FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 8, 2007

This year, the International Women’s Day is marked by the attack,
arrest and detention of women’s rights defenders in front of
Tehran’s Revolutionary Court. On Sunday March 4 th, thirty three
women were arrested following a peaceful demonstration. As of now
only fifteen of these women have been released. Those released
confirm that the remaining women— Shadi Sadr, Mahbubeh
Abbasgholizadeh, and Jila Baniyaghoub,— are still in ward 209 of
Evin Prison (run by the Ministry of Intelligence of Islamic
Republic of Iran, designated primarily for the political
prisoners). The reason for their detention is drafting a statement
that called for the gathering.

On Sunday March 4, 2007, women’s right defenders gathered in front
of the Revolutionary Court in Tehran to protest the court
proceedings of Nooshin Amhadi Khorasani, Parvin Ardalan, Shahla
Entesari and Susan Tahmasebi, Fariba Davoodi Mohajer—five prominent
members of Iranian women’s organizations who were arrested in
pervious peaceful gatherings. As indicated by the women’s right
activists and their legal teams the charges are in violation of the
article 27 of the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Iran, which
guarantees the citizens’ right to assemble peacefully. In
violation of such right, the security police forces attacked
women’s legal and peaceful gathering and arrested thirty-three
protestors.

On March 5, fifty family members and friends of detainees gathered
in front of the main entrance of Evin prison to protest the illegal
arrests of their loved ones and to demand their immediate release.
Consequently, prison authorities declared that Evin prison does not
have the authority to release the detainees, as they are kept in
ward 209, which is monitored and supervised by the Ministry of
Intelligence.

In the following days, two groups of women were released from
prison. This morning, at around 2:00 am, another group of fifteen
women were released. It seems the reason for keeping the three
women in detention is that they have accepted full responsibility
for drafting the call for the gathering that took place on March 4.

Many internationally human rights and women organizations and
prominent figures including Iranian political and social activists,
lawyers, writers, journalists, and academics have denounced the
arrest of women’s rights advocates demanding their immediate and
unconditional release, including Louise Arbor, the UN High
Commissioner for Human Rights, Irene Khan, Amnesty International
General Secretary, Human Rights Watch, Human Rights First, Women
Living Under Muslim Laws, Women’s Initiative for Gender Justice and
the Observatory. Yet, more women’s rights advocates are being
summoned to the court and threatened by arrest. This is while the
authorities are promising release of more detainees.

The Campaign to Free Women Rights Defenders in Iran

The campaign has been launched immediately after the arrest of
women activists by a group of transnational activists. For more
information about the campaign and the complete list of supporters,
please visit the site:

http://www.meydaan.com/English/campaign.aspx?cid=52

Contacts For Updated and Detailed Information:

The Free Women’s Rights Defenders in Iran Campaign coordinators are
ready to provide detailed information about the status of women
detainees.

The coordinators are willing to put reporters and news agencies in
touch with the families and lawyers of the women in custody. The
campaign coordinators can be contacted by phone or email.

Soheila Vahdati, soheilavahdati gmail.com +1.510.813.7786

Sanam Dolatshahi, sanamdi gmail.com , +1.352.359.3789