Political arrests of women’s rights defenders are becoming more commonplace in Iran, as another group of activists was arrested this month. They were collecting signatures for the One Million Signatures Campaign to demand that women’s discrimination in Iranian law be stopped. Similar arrests took place in March this year and June last year.

Tehran, Iran—Women rights activists continue to be the target of political arrests as the country’s security forces arrested five women’s rights activists on April 1, 2007. They were planning to gather signatures for the One Million Signatures Campaign.

A flurry of political arrests

Similar arrests also took place early this year. On March 4, 33 women’s rights activists were arrested during a peaceful demonstration in Tehran. They were protesting the court proceedings regarding the case of five prominent members of Iranian women’s organisations who were also arrested during another peaceful gathering in support of women’s rights on June 12, 2006. At present, two of the five still remain in prison—Mahboubeh Hosseinzadeh and Nahid Keshavarz, both are women's human rights defenders and active members of the Campaign.

“These arrests are the latest signs that the Iranian government can’t tolerate people who demand rights for women,” said Fadi Al-Qadi, Middle East advocate at Human Rights Watch. “Iran should stop targeting peaceful activists, and abide by international human rights law.”

One million signatures for women’s rights

The One Million Signatures Campaign, which began in July 2006, collects signatures in support of the demand to end discrimination against women in Iranian law, including a call for women’s testimony in court to carry the same weight as that of men, equality of inheritance rights between men and women, the elimination of polygamy, and equality of compensation payments in the event of the wrongful death of a man and of a woman.

Various international women’s and human rights organisations are now calling for the urgent release of Hosseinzadeh and Keshavarz as well as the immediate stop of the persecution of those working for women’s rights.

To support or to learn more about the One Million Signatures Campaign, visit <http://weforchange.net/english/spip.php?article10>.

Violation of women’s rights and international laws

Article 20 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights guarantees the right to peaceful assembly.

Similarly, Article 21 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which Iran is a party and legally bound, states “no restrictions may be placed on the exercise of this right [right to peaceful assembly] other than those imposed in conformity with the law and which are necessary in a democratic society in the interests of national security or public safety, public order, the protection of public health or morals or the protection of the rights and freedoms of others.”

Furthermore, Article 27 of the Iranian constitution stipulates that “public gatherings and marches may be freely held, provided arms are not carried and that they are not detrimental to the fundamental principles of Islam.” Article 20 even states that men and women “equally enjoy the protection of the law and enjoy human, political, economic, social and cultural rights, in conformity with Islamic criteria.”

All these arrests clearly defy the stipulations in both international and Iranian laws.

Related article:
“Iran: 33 women activists arrested during peaceful demonstration” in we! March 2007, No. 1

Sources:
“Iran: Release Women’s Rights Activists” from Human Rights Watch, posted on April 7, 2007, <http://hrw.org/english/docs/2007/04/07/iran15668.htm>.
“Iran: Stoning to Death for Adultery—Discriminatory Laws Target Iranian Women” from Equality Now, posted on March 2007, <http://www.equalitynow.org/english/actions/action_2901_en.html>.
“Iranian Women's Human Rights Defenders Once Again Targeted and Arrested” from Women's Learning Partnership, posted on April 3, 2007, <http://www.learningpartnership.org/advocacy/alerts/iranwomenarrests0307>.