Iran: Persecution of women's rights campaigners rife- new report

Iran should end its persecution of women rights campaigners, said Amnesty International today, as the human rights organisation published a new report showing that the targeting of women's rights campaigners is rife in Iran.

Since a women-led 'Campaign for Equality' was launched in the country in August 2006, says Amnesty International, women's rights activists have suffered an 'acute' backlash from the Iranian authorities involving harassment, intimidation and imprisonment.

The 'Campaign for Equality' is attempting to gather one million signatures for a petition calling for an end to discrimination against Iran's 35 million women and girls. As Amnesty International's report shows, dozens of women have been arrested in connection with the equality campaign, including signature-collectors.

Amnesty International UK Campaigns Director Tim Hancock said:

'In a country where a woman's evidence in court is worth half that of a man, and where a man can have many wives while young girls are married off to older men by their fathers, is it any surprise that women are now fighting for equality and basic human rights?

'Instead of intimidating and imprisoning women's rights campaigners, Iran should be unlocking the potential of its female population.

'At one fell swoop, President Ahmadinejad could earn great credit if he announced the repeal of all discriminatory laws that prevent women's equality in Iran. I urge him to act.'

Along with a report entitled 'Women's rights defenders defy repression', Amnesty International has also published details of 11 women and one man facing persecution from the authorities for campaigning for women's rights. These include:

Ronak Safarzadeh, who has been imprisoned without charge (and without access to a lawyer) since October after being arrested at a meeting to collect signatures for the 'Campaign for Equality'. He mother was reportedly beaten by judicial officials after trying to find out why her daughter was in prison.

Delaram Ali, aged 23, who was among 70 people arrested after a peaceful June 2006 demonstration for an end to gender discrimination in Iran. Delaram was beaten during her arrest, with police officers breaking her hand. In June 2007 she was sentenced to two years and 10 months' imprisonment and 10 lashes for 'participation in an illegal gathering'. Her punishment was temporarily set aside while her case was reviewed, but she remains at risk of re-imprisonment.

Mahboubeh Abbasgholizadeh, is facing imprisonment for protesting against the jailing of other women's rights activists. In 2005 she defied a ban on women attending football matches in Iran and suffered a broken leg when guards used force to drive her and 100 other women out of the football ground gates. Because of her women's rights campaigning, she currently faces jail for 'illegal assembly and collusion against national security'.

Amnesty International's work on Iran has included frequent 'urgent action' appeals for women facing stoning and other cruel punishments (including for adultery), and the organisation is also campaigning for an end to all use of the death penalty in Iran. Last year Iran executed at least 312 people, including six women, and this year has already put to death at least 52 prisoners, including one woman.

• read the report