Women’s Rights

Women’s Rights Activists Detained for Collecting Signatures to Change Discriminatory Laws

(2 February 2009) Three members of the Iranian movement for equal rights, the One Million Signatures Campaign, were arrested on 30 January 2009, and one remains in detention charged with “acting against national security through propaganda against the state,” according to the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran.

Nafiseh Azad, Bigard Ebrahimi and another member of the One Million Signatures Campaign for Equality were arrested while collecting signatures to change discriminatory laws.

Women’s Rights

The Iranian women’s rights movement is the most vibrant social movement in Iran today. Having built an extensive grassroots base, Iranian women are campaigning to fight legal gender discrimination. The government routinely persecutes and prosecutes women’s rights activists.

Crackdown on Human Rights Groups Continues with Arrest of Activist

(15 January 2009) Security agents arrested Jinous Sobhani, the former secretary of the Defenders of Human Rights Center (DHRC) and the Organization for the Defense of Mine Victims, and confiscated her address book, telephone and other work materials on 14 January 2009. Shirin Ebadi, the 2003 Nobel Peace Laureate, is a co-founder of both groups.

The DHRC, a leading independent Iranian group providing legal defense of human rights violations, has been closed since 22 December 2008, when agents forced their way into the Center.

Renewed Attempts to Isolate and Silence Women’s Rights Activists

(27 October 2008) The Iranian government has substantially increased its persecution and prosecution of women’s rights activists in recent days. These actions come on the heels of a report by the UN Secretary General calling on Iran to end its repressive measures against women’s rights activists.

In a 20 October 2008 report, the Secretary General noted “an increasing crackdown in the past year on the women’s rights movement”…

Report Documents the Persecution of Women’s Rights Activists in Iran

(5 May 2008) Iranian authorities have systematically thwarted peaceful and legal civil society efforts to advocate for women’s rights in Iran, abusing the legal system and gravely violating internationally protected civil rights in the process. “Equal Rights Denied—The Systematic Repression of the Women’s Rights Movement In Iran,” published today by the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, illustrates this process by providing concise but comprehensive documentation of the persecution of women’s rights defenders.

Flogging and Prison Sentences for Women’s Rights Activists

(22 April 2008) The Iranian Judiciary has issued flogging and prison sentences for four campaigners for women’s rights, thus continuing its program of harassment and prosecution of the women’s rights movement.

Iranian Women’s Movement: More International Support, More Persecution at Home

(16 March 2008) While leading international figures continue to associate themselves with a statement of support for equal rights and solidarity with Iranian women’s rights campaigners, authorities have prevented several from traveling abroad, bringing discriminatory laws and practices into international focus.

International Support for Persecuted Women’s Rights Campaigners in Iran

(7 March 2008) In a strong show of international support for the Iranian women’s rights movement, over 280 leading women’s right advocates and organizations from around the world including six Nobel Peace Laureates have expressed their serious concern about the persecution and prosecution of their Iranian colleagues.

New Wave of Detentions, Summons, and Trials Targets Women’s Rights Activists

(29 February 2008) The Iranian government has intensified its prosecution of women’s rights activists. During the past week, two activists were detained, two summoned to court, and two others put on trial.