Middle East

UPDATE: Iran: Stop the stoning to death of Mokarrameh Ebrahimi

Jafar Kiani was stoned to death in Iran on 5 July...this could soon happen to his partner, Mokarrameh Ebrahimi, unless action is taken now.

Iran: UPDATE: Temporary Success: Stoning of Mokarrameh and her Partner Suspended

The stoning of Mokarrameh Ebrahimi and the father of her 11 year old "illegitimate" child was stayed by the written order of the Head of Judiciary in Tehran addressed to the head of the judiciary branch in Takistan. The stoning had been scheduled for Thursday morning, local time, and the order came less than 24 hours before the scheduled time.

Iran: Mise à jour: Lapidation d'un couple en Iran

Le pouvoir judiciaire iranien a suspendu l'exécution d'un couple adultère par lapidation, prévue jeudi dans un cimetière de la ville de Takestan (nord-est), a rapporté mercredi l'agence Fars.

Iran: URGENT: Oppose the scheduled public stoning of Mokarrameh and her partner

The Stop Stoning Forever Campaign invites all citizens of the world to contact the Iranian officials by phone and/or fax and ask them to stop the public stoning of Mokarrameh Ebrahimin, the 43 year old mother of three children, and her partner, the father of her 11 year old child. Please note that email may not be effective.

Also, please note the time difference since the stoning is scheduled for Thursday, 21 June 2007, in the morning, Tehran time, which is Wednesday evening and midnight in the US and Europe. Please act now before it is too late!

Iran: URGENT: Lapidation d'un couple demain en Iran

Le bureau de Showraye Tameen de la province de Ghazvin a publié l'ordre de lapider un homme et une femme en public demain.

Iran: Haleh Esfiandiari and other Iranian-American citizens unlawfully arrested and detained

Incommunicado detention of and judicial proceedings against several Iranian-American citizens including Dr. Haleh Esfiandiari, director of the Middle East programme at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Washington DC. Dr. Esfiandiari was arrested in Tehran on 8th May 2007 after being summoned for questioning by Ministry of Intelligence officials and was taken to section 209 of Evin prison, where she was allowed one call to inform her relatives that she had been jailed. Dr. Esfandiari is also a well-known advocate of dialogue between the US and Iranian governments.

UPDATE: Iran: Wave of arrests: Court again refuses to accept bail posted for 'One Million Signatures' campaigner Zeinab Peyqambarzadeh

When asked about Zeinab’s bail, her father Peyqambarzadeh explained that court officials did not even discuss the issue of bail with him. “They only told me to leave and didn’t allow me any visits with my daughter either. They were angry and shouted a lot and told me that they have reactivated Zeinab’s previous criminal charge [for when she was arrested on the metro for distributing pamphlets about the Campaign]”. Zeinab’s father explained further that he worries for his daughter’s safety because they won’t tell him what they are going to do. "Is it a crime to ask for a written summons?" he asks.

UPDATE: Iran: Further arrests of women's rights activists working on the 'One Million Signatures Campaign'

Zeinab Peyqambarzadeh, an active youth member of the “One Million Signatures” campaign, was arrested yesterday for her participation in a peaceful protest on March 4. She reported to the Revolutionary Court after receiving a summons, where she was then arrested and transferred to Evin prison. Her father and lawyer attempted to post the set bail of 20 million toumans (about $27,000), but the court refused to accept the bail and would not authorize Peyqambarzadeh’s release.

Iran: More women's rights defenders summoned to the Revolutionary Court; two arrested

Fariba Davoudi Mohajer and Sussan Tahmasebi, two of the eleven women’s rights activists summoned by the Revolutionary Court, were sentenced to prison on April 18 for threatening “national security.” The two activists were organizers of the peaceful protest on June 12, 2006 and the “One Million Signatures” campaign demanding an end to discriminatory laws against women. Davoudi Mohajer, who was tried in absentia as she is currently abroad, was sentenced to one year in prison and three years suspended sentence. Tahmasebi was sentenced to six months in jail and one year suspended sentence. Their lawyers are appealing the sentences.

UPDATE: Iran: All women's rights activists have been released although crackdown on Iranian civil society escalates

Women's human rights defenders released on exorbitant bail, but repression of civil society continues.