43 55 55 05 / 33 1 43 55 18 80
Tel et fax OMCT : +41 22 809 49 39 / 41 22 809 49 29
[1] See Urgent Appeal IRN 001/0107/OBS 003, issued on January 17, 2007 as well as the Press Release of January 29, 2007. The meeting in June 2006 was held to protest against discriminatory laws in Iran. The six women were subsequently charged with "organising activities against State security" and with "organising an unlawful assembly".