International Women’s Day:

An Overview of Women’s Rights and its Defenders in Iran

In many countries, International Women’s Day, celebrated on 8 March, is designated to commemorate women’s historical struggle for rights, honour their sacrifices, and celebrate their cultural and political achievements. The Islamic Republic of Iran, however, refuses to follow this path. The regime has never agreed to the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, and its laws blatantly violate the most fundamental rights of women, including the right of women to make decisions relating to their bodies and clothing choices, as well as equal opportunities in both social and economic spheres.

According to the Human Rights Activists’ News Agency (HRANA) in Iran, in the absence of any protective laws or punishments against “honour killings”, both domestic and non-domestic violence against women is widespread in the country. Women’s rights defenders and gender equality advocates are frequently subjected to pressure and arbitrary detention by regime security forces, leading to prosecutions as well as unfair trials and convictions by the judicial authorities. Currently, many women’s rights activists are awaiting court verdicts, while others are serving prison sentences – often in the same wards as those imprisoned for violent crimes, thus jeopardising their safety.

According to HRANA’s Annual Analytical and Statistical Report on Human Rights in Iran, based on 90 registered reports by the Department of Statistics, at least 43 women reported physical and sexual abuse in the last year. In addition, there were 24 reported cases of honour killings, eight self-immolations, three acid attacks, and four cases where women’s rights activists were summoned before judicial and security organisations. There were 20,187 reported cases of domestic abuse against women and 13 murders. This report also details that seven women were detained for reasons related to women’s rights and at least four women’s rights activists were sentenced to a total of 282 months in prison.

It is worth mentioning that this data is merely collected from media reports. The real figures are likely to be much higher and more troubling, as many domestic violence cases are never reported to legal authorities. [This is indicative of the extreme taboo that continues to exist regarding the acknowledgment and reporting of such crimes, as well as the persisting barriers to justice for women in a country where these problems are known to be widespread.]

Women’s Rights Violations

“Honour Killings”: An “honour killing” is the murder of an individual, often a girl or woman, by a family member or relative in an attempt to restore the honour of the family. The preceding act of a victim, such as refusing forced marriage, being the victim of a rape, seeking or obtaining divorce, or an act of adultery, is deemed to be shameful on traditional or religious grounds and dishonourable by the family or wider community.

In Iran’s legal system, the punishment for such murders is usually ultimately decided by the “blood avenger” – most often the father, as he is the first degree male relative. Consequently, the perpetrator in an “honour killing” is often the “blood avenger” himself or a close blood relative. Owing to this legal flaw, many “honour killers” get away without heavy punishment.

For example, Romina Ashrafi, aged 13, was beheaded by her father in an “honour killing” [in 2020]. Her father was sentenced to nine years in prison, a considerably lighter sentence than the death penalty routinely applied as punishment for homicide in Iran.

Violence Against Girls and Women – Iran is one of the four countries in the world that has not recognised the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. Through the efforts of a number of women’s rights activists, a bill known as the Protection, Dignity, and Security of Women Against Violence was approved by the government on 3 January 2021. However, when the bill was originally drafted by Hassan Rouhani’s first cabinet, 40 of its 90 articles were removed. Former Vice President for Women and Family Affairs, Masoumeh Ebtekar, announced that the bill had still not been presented to parliament for assent [and passing into law] five months after the approval of the cabinet. Recently, Shiva Ghasemipour, of the Women’s Faction in parliament, announced that the bill had been handed over to the judiciary for further review.

Bodily Autonomy – In February of 2022, the Medical Equipment Department imposed a regulation whereby the country’s pharmacies were prohibited from providing contraceptive pills without a prescription. The regulation addresses department deputies at medical universities, prohibiting them from distributing free or subsidised birth control or contraceptive implantation. It also prohibits the promotion of contraceptive pills and treatments. In an effort to implement the Rejuvenation of the Population and Support of Family bill, such regulations aim to make birth control and abortion harder for women to access. These restrictions on providing contraceptive pills, contraception-related services, along with strict rules against abortion, blatantly violate the inalienable rights of women to make decisions relating to their own bodies as well as increase the risk of sexually transmitted diseases and vaginal cancer.

Forced Veiling – Among other restrictions, forcing women to wear a veil is one of the most flagrant violations of women’s rights. As the UN Human Rights Council asserts, any coercion pertaining to women’s clothing signifies the blatant violation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights by that government. Nonetheless, Iran’s regime, both in law and practice, not only forces women to wear a veil but also prosecutes and suppresses those women who oppose the compulsory veil. While Iran’s law cites punishments ranging from imposition of a fine of 50,000 tomans to two months’ imprisonment, citizens are in practice faced with more serious and groundless accusations such as “spreading corruption on earth” which can be punishable by up to 10 years in prison. All these penalties stand in violation of Article 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

Right to Education – According to the CEO of the Society for Protection of the Rights of the Child in Iran, about one million children in poor areas are deprived of schooling. From that number, 49,000 children are barred from education due to either lacking birth certificates or being forced to work. These figures fluctuate wildly from year to year. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of children out of school tripled.

Besides poverty, lack of birth certificates and child labour, some girls are barred from school by their families who adhere to traditional norms and prejudices. In 2020, 4,142 girls left school because of child marriage or family prevention of their attendance.

Cultural Rights – Iran’s regime prohibits women from dancing and singing in the public, thus violating Article 15 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, which asserts the right of everyone to take part in cultural activities. Despite women being legally allowed to attend sports stadiums, they face many obstructions by the authorities in exercising those rights.

Marriage and Family Rights – In violation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights, which asserts for the abolition of any gender discrimination under law, Iranian women are legally subjected to discrimination in many aspects of their family life, such as divorce and child custody. Married women require their husband’s permission to receive passports and leave the country. Additionally, they do not have the right to choose where they live. The law allows the man to bar his wife from working outside the home if he considers the work to be in conflict with “family values”. In addition, as a duty of marriage, women are obliged to satisfy their husband’s sexual desires, arguably depriving them of their right to give consent in the context of intimate marital relations.

The UN Human Rights Council has stated that these discriminative laws violate Article 23.4 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights.

Women’s Rights Activists

Convicted (But Not Imprisoned) Women’s Rights Activists

Tahmineh Mofidi

On 2 January 2021, women’s rights activist, Tahmineh Mofidi, was arrested by IRGCS intelligence agents at her home and transferred to Ward 2-A of Evin Prison. On 2 February 2021, she was released on a bail of 1.5 billion tomans pending the completion of legal proceedings against her. Thereafter, Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran sentenced her to three years and seven months in prison and a fine of 15 million tomans on charges of “acting against national security through assembly and collusion” and “promotion of sexual perversion on social media”. Based on her decision not to appeal, as well as Article 34 of the Islamic Penal Code, which stipulates that only the severest punishment on multiple counts is enforceable, the overall sentence was reduced to a fine of 37 million tomans.

During the trial, actions such as writing the stories of women who have been the victims of sexual assault, advocating for a symbolic protest against the compulsory veil known as the “Girls of Enghelab Street”, and coaching without a veil were invoked to support these charges. Initially, she was also accused of “promoting impurity and indecency” which later was changed to “promotion of sexual perversion on social media”.

Imprisoned Women’s Rights Activists

Yasaman Aryani and Monireh Arabshahi

Yasaman Aryani and her mother, Monireh Arabshahi, both civil activists and outspoken opponents of the forced veil, are currently serving sentences in Kachooie Prison in Karaj City. On 10 April 2019, one day after the arrest of her mother, Aryani was arrested and transferred to Qarchak Prison in Varamin City. They were both relocated to Evin Prison on 13 August 2019, before eventually being transferred back to Kachooie Prison in Karaj on 21 October 2021.

On 7 August 2021, each was sentenced to 16 years in prison on the charges of “propaganda against the regime” and “provoking impurity and indecency”. These sentences were reduced for both to nine years and seven months in prison. As per Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, the severest punishment enforceable under these circumstances is five years and six months. However, Arabshahi is still imprisoned and denied adequate medical treatment despite being officially certified as “intolerant of punishment” as well as the assertions made by both an endocrinologist and neurologist of her need for lumbar disc and thyroid surgery.

On February 23 [2022], Aryani, who is being detained alongside those imprisoned for violent crimes, was beaten by some of her fellow prisoners.

Saba Kord Afshari and Raheleh Ahmadi

Civil activists, Saba Kord Afshari, and her mother, Raheleh Ahmadi, were arrested on 1 June and 10 July 2019, respectively. On 27 August 2019, Afshari was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment on the charge of “promoting corruption and obscenity by appearing without a headscarf in public”, one year and six months on the charge of “propaganda against the regime” and seven years and six months on the charge of “assembly and collusion to act against national security”, thus totalling 24 years’ imprisonment.

Her sentence had originally been increased two-and-a-half-fold owing to previous convictions under these laws, before finally being corrected in March of last year and reduced from 15 years to 7 years and 6 months. As per Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, the severest punishment enforceable under these circumstances is seven years and six months.

On 26 January 2021, she was violently relocated from Ward 8 to Ward 6 of Qarchak Prison. She is currently being held in the same ward as those imprisoned for violent crimes, which violates Iran’s prison rules.

On 10 December 2019, Ahmadi was sentenced to three years and six months in prison on charges of “assembly and collusion against national security through collaboration with anti-regime media” and eight months on the charge of “propaganda against the regime”. Ahmadi was granted medical furlough after contracting COVID-19 on 16 February. Afshari was also granted short-term furlough one day after she was beaten by a violent-category fellow prisoner on 20 February, and was therefore able to be reunited with her mother on furlough.

Aliye Motallebzadeh

On 26 November 2016, Aliye Motallebzadeh, photographer and women’s rights defender, was arrested

during her appearance at the offices of the Ministry of Intelligence office following a phone summons. She was detained in Ward 209 at the Ministry of Intelligence’s disposal until 19 December 2016, when she was released on a bail of 300 million tomans pending the completion of legal proceedings against her.

The Revolutionary Court of Tehran sentenced her to three years’ imprisonment for the charges of “assembly and collusion against national security” and “propaganda against the regime”. This verdict was upheld by Branch 36 of the Court of Appeal.

On 11 October 2020, Motallebzadeh was sent to Evin Prison to serve her sentence after appearing at Evin Courthouse. On 10 January, she was transferred to Qarchak Prison in Varamin City to serve the rest of her sentence in exile. On 23 February, she was granted medical furlough after contracting COVID-19.

Women’s Rights Activists Who Are Awaiting Imprisonment

Nahid Shaghaghi, Akram Nasirian, Maryam Mohammadi and Asrin Darkaleh

All four activists were arrested by security forces; Akram Nasirian on 29 April 2019, Nahid Shaghaghi on

15 May 2019, Maryam Mohammadi on 8 July 2019, and Asrin Darkaleh on 28 July 2019. They all were released on bail from May to August. Branch 24 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran, headed by Judge Iman Afshari, sentenced the activists to a total of 16 years and 8 months’ imprisonment. As per Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code, the severest punishment of three years sentence on one count was enforceable for each. Their sentences were later reduced on appeal to two years and three months each. Recently, they have been summoned by the Executive Unit of Evin Courthouse to serve their sentences.

Raha (Raheleh) Askarizadeh

On 28 November 2019, journalist, photographer, and women’s rights activist, Raha (Raheleh) Askarizadeh, was arrested at Imam Khomeini International Airport while attempting to leave the country. On 31 December of that year, she was released on bail pending the completion of legal proceedings against her. Initially, the Revolutionary Court of Tehran sentenced her to two years’ imprisonment, a two-year ban from leaving the country, and a two-year prohibition from political activities in media, political groups, and social media. The verdict was upheld on appeal. In April 2021, she was summoned by the Executive Unit of Evin Courthouse to serve her sentence.

Najmeh Vahedi and Hoda Amidi

On 1 September 2018, women’s rights activists, Najmeh Vahedi and Hoda Amidi, were arrested by IRGC

intelligence agents and then released on bail in November of that year. For the charge of “collaboration with the hostile country (U.S.) against the regime regarding women and family issues”, the Revolutionary Court of Tehran sentenced Hoda Amidi to eight years’ imprisonment; a two-year prohibition from membership of political groups and parties, and political activities in the media and on the internet; a two-year ban from leaving the country; and a two-year prohibition from exercising her profession as a lawyer. For the same charge, Najmeh Vahedi was sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment; a two-year prohibition from membership of political groups and parties, and political activities in the media and on the internet; and a two-year ban from leaving the country.

These sentences were upheld on appeal. The two women’s involvement in running educational workshops for women on setting out preconditions in marriage, such as having the right to divorce (in order to restore the denied rights on divorce for women), was invoked during their trial as evidence of their guilt of the aforementioned charges.

Atsa Ahmadai Rafsanjani

On 20 January 2019, Ms. Rafsanjani, a Baha’i resident of Tehran, was arrested by security forces at her home and transferred to a solitary confinement cell in Ward 241 of Evin Prison to be held at the disposal

of the judiciary’s counter-intelligence. On 6 March 2019, she was released on a bail of 200 million tomans pending the completion of legal proceedings against her. In May 2021, Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran sentenced her to four years’ imprisonment on the charge of “formation of a group to act against national security through registering an NGO on women’s empowerment”, three years’ imprisonment on the charge of “assembly and collusion to act against national security”, and one year in prison on the charge of “propaganda against the regime”.

She was condemned on the first charge despite the fact that the Ministry of Interior had already rejected her request to form an NGO due to her Baha’i faith. If the verdict is upheld on appeal, the four years’ imprisonment is enforceable as per Article 134 of the Islamic Penal Code.

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