33 Iranian female activists arrested

They were arrested for protesting for women's rights, it says so on the first line of the thread and the lengthy article I posted goes into some detail..

...and more on the arrest of Iranian women activists:

A second arrest for Zeinab Peyqambarzadeh (Iranian women�s rights advocate) on May 8th, 2007 when she reported to court for a summons issued for her participation in the June 2006 women�s rights protest.   She is being held in Evin Prison as her family cannot post bond of 20,000 euros. Arresting these activist women seems to be the Iranian government�s attempt to crack down on feminist advocacy. Shirin Ebadi (a Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and Iranian women�s activist) has commented about these arrests by stating, �I am shocked to hear of these sentences. Campaigning to end discriminatory laws should not send a woman to jail. Working to build an equal society is building human security, not threatening national security.�   

IMO, these women will someday prevail in Iran, and I only hope that they live long enough to enjoy the fruits of their labor. As long as these women keep protesting and bring in more worldwide media attention towards their treatment, the more success I see for them in the future. I�m so very very proud of them for their courage and determination and for bonding together in an effort to attain well-deserved basic human rights and equality. There�s certainly no crime in that! I wish them luck and much success and will support them wholeheartedly.

Source: http://www.feminist.org/news/newsbyte/uswirestory.asp?id=10300

I get the feeling that they may have been arrested for something other than protesting. Iran is a democracy, getting arrested for a peaceful protest is highly unlikely. What did they actually do to get themselves arrested? Indecent exposure (fairly easy in Iran), violence, etc, etc. What's the actual charge?

btw, feminist.org doesn't sound like a good unbiased reference source in my opinion.

Akbar Ganji was locked up for merely stating that Muslims are not monkeys who should follow the decree of a higher power (referring to Valiyateh Faghih, supreme leader).

I get the feeling women had more rights in ancient Persia than in Iran. Atleast they didn't have to wear such clothes all the time.

Edited by Jagiello - 13-May-2007 at 10:20

Originally posted by Jagiello I get the feeling women had more rights in ancient Persia than in Iran. Atleast they didn't have to wear such clothes all the time.

Edited by Zagros - 14-May-2007 at 17:00

Here�s an update on one of the female Iranian activist.

On Monday, July 2nd, 2007, twenty-four year old Iranian activist, Delaram Ali, was sentenced to 10 lashes (they still do that? what do they use? a leather whip, or what?) and almost three years in prison for participating in the 2006 protest at Tehran Square. She had been arrested and charged with �participating in an illegal gathering�, �propaganda against the system� and �disturbing the public order�. Her sentence has been appealed and she�s presently out on bond ($21,000). That�s a pretty stiff sentence for a peaceful demonstration which means that the government is feeling threatened by these females activists.

Source: http://www.payvand.com/news/07/jul/1045.html


Delaram Ali