Amnesty International’s submission to the Commission on the Status of
Women regarding concerns about the harassment and imprisonment of
women, including rights defenders and members of minorities, in Iran
MDE 13/054/2012
Introduction
This submission to the Commission on the Status of Women (the Commission) is intended to draw the
Commission’s attention to the continuing pattern of human rights violations experienced by women in
Iran in reprisal for their peaceful human rights or political activities on account of their ethnic origin,
their faith, the peaceful exercise of their rights to freedom of expression and association, or their
relationship to men who have expressed views dissenting from those considered acceptable by the
Iranian authorities..
The submission provides case updates to the situation of five women previously raised by Amnesty
International in its submission to the Commission in 2011— including of a woman who participated in
the 55th session of the Commission – and highlights the cases of five additional women. These cases are
accompanied by an appendix (Appendix 1) listing reports, articles and action materials published by
Amnesty International since last year’s submission, which raise awareness of the plight of women and of
individual women activists and others in Iran. Amnesty International believes that all women featured in
this submission who are imprisoned are prisoners of conscience who should be released immediately and
unconditionally.i
The situation of women’s rights in Iran
As highlighted in Amnesty International’s submission to the Commission on the Status of Women in
2010ii and 2011iii, women in Iran face widespread discrimination under the law. A Family Protection
Bill which would increase discrimination against women remains under discussion in parliament.
Disappointingly, a new Penal Code, approved by parliament but which has not yet been enacted, would
continue to discriminate against women, for example by valuing their testimony at half that of a man’s.
It would also continue to criminalize consensual sexual relations outside marriage even though stoning
has been removed as a specified punishment. Stoning – a penalty which has a discriminatory impact on
womeniv – could still be imposed as Article 167 of Iran’s Constitution requires judges to use their
knowledge of Islamic law to rule on a case in the absence of codified law. In these ways the Penal Code
continues to have a discriminatory impact on women.
This new Penal Code, which had been under discussion by the Iranian Parliament for four years, was
approved by the Council of Guardians, which reviews legislation for compatibility with the Constitution
and Islamic Law, in January 2012. However, the Iranian authorities did not use the review process as
an opportunity to remove all discriminatory laws against women from the Penal Code. Amnesty
International understands that the revised penal code is back with the Council of Guardians for a final
review following editorial changes made by the Parliament. The revised penal code will come into force
once signed by the presidentv following the Council of Guardians’ approval, though it is not known when
this will happen.
Discrimination against women extends beyond just the Penal Code in Iran and includes other facets of
society, including access to higher education and the right of women to choose what they wear in public as they are subject to a state-imposed dress code.vi vii In last year’s submission, Amnesty International
highlighted concerns about plans by the authorities to implement gender segregation in institutions of
higher learning, for which the norm had been to have mixed gender courses. In August 2011, it was
reported that 20 universities would be restricting certain courses to one gender of students onlyviii.
Amnesty International is concerned that gender segregation in universities raises issues about whether
women and men will continue to enjoy equal access to the same quality of higher education. Reports
indicate that at the start of the 2011-2012 school year, some universities in Iran had already begun to
implement gender segregation. At Tehran’s University of Science and Culture (USC), entrances for male
and female students were segregated. Female students at USC were reportedly subject to body searches
prior to being granted physical admittance to the university. The stated purpose of searches was to
inspect female students’ clothing and make-up to verify if they conformed to Islamic dress, though male
students were not subject to similar inspections.ix A number of the female students searched were asked
to provide student ID cards, present birth certificates, or driving licenses. Those who did not have
student IDs were not permitted to attend classes. In early March 2012, more than ten female students
were reported to have been suspended from their classes in the Iran University of Science and
Technology in Tehran for “failing to observe the Islamic dress code”.x
Amnesty International is also concerned that the age at which girls may be married is discriminatory and
very low, and that girls entering marriage at such a young age are not capable of giving meaningful
informed consent. Under the Civil Code, girls may be married at the age of 13; boys at 15. Unmarried
girls and women must have the permission of their father or guardian to marry, and fathers can apply to
the courts for permission for their daughters to marry from the age of nine lunar years. In the Iranian
year 1389 (March 2010-March 2011), 716 girls under the age of ten are reported to have been
married.xi
The Special Rapporteur on violence against women recommended that the Iranian authorities should
“prevent forced and early marriage” and also should “ensure that women have equal rights to enter into
marriage and during the marriage relationship, as well as at its dissolution”.
In addition to discrimination enshrined in law, a catalogue of repressive measures is also used against
women’s right defenders who challenge this situation and campaign for women to be able to enjoy all
their internationally recognized rights. These repressive measures are also used against other women,
particularly those from ethnic or religious minorities, who appear to be targeted either on account of
their ethnic origin or faith, or because they stand up for the rights of their communities to be treated
equally and in line with Iran’s international human rights obligations.
The situation of women’s rights activists, human rights defenders, political activists,
and members of religious minorities in Iran
Since last year’s submission to the Commission, four of the nine women whose cases were highlighted
previously – Alieh Aghdam-Doust, Ronak Safazadeh, Mahboubeh Karami and Ma’soumeh Ka’bi –, have
been released from prison, though most had served at least half of their sentence. A fifth, Maryam
Bahreman, was released on bail, but has a case pending against her. The situation of the remaining four,
as well as that of a further five women highlighted in this document, suggest that the persecution
continues.
1. Zeynab Beyezidi
Women’s rights activist Zeynab Beyezidi, also a member of the Kurdish minority, is continuing to serve
her four and a half year prison sentence in exile in Zanjan prison. Held in detention since 9 July 2008,
she is a member of the Human Rights Organization of Kurdistan (HROK) and the One Million Signatures
Campaign. Four years of her sentence relates to her alleged membership of unauthorized human rights
associations, and on account of her activities in support of women’s rights. The sentence was imposed
in July 2008 and upheld on appeal the following month, after unfair proceedings. A previously
suspended six month sentence for “spreading lies and propaganda against the system” was implemented around March 2009.
The HROK was founded in 2005 by Kurdish journalist Mohammad Sedigh Kabudvand who was himself
arrested on 1 July 2007 and is a prisoner of conscience serving a 10-and-a-half years prison sentence
for “acting against state security by establishing the Human Rights Organization of Kurdistan (HROK)”.
The HROK, believed to have around 200 members, has never been granted official recognition as an
NGO, despite repeated requests.
The One Million Signatures Campaign, also known as the Campaign for Equality, launched in 2006, is a
grassroots initiative composed of a network of people committed to ending discrimination against women
in Iranian law. The Campaign gives basic legal training to volunteers, who travel around the country
promoting the Campaign. They talk with women in their homes, as well as in public places, telling them
about their rights and the need for legal reform. The volunteers are also aiming to collect one million
signatures of Iranian nationals for a petition demanding an end to legal discrimination against women in
Iran. Dozens of the Campaign’s activists have been arrested or harassed for their activities for the
Campaign, some while collecting signatures for the petition.
In July 2010, Zeynab Beyezidi went on hunger strike to protest the inappropriate behaviour of the head
of the Zanjan Central Prison with some of the female prisoners. The hunger stike is reported to have
lasted a few days. Amnesty International has no further information about the behavior of the head of
Zanjan Central Prison towards female prisoners.
2. Behareh Hedayat
Behareh (or Bahareh) Hedayat, aged 31, a member of the Central Committee of the Office for the
Consolidation of Unity (OCU) – a national student body which has been active in calling for political
reform and for opposing human rights violations in recent years – was arrested on 31 December 2009.
She is serving a lengthy prison sentence in Evin prison imposed after convictions of “insulting the
president”, “insulting the Leader” and “gathering and colluding to commit crimes against national
security”. A two-year suspended prison term previously imposed for her participation in the June 2006
demonstration calling for an end to discrimination against women in law was also implemented after this
conviction. She is also the Chair of the Women’s Committee of the OCU and is a member of the One
Million Signature campaign.
On 30 April 2011, Behareh Hedayat was sentenced to an additional six months in prison in connection
with a statement that she jointly wrote (with Majid Tavakkoli and Mehdieh Golrou, also student rights
activists) on the occasion of 16 Azar, the Student Day anniversary (7 December 2010), in which they
praised the efforts of Iranian students abroad, and considered the anniversary a great opportunity to
protect and promote the student movement.
Behareh Hedayat (along with Majid Tavakkoli and Mehdieh Golrou) appeared before Branch 28 of the
Revolutionary Courtxii in February 2011 in the presence of their lawyers, facing charges of “spreading
propaganda against the system” and “acting against national security by conspiring against the system”.
In April 2011, they were acquitted of the second charge, but sentenced to six months in prison on the
second. In early November 2011, Branch 54 of the Tehran Appeals Court upheld the additional six
months sentence against Bahareh Hedayat (along with Majid Tavakkoli and Mehdieh Golrou). This
means that Behareh Hedayat must now serve a total of 10 years in prison.
After four months of denial of family visits or phone calls, Behareh Hedayat was at last permitted a
family meeting in a “cabin” (behind a glass screen) on 5 April 2011. She was transferred into solitary
confinement in Evin Prison on 10 April 2011. On 24 May 2011, Behareh Hedayat was allowed a halfhour
meeting with her relatives in person. This was Behareh Hedayat’s first in-person visit with her
mother and father in 13 months.
Behareh Hedayat was permitted around eight week’s leave from prison in August-September 2011 to receive necessary medical treatment. She returned to prison on 6 September 2011. On 29 July 2012
Behareh Hedayat was granted prison leave for the treatment of kidney stones.
On 4 April 2012, for the occasions of her 31st birthday and four-year wedding anniversary to her
husband, Amin Ahmadian, on 5 April, Bahareh Hedayat wrote an open letter from prison to her husband.
In this letter, Bahareh Hedayat wrote, “Aside from missing everyone (even though it is not possible to
put it aside), you can see your life pass you by in front of your eyes. You have no natural environment to
think and grow. Even if you try to read books and you are able to get your hands on books that are less
censored, you still cannot challenge your thoughts”.xiii
3. Rozita Vaseghi
Rozita Vaseghi, a member of the Baha’i religious community, was arrested on 15 March 2010 at her
home in Mashhad, north-east Iran. She is now known to be serving a five-year prison sentence imposed
for “membership of an illegal organization whose aim is to harm the security of the country” and
“propaganda against the system”. She was also banned from leaving the country for 10 years.
Rozita Vaseghi is held with other Baha’i prisoners in Vakilabad Prison, Mashhad, after spending six
months in solitary confinement. Amnesty International understands that Rozita Vaseghi, along with
other Baha’i prisoners, are not permitted to communicate with any other prisoners during communal
hours.
In October 2010, while still in prison, she was reported to be facing fresh charges of “spreading Baha’i
teachings” and “insulting the Islamic sancitities”. In July 2011 she was tried on the charge of
“spreading Baha’i teachings” and in October 2011 senteced to an additional five years’ imprisonment
on this charge. This means that Rozita Vaseghi must now serve a total of 10 years in prison.
In early 2012, Rozita Vaseghi was reportedly pressured to “confess” and sign “confession” documents.
She refused to do so stating she had not done anything wrong and was told she would remain in prison
“until her hair was the colour of her teeth”. Rozita Vaseghi is said to be in poor health, having lost a lot
of weight and suffering from gum disease. Repeated requests for prison leave have been denied by the
prison authorities.
Since the establishment of the Islamic Republic of Iran in 1979, the Baha’i community has been
systematically harassed and persecuted. There are over 300,000 Baha’is in Iran, but their religion is not
recognized under the Iranian Constitution, which recognizes only Islam, Christianity, Judaism and
Zoroastrianism. Baha’is in Iran are subject to discriminatory laws and regulations which violate their
right to practise their religion freely, as set out in Article 18(1) and Article 27 of the International
Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Iran is a state party. The Iranian authorities also deny
Baha’is equal rights to education, to work and to an adequate standard of living by restricting their
access to employment and benefits such as pensions. They are not permitted to meet, to hold religious
ceremonies or to practise their religion communally. Hundreds of Baha’is, both men and women, have
been arrested in recent years.
4. Nasrin Sotoudeh
Human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh, a mother of two young children, was arrested on 4 September
2010 and is now serving a six-year prison sentence in Evin Prison, reduced from 11 years on appeal.
Sentenced on 9 January 2011, she was also banned from practising law and leaving the country for 20
years. On appeal in September 2011 before Branch 54 of the Appeals Court, these bans were reduced
to 10 years, respectively.
Nasrin Sotudeh was initially sentenced by Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court to 10 years in prison on
the charge of “acting against national security, including membership of the Centre for Human Rights
Defenders (CHRD)” and to one year for “propaganda against the system.” CHRD is a human rights organization co-founded by Nobel Peace Laureate Shirin Ebadi and others, which was forcibly closed by
the authorities in 2008. Nasrin Sotoudeh has denied that she has ever been a member of the CHRD.
These charges stem solely from her work as a human rights lawyer. Before her arrest, Nasrin Sotoudeh
had been warned to stop representing Shirin Ebadi or face reprisals.
Amnesty International consdiders Nasrin Sotoudeh to be a prisoner of conscience, held solely on account
of her peaceful human rights activities, including her work as a defence lawyer.
Since her arrest, Nasrin Sotoudeh has been held in Evin Prison, including for a lengthy period spent in
solitary confinement. Her health was weakened by three hunger strikes in protest at her arrest and at the
conditions of her detention. Her hunger strikes included three days in which she drank no water (a “dry”
hunger strike).Initially allowed very infrequent contact with her family and lawyer, she is now permitted
visitors behind a glass screen (a “cabin”).
Nasrin Sotoudeh’s own lawyer, Nasim Ghanavi, has faced pressure from the authorities, including threats
of arrest, apparently on account of her representation of Nasrin Soutoudeh. Since Nasrin Sotoudeh’s
prison sentence was issued, both Nasim Ghanavi and Reza Khandan, Nasrin Sotoudeh’s husband, have
been summoned to Branch One of the Revolutionary Court for interrogation. In July 2011, her husband
reported that their children had been blocked from an in-person visitation with their mother and again in
February 2012, apparently because prison guards considered Mehraveh Khandan’s school uniform did
not fully comply with the state-imposed dress code. Mehraveh Khandan is Nasrin Sotoudeh and Reza
Khandan’s daughter who was12 years old at the time of this submission.
In July 2012, the Iranian authorities imposed a foreign travel ban on Reza Khandan and on Mehraveh
Khandan. Reza Khandan has stated that he believes the Judiciary may be pursuing criminal action
against himself and his daughter. Amnesty International is concerned that the Iranian authorities are
harrassing the family of Nasrin Sotoudeh in order to stop them from campaigning on her behalf.
Prior to her arrest, Nasrin Sotoudeh’s assets
were frozen and she was summoned to the tax
office. Afterwards, she said she had seen that 30
other lawyers had cases of tax irregularities being
prepared against them, in what would appear to
be a concerted effort by the authorities to
prevent these lawyers from continuing their work.
Amnesty International believes that Nasrin
Sotoudeh’s arrest is part of a concerted effort by
the Iranian authorities who have implemented a
series of measures intended to prevent Iranians –
particularly those critical of the authorities –
from being able to access appropriate,
competent legal representation, a basic right and
important fair trial guarantee.
In concert with this, the authorities have for
years been attempting to limit the independence of the Iranian Bar Association by barring candidates
from standing for election to senior positions on discriminatory grounds, including their imputed political
opinions and their peaceful human rights activities. For example, in 2008, female lawyer Fatemeh
Gheyrat was one of several lawyers – all members of the CHRD – who were disqualified from standing for
the Central Board of the Bar Association because of their activities as human rights defenders.
In June 2009, less than a week after the disputed presidential election, new by-laws to the 1955 law
establishing the independence of the Iranian Bar Association were adopted which would give the
Judiciary the power to approve membership of the Bar and lawyers’ licensing applications, thereby
undermining the independence of the Bar. Following opposition by the Bar and individual lawyers, in July 2009, it was reported that implementation of the by-laws had been suspended for six months. They
are believed to remain suspended, but could be implemented at any time.
5. Maryam Bahreman
Women’s rights activist Maryam Bahreman, who spoke about “Information and Communications
Technologies in Iran from a gender perspective” at the 55th session of the UN Commission on the Status
of Women, was arrested on 11 May 2011 by security officials, believed to be from the Ministry of
Intelligence. Security officials searched Maryam Bahreman’s home for three hours and then took her
away along with some of her personal possessions. The officials who arrested her had an arrest warrant
issued by the Revolutionary Court in Shiraz, which apparently accused her of “acting against state
security”.
Maryam Bahreman was held in solitary confinement until 5 July 2011 in Detention Centre No. 100 in
Shiraz, which is controlled by the Ministry of Intelligence. According to reports, the focus of her
interrogations was her participation in the 55th session of the Commission. Her family was able to visit
her there several times. Late at night on 5 July she was transferred to a women’s section in a Shiraz
prison.
On 4 and 5 July 2011 Maryam Bahreman was questioned by officials in the Prosecutor’s Office in the
presence of her lawyers. Her interrogation concerned an alleged “offence” of “acting against state
security”, as well as new “offences” including “propaganda against the system”, “dissemination of false
information”, “participating in protests” and “insulting the Supreme Leader”. Shortly before her arrest,
she had written a letter addressed to opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi, and his wife, political
activist Zahra Rahnevard, on her blog which condemned their continuing house arrest.
Maryam Bahreman was released on bail in September 2011 after 126 days in detention and now faces
five charges, including “propaganda against the system through relationships abroad” which Amnesty
International fears appears to be linked to her participation in the 55th session of the Commission;
“insulting the Supreme Leader”, “insulting the Revolutionary Guard and Basij”, and “insulting the holy
value of the country and Islam” – all three charges are believed to stem from writings on her weblog; and
“causing unease in the public mind” for signing public statements advocating women’s rights in Iran.
Maryam Bahreman is a member of the One Million Signatures Campaign, in the city of Shiraz, and was
also General Secretary of Pars Women’s Organization (Sazman-e Zanan Pars), which was closed in 2007.
6. Narges Mohammadi
Human rights defender Narges Mohammadi is serving a six year prison sentence in Zanjan Prison, northeast
Iran. She is the Executive Chairperson of the CHRD,,which was forcibly closed by the Iranian
authorities in December 2008. Narges Mohammadi was originally sentenced by Tehran’s Revolutionary
Court to 11 years’ imprisonment in September 2011. Her sentence consisted of two five-year prison
terms on separate counts of “gathering and colluding to commit crimes against national security” and a
further year in prison for “spreading propaganda against the system”. She appealed this ruling and on 4
March 2012 her lawyer was informed that a 15 January 2012 ruling of Branch 54 of the Appeal Court
had reduced her sentence to six years. Her lawyer, Mohammad Sharif, had successfully argued that two
separate “gathering and colluding” charges would be unfair and she was acquitted of one count,
reducing her sentence to six years.
Narges Mohammadi has been banned from travelling abroad since 2009, when the Iranian authorities
confiscated her passport.
Narges Mohammadi had been free pending her appeal, but on 22 April 2012, two individuals, a man
and a woman, possibly from the Ministry of Intelligence, went to Narges Mohammadi’s mother’s home in
Zanjan, north-east Iran, where Narges Mohammadi was staying and told her to come with them. The man
and woman ignored repeated requests to show identification. They threatened to go into the home, and Narges Mohammadi did what they asked, to avoid frightening her five-year-old twins. Two days later, on
24 April, Narges Mohammadi was able to call her children and speak briefly with her mother-in-law. She
said that after one day in the Women’s Ward of Evin Prison, she had been transferred to the prison’s
Section 209, which is believed to be under the control of the Ministry of Intelligence. Until Narges
Mohammadi was permitted to phone her children, her whereabouts were unknown to her family despite
their repeated attempts to find out where she was taken.
On 16 May 2012, Narges Mohammadi was transferred from Tehran’s Evin Prison to Zanjan Prison. In
an open letter addressed to the Tehran Prosecutor dated 24 June 2012, Narges Mohammadi said that
“on May 16 at 6 am agents woke me up, blindfolded and handcuffed me, and placed me in a car. I was
unaware of what was going on during the long distance travel”.xiv
Narges Mohammadi, who suffered from poor health during previous detentions, was transferred to a
hospital outside of the prison on 9 July 2012 and was described as being in “serious condition” upon
being admitted. She was transferred back to Zanjan Prison on 22 July 2012. Amnesty International
understands that during the time she was hospitalized, Narges Mohammadi was not permitted outside
contact, including with her young children and family, who were prevented from visiting her in hospital,
though Narges Mohammadi had previously been permitted weekly visitation while held in Zanjan Prison.
Upon her return to Zanjan Prison, Narges Mohammadi was able to place a phone call to her children.
7. Fereshteh Shirazi
Fereshteh Shirazi, a women’s rights activist and a member of the One Million Signatures Campaign, and
a mother of two, was arrested on 4 September 2011 after being summoned to the office of the Ministry
of Intelligence in Amol, northern Iran. In October 2011, she was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment
for “causing unease in the public mind by spreading lies” and “insulting the authorities” on her weblog,
and a further year for “spreading propaganda against the system”. She was also banned from leaving
the country for seven years. The sentence was upheld on appeal by the Mazandaran Appeal Court in
January 2012. She is reportedly held in poor prison conditions in Amol Prison.
In February 2012, Fereshteh Shirazi was granted a five-day prison leave to obtain medical care for her
back and neck outside of the prison.
Prior to this current detention, Fereshteh Shirazi was summoned to the office of the Ministry of
Intelligence in Amol and interrogated about the One Million Signatures Campaign, her friends in Amol,
as well as her writings in connection with the campaign on her personal weblog. Between August and
September 2009, Fereshteh Shirazi was summoned on several occasions to the office of the Ministry of
Intelligence in Amol and interrogated about her women’s rights activities and writings. On 12 and 13
August 2009 her house and workplace were searched by five security officials and her computer,
notebooks and telephone book were confiscated. She was asked to sign a paper summoning her to the
Ministry of Intelligence office the next day. When she refused to do so, she was shown the contents of
the paper which contained an official stamp and listed accusations of “acting against state security”,
“publishing lies” and “causing unease in the public mind” by communicating with foreign websites and
media.
Amnesty International considers her a prisoner of conscience, held solely for the peaceful exercise of her
right to freedom of expression
8. Nazanin Khosravani
Journalist Nazanin Khosravani was summoned to Tehran’s Evin Prison in March 2012 to begin serving a
six-year prison sentence on charges of “spreading propaganda against the system” and “assembly and
collusion against national security” in connection to work as a journalist.
Nazanin Khosravani was arrested in her father’s home on 3 November 2010 and initially held in solitary confinement in Evin Prison. During her arrest, her laptop was confiscated by the authorities and two
days later, on 5 November 2010, the authorities returned to search her home. At that time her family
had no information about her whereabouts and authorities refused to provide them with information on
where she was being held as the search of the home took place. Nazanin Khosravani was later
transferred to Section 209 of the prison, believed to be under the control of the Ministry of Intelligence,
where she was held until her release following bail payment of 6 billion rials (about US$490,000) on 15
March 2011. Her six-year sentence was handed down following a trial that took place in Branch 26 of
the Revolutionary Court of Tehran on 8 February 2011.
Prior to her arrest in November 2010, Nazanin Khosravani had worked at the political desks of reformist
newspapers, including Norooz, Kargozaran and Sarmayeh. After she was arrested, her mother, Aazam
Afsharian, was publicly criticized by the Tehran Prosecutor for granting interviews with foreign media
about her daughter’s arrest.
On 2 July 2012 Nazanin Khosravani was granted prison leave for an unspecified length of time.
9. Zahra Rahnavard
Political activist, academic and artist Zahra Rahnavard, a former Chancellor of Al-Zahra University in
Tehran, has been under house arrest without an arrest warrant, charge or trial since 10 February 2011
when her husband Mir Hossein Mousavi, along with Mehdi Karroubi, called for demonstrations in support
of the people of Tunisia and Egypt to be held on 14 February 2011. Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi
Karroubi are opposition leaders in Iran who both ran for the presidency during the contested 2009
elections.
Zahra Rahnavard and Mir Hossein Mousavi have not been seen in public since early February 2011. All
three continue to have limited access to family members and no legal representation. In March 2012,
Zahra Rahnavard, along with her husband, was permitted to visit with their daughters on the occasion of
Nowrouz, the Iranian New Year, for approximately four hours; the authorities reportedly required a
meeting place outside of Tehran for the visit. In May 2012, Zahra Rahnavard and her husband were
taken to the home of Zahra Rahnavard’s mother, Navab Safavi, for a short visit.
10. Nooshin Khadem
Nooshin Khadem, aged 48 and a member of the Baha’i religious minority, is serving a four-year prison
sentence in Tehran’s Evin Prison on the charge of “membership of an illegal group with intent to commit
crimes against national security”. Nooshin Khadem worked as an administrator with the Baha’i Institute
of Higher Education (BIHE) at the time of her arrest in May 2011. BIHE is an online correspondence
university created in 1987 for members of the Baha’i community who have been denied access to higher
education in Iran.
Nooshin Khadem was arrested following raids on the homes of 38 other individuals affiliated with the
BIHE, including professors and students. In addition to Nooshin Khadem, the authorities also arrested
and tried six men affiliated with the BIHE: Mahmoud Badavam, Vahid Mahmoudi, Kamran Mortezaie,
Farhad Sedghi, Ramin Zibaie, and Riaz Sobhani – all sentenced to prison terms between four and five
years in October 2011.
Imprisoned since her arrest, Nooshin Khadem was sentenced to four years imprisonment in October
2011 by Branch 28 of the Revolutionary Court. Her sentence was confirmed on appeal on 19 January
2012.
Amnesty International’s recommendations
Amnesty International supports the courageous efforts of women in Iran who are standing up for their
human rights in a wide variety of fields. As such, Amnesty International wishes to bring to the attention
of the Commission on the Status of Women a number of recommendations it has made to the Iranian
authorities in recent years. In these recommendations, Amnesty International calls on the Iranian
authorities to:
· release immediately and unconditionally any woman who has not used or advocated violence or
hatred who is detained, imprisoned or placed under other physical restriction (for example,
house arrest) solely because of her political, religious or other conscientiously held beliefs,
ethnic origin, sex, colour, language, national or social origin, economic status, birth, sexual
orientation or other status;
· investigate promptly and impartially all reports of torture and other ill-treatment of women and
bring to justice anyone found responsible for such abuses;
· ensure that detainees and prisoners are granted access to relatives, lawyers of their own
choosing and adequate medical care
· ratify promptly and without reservation the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
Discrimination against Women and its Optional Protocol;
· review as a matter of urgency all legislation in Iran in order to identify and remedy all laws that
discriminate directly against women or have a discriminatory impact on women, including the
new Penal Code;
· review all legislation with a view to removing all provisions that discriminate against or have a
discriminatory impact on ethnic, religious and other minority communities;
· issue directives and take effective measures to counter the discriminatory application of laws in
order to ensure that all Iran’s minority communities enjoy their full range of civil,
political,economic, social and cultural rights, including the rights of minority women;
· end all forms of intimidation and harassment of women’s rights defenders such as dismissal
from employment, threatening phone calls and raids on peaceful meetings in private houses;
· permit the holding of peaceful demonstrations calling for legislative change, as provided for
under the Constitution of Iran;
· uphold the rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly and lift all
obstacles to the registration of independent human rights organizations;
· ensure that everyone in Iran has the right to freely practise their religion in full conformity with
Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Iran is a state
party.
Amnesty International urges the Commission on the Status of Women’s Working Group on
Communications to consider the information contained in the present submission with a view to its
inclusion in the Commission’s report to the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC),
along with recommendations to the Iranian authorities and the international community that reflect the
recommendations listed above.
As a global policy-making body dedicated to gender equality and advancement of women’s rights, the
Commission on the Status of Women should:
· make recommendations to the ECOSOC to take steps to address the persistent multi-layered
human rights violations against women human rights defenders worldwide;
· make recommendations to the ECOSOC to consider all possible ways to protect the rights of
women human rights defenders in Iran, including towards ensuring the safety of those who wish
to participate in forthcoming sessions of the Commission.
Appendix 1
Iran must end harassment of imprisoned lawyer’s family, 13 July 2012,
http://www.amnesty.org/en/news/iran-must-end-odious-harassment-prisoner-s-family-2012-07-
12
Iran: Joint statement on the right to education and academic freedom in Iran (Index: MDE
13/033/2012), 31 May 2012, http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/MDE13/033/2012/en
Iran: Further information: Human rights defender imprisoned: Narges Mohammadi (Index: MDE
13/026/2012), 30 April 2012, http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/MDE13/026/2012/en
Iran: Submission to the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (Index: MDE
13/019/2012), 30 March 2012, http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/MDE13/019/2012/en
Iran must overturn conviction of prominent woman human rights defender (Index: MDE
13/014/2012), 20 March 2012, http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/MDE13/014/2012/en
Women’s Day: Taking a stand with women in the Middle East, 6 March 2012,
http://www.amnesty.org/en/news/women-s-day-taking-stand-women-middle-east-2012-03-02
Iran: Release Nasrin Sotoudeh now (Postcard), (Index: MDE 13/006/2012), 1 March 2012,
http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/MDE13/006/2012/en
Iran: “We are ordered to crush you”: Expanding repression of dissent in Iran (Index: MDE
13/002/2012), 28 February 2012, http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/MDE13/002/2012/en
Iran: New report finds surge in repression of dissent, 28 February 2012,
http://www.amnesty.org/en/news/iran-new-report-finds-surge-repression-dissent-2012-02-28
Iranian women fight controversial ‘polygamy’ bill, 30 November 2012,
http://www.amnesty.org/en/news/iranian-women-fight-controversial-polygamy-bill-2011-11-30
END NOTES
i Amnesty International defines a prisoner of conscience as someone who has been jailed because of his or her political, religious
or other conscientiously-held beliefs, ethnic origin, sex, color, language, national or social origin, economic status, birth, sexual
orientation or other status and who has not used or advocated violence
ii Iran: Amnesty International’s Submission to the Commission on the Status Of Women Regarding Concerns About the Harassment
and Imprisonment Of Women, Including Rights Defenders And Members Of Minorities, in Iran (Index: MDE 13/027/2011),
http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/MDE13/027/2011/en
iii Iran: Amnesty International’s submission to the Commission on the Status of Women regarding concerns about the harassment
and imprisonment of women, including rights defenders and members of minorities, in Iran (Index: MDE 13/071/2011),
http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/MDE13/071/2011/en
iv Iran: Executions by stoning (Index: MDE 13/095/2010), http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/MDE13/095/2010/en
v
Legislation can also be enacted by the Speaker of Parliament if the President fails to sign approved legislation in to law within a
specified time frame.
vi Women’s right to choose their dress, free of coercion: Statement submitted by Amnesty International to the 55th session of the
United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (New York, 22 February – 4 March 2011) (Index: IOR 40/022/2010),
http://www-secure.amnesty.org/en/library/info/IOR40/022/2010/en
vii Iran: Submission to the Human Rights Committee for the 103rd session of the Human Rights Committee, 17 October – 4
November 2011 (Index: MDE 13/081/2011), http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/MDE13/081/2011/en
viii See “Gender segregation underway in 20 Iranian universities”, Radio Zamaneh, 8 July 2011,
http://radiozamaneh.com/english/content/gender-segregation-underway-20-iranian-universities.
ix See “Bodily Search of Female Students at University of Science & Culture”, Human Rights Activists
News Agency, 27 Sept 2011, http://www.enhrana.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=528:bodily-search-offemale-
students-atuniversity-of-science-a-culture&catid=11:students&Itemid=14
x See “Female students suspended over hijab violations,” Radio Zamaneh, 5 March 2012,
http://www.radiozamaneh.com/english/content/female-students-suspended-over-hijab-violations
xi See, “At least 716 girls under the age of ten married off in Iran since 2009”, Persian2English, 14
March 2012, http://persian2english.com/?p=23753
xii Trials held in Revolutionary Courts fail to adhere to international standards for fair trials. See pg. 42 Iran: Submission to the
Human Rights Committee for the 103rd session of the Human Rights Committee, 17 October – 4 November 2011 (AI Index MDE
13/081/2011), 21 September 2011, http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/MDE13/081/2011/en
xiii http://persian2english.com/?p=23773
xiv http://melimazhabi.com/?p=13833 (in Persian) and http://persian2english.com/?p=23958 (in English)