EU High Representative Catherine Ashton released a statement on 5 July condemning the recent arrests of women’s rights defenders. She specifically refers to the arrests of photographer Maryam Madj, film-maker Mahnaz Mohammadi, journalist Zahra Yazdani, and women’s rights advocates Maryam Bahrman and Mansoureh Behkish.
Maryam Madj, an Iranian photojournalist and women’s rights activist, was taken from her home the day before she was scheduled to fly to Germany to photograph the Women’s World Football Cup on 17 June. She has long been an advocate of women’s rights, especially the right of women football fans to publically watch football matches. Madj’s arrest has been challenged by 32 other Iranian photojournalists and the German commissioner of human rights, Markus Loening.
Mahnaz Mohammadi, an Iranian documentarian and filmmaker, was taken from her home by Iranian security officers two weeks after the arrest of Madj. The unidentified officers refused to show a warrant when they picked up Mohammadi. She is reportedly being kept incommunicado in Tehran’s Evin prison, meaning she has no access to her family or proper legal representation.
Zahra Yazdani is a journalist for the Asr-e Eghtesad, the newspaper owned by her father. Like the others, no clarification was given for her 21 June arrest from her home. She has had no contact with her family since she was taken.
Maryam Bahrman is a women’s rights activist and promoter of the ‘One Million Signatures for Equality’ campaign, which calls for a reform of the Iranian laws that discriminate against women. She too has being denied a lawyer or any contact with her family since her arrest on 11 May.
Mansoureh Behkish is a member of the ‘Mouring Mothers Group,’ which protests unlawful killings, arbitrary arrests, torture, and enforced disappearances. Several of Behkish’s family members were executed in the 1980s and she has been a human rights activist ever since. This is not her first arrest.
These arrests and others have spurred an outcry from the rest of the global community. Amnesty International is demanding clarification for the arrests, while other groups urge citizens to sign petitions and write letters calling for the detainees’ release.
The 2011 World Press Freedom Index lists Iran as a “very serious situation,” ranking 175th out of 178 countries for freedom of the press!
Ashton demands release of Iranian women prisoners – New Europe.
Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders and their awards 