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DemocracyAlerts

From time to time, the World Movement for Democracy issues alerts concerning participants and other colleagues who are, or may be, facing personal danger due to their work on behalf of democracy and for whom a vigorous response from around the world may be critical.

To see previous alerts go to www.wmd.org/democracyalerts/democracyAlerts.html.

(April 20, 2007)

Alert: Iranian Women's Rights Activists Sentenced to Prison for Threatening "National Security"

The Women's Learning Partnership for Rights, Development, and Peace (WLP) has issued an alert for Fariba Davoudi Mohajer and Sussan Tahmasebi, two of the eleven women's rights activists summoned by the Revolutionary Court, who were sentenced to prison on April 18 for threatening "national security." The two activists were organizers of the peaceful protest on June 12, 2006 and the "One Million Signatures" campaign demanding an end to discriminatory laws against women. Davoudi Mohajer, who was tried in absentia, because she is currently abroad, was sentenced to one year in prison and three years suspended sentence. Tahmasebi was sentenced to six months in jail and one year suspended sentence. Their lawyers are appealing the sentences.

These prison sentences are the most recent events in an ongoing crackdown against women activists in Iran. On April 2, Mahboubeh Hossein Zadeh and Nahid Keshavarz were arrested while collecting signatures in support of a petition to change discriminatory laws against women. In March, Shadi Sadr and Mahboubeh Abasgholizade were charged with acting against national security and holding an illegal assembly. The charges against the women relate to their role in organizing a peaceful protest on March 4 against the increasing government pressure on civil society activists and, in particular, against the trial of five women activists who organized a demonstration for women's rights on June 12, 2006.

Go to: www.learningpartnership.org/advocacy/alerts/iranwomenarrests0307
Go to: www.wmd.org/democracynews/apr07.html#3