The Islamic Republic`s Fear of Women Activists

Shahrzad News:

The Islamic Republic has arrested a number of women`s rights activists, fearing they will be linked to the People`s Movement.

Despite the fact that these women are suffering from persecution, they are still determined to work toward achieving a civil society. Some of the names of the women who have been recently arrested include: Badralsadat Mofidi (secretary of the Union of Journalists), Bahareh Hedayat (member of the Central Council and Consolidation Unity of Students), Nasrin Vaziri (reporter of ILNA and Khabar Online), Shiva Nazar Ahari (journalist and human rights and women’s activist), Parisa Kakaee (human rights activist, journalist, and member of the One Million Signatures Campaign), Mansoureh Shojaei (researcher, member of the Women’s Cultural Centre and the One Million Signatures Campaign), Negin Derakhshan (member of the editorial team of the newspaper Tehran Today), and Atieh Yousefi (member of the One Million Signatures Campaign. Translators note: Atieh Yousefi was recently released on bail).

Also, among the arrested are women affiliated with Shirin Ebadi. Their names include: Jinoos Sobhani (secretary office of CDHR), Noushin Ebadi (sister of Shirin Ebadi and a dentistry professor), Forough Mirzaei (a colleague of Shirin Ebadi who holds a Masters in human rights), Maryam Zia (Shirin Ebadi’s friend and President of the Struggle for a World Deserving of Children).

Mothers for Peace members, Zohreh Tonekaboni and Mahin Fahimi, were also arested and sent to prison.

The names of the women listed are not the only ones who have been arrested in the social and political civil society arena.

The women detained in Evin prison and other prisons in the Islamic Republic who continue to resist the physical and psychological pressures inflicted on them include: Azar Mansouri (deputy head of Partcipation Front), Mahsa Hekmat (reporter), Somayeh Rashidi (member of the One Million Signatures Campaign), Mehrnoush Etemadi (member of the Online Campaign), Shabnam Madadzadeh (deputy secretary of the office of Strengthening Unity), and Atefeh Nabavi (member of the women’s and student movement).

Many other women in the civil movement who have been arrested and released on bail are waiting for their court hearing. Among the most recognized names include: Jila Baniyaghoob, Shadi Sadr, Hengameh Shahidi, Jelveh Javaheri, Somayeh Tohidloo, Faribah Pajooh, Mahsa Amrabadi, Farnaz Kamangir, and Zeinab Peyghambarzadeh.

The women who are listed [in this article] are only some of the names of those who were arrested and detained during post-election protests. These women have turned a new page in the civil movement.