(New York) - The Iranian Judiciary should immediately release six women arrested in January and early February 2010, apparently in connection with their peaceful activities on behalf of the Mourning Mothers, Human Rights Watch said today.
Mourning Mothers is a civil society group established in June 2009 by mothers whose children lost their lives in state-sanctioned violence following Iran’s disputed June 12 election. In recent months many Iranians have expressed support for the group.
“Supporters of the Mourning Mothers, like other Iranian civil society activists, are apparently being locked up for their public show of solidarity on behalf of the group,” said Joe Stork, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. “These women have now spent weeks in detention without being allowed to see their families or having access to their lawyers.”
In the latest arrests, Intelligence Ministry agents arrested five supporters of the group in their homes during the evening or early morning hours of February 6 and 8. Those detained are Omolbanin Ebrahimi, Elham Ahsani, Jila Karamzadeh-Makvandi, Fatemeh Rastegari, and Leila Seifollahi.
A sixth supporter, Farzaneh Zeinali, was among 32 Mourning Mothers supporters arrested on January 9, when they attempted to gather in Laleh Park, where the group held its peaceful vigils. Authorities gradually released 31 of them over the following few days, but Zeinali remains in detention nearly two months later.
It is not clear whether authorities have informed the women of the reasons for their arrest, and they have not charged any of the detainees with any offense, Human Rights Watch said.
Ahsani’s mother told Human Rights Watch that six intelligence agents entered the family home on February 8, conducted a search and confiscated several items that belonged to her daughter. They then told Ahsani to come with them. When Ahsani’s mother asked why, the arresting officers said that they had “questions for her regarding events that took place after the elections.” They also said they were taking her to Evin Prison.
Her mother said that Ahsani was especially active with a registered civil society organization that provides social services to disadvantaged mothers and their children in Tehran. She had also attended one or two gatherings organized by the Mourning Mothers. The family later learned that it was Ahsani’s participation in those gatherings that led to her arrest.
Another family member of a detained Mourning Mothers supporter told Human Rights Watch that Intelligence Ministry agents entered their home with a general search warrant, allowing the agents to inspect the premises of anyone suspected of being involved in unlawful activities during the past several months. They searched the home and confiscated personal items, including a computer, CDs, and notebooks. The agents refused to provide any information about why the woman was being detained, only saying that she would be transferred to Evin Prison.
A statement released by the Mourning Mothers on February 21 indicates that the six supporters are in Section 209 of Evin Prison, which is administered by the Intelligence Ministry. The families of these women gather in front of Evin Prison every night from about 8 to 11 p.m., along with many other families whose loved ones have been imprisoned in Evin during the past eight months.
Several of the families of the six arrested women were able to contact their loved ones by phone. One family member told Human Rights Watch that the phone conversations are very short and strictly monitored by guards. “She only said, ‘I am well, don’t be worried,’” this person said. “The conversation usually takes 1 to 2 minutes … sometimes I ask her questions, and she simply answers yes or no.”
Families are often forced to go back and forth between Evin Prison and Revolutionary Court branch offices in search of any information regarding their loved ones. One family member indicated that prison authorities have prevented lawyers hired by the families from visiting the women for the purpose of signing retainer letters – a right granted to all detainees under Iranian law.
Article 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which Iran is a party, prohibits arbitrary detention. Article 9 also states that anyone arrested should be informed, at the time of their arrest, of the reasons for their detention, should be “promptly” informed of any criminal charges, and should be “brought promptly” before a judge to review their detention. The Covenant also requires Iran to respect the right to freedom of association with others, and to peaceful assembly.
Iran's most celebrated living poetess Simin Behbahani faced a travel ban on Monday after being prevented from leaving for France for International Women's Day ceremonies, an OPPOSITION website said.
Behbahani, 82, is also a feminist advocating better rights for Iranian women who face several inequalities under the Sharia-based law in place in the Islamic republic since its 1979 revolution.
Officials confiscated Behbahani's passport at Tehran's Imam Khomeini airport Monday morning as she was set to leave and told her to follow up the matter through the revolutionary court, 'Paris municipality had invited me for March 8 and I had prepared a text about feminism and a poem about women which I was going to read at the ceremony and return on Wednesday,' Behbahani was quoted as saying.
'After I crossed customs and my passport was stamped, two officials called me, took my passport away, kept me till 5 am (0130 GMT) and asked questions,' she said…
Iranian women's rights activists have for years called for changes to the Shiite country's laws which are deemed as unfair to women in marriage, divorce and inheritance.
Under Iranian laws, a woman's life and her testimony are valued at half those of a man. Married women can be prevented from working by their husbands and need his consent to obtain a passport.
Since the Islamic revolution three decades ago, women have been barred from working as judges and the age of legal responsibility has been lowered to nine for women compared to 15 for men.
Iranian authorities have cracked down on women's rights activists since President Mahmoud Ahamdinejad came to power in 2005. Scores have been arrested and jailed for organising rallies, petitioning or writing feminist articles.
Several have also been banned from leaving the country.
BahmanAhmadi Amuyi, a journalist, was sentenced to 5 years of prison by the 54th branch of the review court.
This journalist who has been jailed since June was sentenced to 7 years and 4 months of prison and 74 lashes in a court of first instance and officials have so far opposed the requests of his family and lawyer for him to be released on bail or receive a leave.
According to reports, prison guards have started a new round of attacks against defenseless prisoners in Gohardasht Prison in Karaj. On Sunday, March 7, at about 8 am, more than 40 prison guards attacked prisoners in section 1 in this prison. They were transferred to the prison yard while being beaten and insulted. They were kept in the cold air for several hours and were not allowed to wear their warm clothes. These prisoners were also banned from using the bathroom in this time. Prison guards subsequently attacked their cells and violently conducted a search in which they seized or broke the prisoner's personal belongings which were provided by their families or with their own money from the prison store. Some of the items confiscated by prison guards were phone cards, food stuff, and family pictures. This attack which started at 8 am, ended at 12 pm and was carried out under the orders of the head of this section, Hossein Akharian and the commander of the guards, Sami'ie Nejad. The pressures on prisoners in section 1 have increased and prisoner's visits with their families have been suspended. Prisoners Ahmad Qa'emi and Kiomars Shokri, who protested these suppressive measures in prison were violently attacked and beaten by Hossein Akharian, Mirzayi, Aqayi and head officers in this prison.
AFP Iran has hanged two convicted drug traffickers in the western city of Khorramabad, the official IRNA news agency reported on Monday. The report identified them only as Gh. B. and H. R and added the two were hanged early this week -- the Iranian week begins on Saturday. No other details were given.
This is the list of Women killed during the incidents from June 2009 till February 2010
1-Fatemeh Barati : Killed on 6/14/2009, in Tehran:
Special Unite Guards of IRGC, Plainclothes of IRGC attacked the Tehran University Dorms, some students were killed by bullet shots. Their bodies buried without their families notification in Behesht Zahra Cemetry.
2-Soroor Broumand (Rajab-pour) ,58 Killed on6/15/2009 in Tehran :
Bassij motorcade attackers shot and killed defenseless people including Mrs. Borumand and her daughter Ms. Rajab-pour working in a nursery in Azadi Street, near Bassij Base. Bodies of three women, including them, and five men transferred to unknown place.
3 -FatemehRajab-pour killed on 2009/06/15 in Tehran :
A nursery in Azadi Street, was under shooting (barbaric suppresive forces carried armes, club, daggar, etc) and a mother and her daughter working there along two others were killed.
4-Tahmassebi killed on 2009/06/15 in Kermanshah :
On Monday suppresive forced attacked university. She was killed by a club severe blow toher head.Her family was forced to keep silent preventing to make funeral ceremony.
5- MaryamMehr Azin , 24 killed on6/20/2009 in Tehran :
She was martyred by straight bullet shot in Azade Street, many martyred were transferred to Baqiatollah Hospital of the IRGC.
6 - MitraLotfi killed inBandar Abbas;
She was Architecture student from Bandar Abbas University. Suppresive Forces killed her by several deadly blows of club.
7-NedaSalehi Aqa Soltan, 26killed on 6/20/2009;
She was shot dead by a Bassiji (paramilitary force of the IRGC terrorist organization) sniper. She was Philosophy and Music Student. People changed the name of Amirabad Street, where she became martyred, to Neda. She was buried in Block 256 of Behesht Zahra Cemetry.
8-TaherehEftekhari50F6/21/2009TehranResistance Forces in Tehran6/22/2009She was killed in Azadi Street while defending his sun who was also killed.
9-ShalirKhezrikilled on 6/23/2009 in Tehran;
University student who was from Piranshahr was killed.
10- Khaleqi killed on6/24/2009in Tehran;
Mr Khaleqi and his wife were killed by five plainclothes in their house. Their suspicious murder was similar to those in serial killing before.
11-KhakijehYadi Klue killed on 6/29/2009 in Tehran;
More than 100 citizens who were killed in the recent uprising were buried in Blockes 222, 256, and 257 of Behesht Zahra Cemetry. Martyers Khadijeh Yadi Klue and Hadi Mollah Razi aged early 20 were buried on June 29 in Block 257.
July 2009
12- FahimehSalahshoor,25 killed on 6/14/2009 in TehranValiasr Square;
Fahimeh Salahshoor, 25, was killed after being struck in the head with a club in Valiasr Street on June 14 which led to internal bleeding. She died in the hospital onJune 15 and was buried in section 266 in the cemetery on June 17.
13-TinaSoodikilled on6/20/2009 in TehranEnqelab;
Student who was shot and killed on June 20 in Enqelab Square. Security forces told her family that they have to say she died of natural causes.
14- Parisa Koli25killed on 6/21/2009 in TehranKeshavarz Boulevard;
25 year old literature student who was shot in the neck on June 21 in Keshavarz Boulevard and was buried in section 259 of Behesht Zahra Cemetery on June 23.
15-ShalirKhezrikilled on 6/23/2009 in TehranBaharestan;
Resistance Forces in Iran (July 25, 2009)7/5/2009Kurd student from kermanshah. She was shot and killed in Tehran (Baharestan).
16-Taraneh Moussavikilled on7/00/2009in Tehranl
She was arrested outside the Qoba Mosque, on June 28 outside the Qoba Mosque and her family finds her burned body on July 16
August 2009
17-MaryamSoodbarkilled inTehran;
Maryam was Amir Kabir student and she was killed while participating in demonstrations. Few days ago the ceremony of 40th day of her death.
18-M/FTehran"Norouz state-run website
Ayande website"2009/08/21"Ayandeh Website: former general director of Behesht Zahra Cemetry who was discharged after revelation of the news):27 people of the 42 unknown buried people were identified…
Committee of Human Rights Reporters: gravedigger:'
First a bus came with its lights off. They first told us that the bus had broken down and had come to the cemetery to be repaired! Then it came near and we realized something was going on. They went in that section. Then its lights were turned on and then off again. They told us to come. The bodies were placed in the bus suitcases compartment. They were all frozen and some of them were stuck together. They wanted to separate them with shovels and three shovel handles broke because they were in such a hurry. Some of the bodies that were naked were stuck together with ice and when they could not separate them, they brought down the walls of about 2 or 3 graves and threw them in together, girls and boys were placed together in the graves… The bodies were very bloody, frozen blood… There were a lot of undercover police on the scene… "
19 - Dr. Rahimi killed in Tehran ;
Dr. Rahimi was killed in Tehran but the suppressive forces didn't let her family to bury her in Tehran and ordered them to say she was poisoned. Therefore they buried her in Gorgan, Iran's northern city.
October 2009
20-FatemehSemsar-pour killed on6/20/2009 in Tehran ;
Mrs Semsar-pour and her little son, Kaveh Assadollahi, were shot and severly injured by snipers of RGC. According to their neighbors, they were standing near their house trying to help people who were attaked by suppressive forces, while were shot. Mrs Samsar-pour coverd her son to protect him from blutes. They were transferred to hospital by people but she died and doctors could only survive her son. Her body wea handed to her family after many presistent inquiry but they were threatenednot to hold any ceremony and if they do so her husband will be fired and his son will be sacked from university, therefore she was buried in a northern town.
21 - SomayehJafar-Qoli killed inSep. 2009 in Tehran ;
She was computer engineering MSC graduate from Amir Kabir University and an employee in Complementary Education on Virtual Instructions Center. She was killed by SSF while coming back from Qom to Tehran with her husband and Sara, her 8-year-old dauther. SSF shot her head by blatant mistake while persuading another car.
22-M kiiled in Orumieh ,Maavaneh region ;
In the past week, forces from the Orumieh Intelligence Agency in the Maavaneh region opened fire on an automobile carrying two unarmed Kurd guerillas which led to the death of both these men and a Kurd citizen identified as Fassih Qaderi. These forces have not handed the bodies of these men to their families and have disrespected the corpses.
November 2009
23-MaryamSoodbar Atbatan ,21 killed on6/21/2009 in Tehran ;
She is buried in section 257, row number 35 and grave number 27 in Behesht Zahra Cemetery in Tehran. She was a junior in Tehran University studying mathmatical physics. She was active in the post election protests until she was hit on the head by security forces and passed away at 4 am in her home.
January 2010
24-ZahraJafari killed onJan. 6 in OrumiehCentral Prison;
She was mysteriously killed in this prison. She was a political prisoner who had been in solitary confinement for more than 5 months. Her body was taken to the prison medical clinic on Jan. 6 and then transferred to an unknown location outside of prison.
25-unknown killed onJan. 7 in Iranshahr ;
On January 7, security forces stationed on the Darzadeh Shahr Street in the town of Iranshahr in Sistan and Baluchistan opened fire on a passing car for unknown reasons. This action led to the death of the driver identified as Moradbakhsh Kadkhodayi. Four other people were killed after Moradbakhsh's car crashed into another car which caught fire. The security forces that had opened fire left the scene without helping the fire victims.
26-unknown killed onJan. 7 in Iranshahr ;
On January 7, security forces stationed on the Darzadeh Shahr Street in the town of Iranshahr in Sistan and Baluchistan opened fire on a passing car for unknown reasons. This action led to the death of the driver identified as Moradbakhsh Kadkhodayi. Four other people were killed after Moradbakhsh's car crashed into another car which caught fire. The security forces that had opened fire left the scene without helping the fire victims.
27-unknown killed onJan. 7 in Iranshahr ;
On January 7, security forces stationed on the Darzadeh Shahr Street in the town of Iranshahr in Sistan and Baluchistan opened fire on a passing car for unknown reasons. This action led to the death of the driver identified as Moradbakhsh Kadkhodayi. Four other people were killed after Moradbakhsh's car crashed into another car which caught fire. The security forces that had opened fire left the scene without helping the fire victims.
28-unknown killed inJan in Tehran; Eshrat Abad Detention Center;
Two people wre killed in 48 hours in the Eshrat Abad Detention Center because of beatings and torture
29-Elaheh ,24 killed in Dec. 2009- in TehranEshrat Abad Detention Center in Tehran;
according to reliable news from Eshrat Abad Detention Center, a young girl named Elaheh (arrested on Ashura) had a Brain hemorrhage after the interrogator threw a chair at her which hit her on the head. She died instantly. This 24 year old woman was an orphan from Kurdistan.
February 2010
30-LeilaZare'ie killed onFeb. 11 in TehranValiasr Square ;
She was shot and killed in the street protests by security forces in Tehran
15 more killings have been reported , but the names of the victims have not been revealed
When it comes to Iran, it is important for one to understand many things, especially considering the events of the last few months. I always think that nobody will know what our people – especially women – have gone through here in Tehran, the heart of Iran.
The bitterest reality is the presence of the mullahs who have imposed their rules on us. I was lucky to see a few years less of the misery these mullahs have brought for us because I was born a few years after the beginning of their rule!
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