{"id":3325,"date":"2023-08-26T05:59:56","date_gmt":"2023-08-26T04:59:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/codir.net\/?p=3325"},"modified":"2023-08-26T05:59:56","modified_gmt":"2023-08-26T04:59:56","slug":"iranian-authorities-have-launched-a-new-repressive-onslaught-on-women-rights-defenders-in-the-country","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/codir.net\/?p=3325","title":{"rendered":"Iranian authorities have launched a new repressive onslaught on women rights defenders in the country"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Iran: Mass Arrests of Women\u2019s Rights Defenders<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Least a Dozen Arrested Ahead of Protests\u2019 Anniversary<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Beirut) \u2013 Iranian<\/a> authorities have arrested at least a dozen activists and increased pressure on a wide range of peaceful dissidents ahead of the anniversary of the nationwide protests that swept the country in 2022, Human Rights Watch said today. The authorities brutally cracked down on the antigovernment protests that erupted after the death of 22-year-old Mahsa (Jina) Amini in the custody of the abusive morality police on September 16, 2022, killing hundreds of people and arresting thousands of protesters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On August 16, 2023, Bidarzani, an independent women\u2019s rights group, reported that Iranian security forces conducted a number of raids of people\u2019s homes and arrested 12 people, including 11 women\u2019s rights defenders and a political activist. The Prosecutor\u2019s Office has refused to provide information to families about the charges against the detainees, Bidarzani<\/a> reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIranian authorities are using their go-to playbook of putting maximum pressure on peaceful dissidents ahead of the anniversary of Mahsa Amini\u2019s death,\u201d said Tara Sepehri Far<\/a>, senior Iran researcher at Human Rights Watch. \u201cThe arbitrary arrests of a dozen activists are aimed at suppressing popular discontent with ongoing impunity and rights violations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On August 17, Tasnim News Agency,<\/a> which is close to Iran\u2019s Revolutionary Corps intelligence organization, reported that the General Intelligence Office of Gilan Province issued a statement saying it had arrested a network of 12 people \u201cwho were planning to disrupt security.\u201d The authorities, the news release said, had accused the leaders of the network \u2013 without providing any evidence \u2013 of participating in trainings aimed at a \u201csoft overthrow\u201d of the system. Intelligence and judicial authorities regularly accuse activists of vague national security charges in trial processes that fall grossly short of international standards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 12 people arrested on August 16, according to Bidarzani, are Yasamin Hashdari from Anzali, Negin Rezaei from Fuman, Shiva Shah Siah and Vahedeh Khoshsirat from Lahijan, and Jelveh Javaheri, Zahra Dadras, Zohreh Dadras, Matin Yazdani, Forough SameiNia, Azadeh Chavoshian, and Sara Jahani and her husband, Human Taheri, who is a political activist. Jelveh Javaheri and Forough Samie Nia were among a group of women\u2019s rights defenders who started a family violence prevention campaign<\/a> in November 2016. They were both previously arrested<\/a> in December 2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over the past week across the country, the authorities have also summoned and arrested other activists. On August 17, Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reported<\/a> that the authorities in Gilan province had arrested Mahsa Basir Tavana, the sister of Mehran Basir Tavana, who was killed during the 2022 antigovernment protests. HRANA also reported that, on August 16, intelligence authorities arrested<\/a> a travel blogger, Elaheh Asgari, and transferred her to Evin prison after she went to the passport office to try to get her seized passport.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the Telegram channel of an independent student association, university administrators have referred students from Amir Kabir, Allameh Tababayi, and Khajeh Nasir universities to their university disciplinary committees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In recent weeks, the authorities have also increased their crackdown against the Bahai religious minority community. According to Bahai International Community (BIC), on August 13, the authorities rearrested 11 Bahai citizen including Jamaluddin Khanjani, a 90-year-old former Baha\u2019i community leader who had served 10 years in prison, as well as his daughter, Maria Khanjani.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Iranian authorities have also sought to suppress potential memorial events by families for some of the protesters killed in 2022. On August 14, BBC Persian reported<\/a> that the authorities have pressured families of those who were killed during the protests to avoid holding memorial services for their loved ones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In recent months, Iranian authorities have<\/a> also summoned, arrested, and sentenced activists who were released from detention and granted amnesty only months ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe street protests may have slowed down but the authorities are continuing their crackdown, targeting veteran civil society and human rights defenders,\u201d Sepehri Far said. \u201cUN member states that are in dialogue with Iran should put the rights defenders\u2019 plight at the center of their engagement.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This report is published first by Human Rights Watch on 19 August<\/p>\n

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