Iran: Women activists detained following peaceful protest

Source: 
ICTRC
33 women activists were arrested in front of the Revolutionary Court on Saturday March 3, 2007.
33 women activists were arrested in front of the Revolutionary Court on Saturday March 3, 2007. Among the arrested activists were Susan Tahmasbi, Asieh Amini, Mahbubeh Hosseinzadeh, and Maryam Mirza from ICTRC. The activists were arrested while holding a peaceful gathering in protest to the increasing pressure of the government on civil society activists and their illegal detentions, summons, and trials, and in particular, summon of the 5 women activists who had participated in [the peaceful demonstration in favour of women's rights on] 12 June 2006.

The arrested activists were first taken to Eshratabad Prison where they were kept for 10 hours before being transferred to Evin Prison.

During the 24 hours of detention of the 33 women activists, contradictory comments on the cause of the arrest have been stated by the officials, to the media, and to the families of the arrested activists who have today gathered in front of Evin Prison for the second consecutive day. The arrested women activists are:

Noushin Ahmadi Khorasani, Parvin Ardalan, Susan Tahmasbi, Nahid Keshavarz, Mahbubeh Hosseinzadeh, Asieh Amini, Shadi Sadr, Niloufar Golkar, Parastoo Dokuhaki, Maryam Mirza, Maryam Hosseinkhah, Nahid Jafari, Minoo Mortazi, Fatemeh, Gavaraie, Shahla Entesari, Azadeh Forghani, Jila Baniyaghoub, Nahid Entesari, Saghi Leghaie, Saghar Leghaie, Elnaz Ansari, Sara Imanian, Jelvh Javaheri, Zara Amjadian, Zeynab Peyghambarzadeh, Nasrin Afzali, Mahnaz Mohamadi, Somayeh Farid, Faride Entesari, Rezvan Moghadam, Sara Loghmani, Maryam Shadfar, and Mahbubeh Abbasgholizadeh.

The detention of the women activists occurs just before the March 8 gathering to be held in front of the Parliament which has been organized by the Iranian Women Movement.