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 expresses its deepest concern regarding the following situation in Iran.
New information:
Ms. Hedayat is involved the Iranian women’s rights campaign known as "One million signatures", which raises public awareness on women’s rights issues and demands an end to discriminatory laws against women[1]. She is also the head of the Women’s Commission of the main Iranian student organisation, the Office for the Consolidation of Unity. Her lawyer has indicated that she will appeal the sentence in the coming days.
According to Ms. Hedayat’s lawyer, Ms. Nasrin Sotoudeh, there have been 121 cases of women’s rights activists being arrested, interrogated, or sentenced in the past two years and the government has raised over one million euros by imprisoning the activists and releasing them on high bail. The most recent such case was that of Ms. Zeynab Peyqambarzadeh[2].
Background information:
Ms. Hedayat had participated in a peaceful gathering on June 12, 2006, in Tehran[3]. This gathering was organised by representatives of women’s and students’ rights NGOs to protest against the discriminatory status of Iranian women. Those present at the gathering, mainly women and students, were attacked violently by police forces. Several dozen activists were arrested and taken to Evin prison. They were subsequently released.
After payment and release on bail, charges are often brought against activists. When found guilty, they are given formal sentences, of which a part, if not all, is suspended. If the individual is later convicted of another crime, however, the duration of the suspended sentence must be served.
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, which was 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 the peaceful assembly of June 2006, and with their involvement in the "One million signatures" campaign.
Actions required:
Please write to the Iranian authorities and ask them to:
i. Guarantee in all circumstances the physical and psychological integrity of Ms. Bahareh Hedayat as well as all activists engaged in the "One million signatures" campaign;
ii. Ensure that Ms. Bahareh Hedayat be granted a fair and impartial trial when appealing her sentencing, so that the charges against her be dropped as they seem to merely sanction her human rights activities and as such are arbitrary;
iii. Drop all arbitrary charges against her and all women’s rights defenders involved in the "One million signatures" campaign;
iv. Put an end to all acts of harassment against all Iranian human rights defenders;
v. 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";
vi. 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 Office of the Supreme Leader, Shoahada Street, Qom, Islamic Republic of Iran, Faxes: + 98.21.649.5880 / 21.774.2228, Email: info@leader.ir / istiftaa@wilayah.org / 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: dr-ahmadinejad@president.ir
· Head of the Judiciary, His Excellency Mr. Mahmoud Hashemi Shahrudi, Ministry of Justice, Park-e Shahr, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran, Fax: +98.21.879.6671 / +98 21 3 311 6567, 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, avenue Franklin Roosevelt, 15 A. 1050 Bruxelles, 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, May 30, 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] The "One Million Signatures Campaign" started its activities in July 2006, and seeks to provide education on legal rights of women at the grassroots level with a view toward changing discriminatory laws against women. Along these lines, the "Campaign" collects signatures in support of its aims, which it plans to submit to the Parliament.
[2] See Observatory press release of May 21, 2007.
[3] See Observatory Annual Report 2006.