Nobel Women's Initiative

UPDATE: Narges Mohammadi was released from Evin prison on July 1 after three weeks in detention. She fell ill while in prison and was hospitalized on July 3. Read more.

Iranian authorities arrested human rights defender Narges Mohammadi in her home on June 10 in an attempt to stop the work of the Defenders of Human Rights Centre. Mohammadi is the Vice President of the independent organization founded by Nobel laureate Shirin Ebadi.

The arrest came on the eve of the one-year anniversary of the disputed June 12 election. Since returning to power, Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has continued to suppress political opposition with extreme violence and repression.

Meet Jila Baniyaghoub. She is a veteran journalist, editor-in-chief of the website Women in Iran and a member of the One Million Signatures Campaign.

Iranian authorities have imprisoned Baniyaghoub numerous times for her reporting on peaceful demonstrations and human rights. This week, the Iranian government sentenced her to a one-year prison term and a thirty-year ban from journalistic activities.

She is not alone. Since last year's elections, Iran has arrested at least 170 journalists and bloggers--including 32 women. On the anniversary of last years election this Saturday, June 12, join the voices in Iran and around the world calling for the release of Jila Baniyaghoub. She--and the 2,500 political prisoners in Iran--should be free.

Meet Bahareh Hedayat. She is one of the over 2,500 prisoners of conscience currently being detained by the Iranian government.

This Saturday, June 12 marks the one-year anniversary of the fraudulent elections in Iran that returned President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to power. Since that day, the Iranian regime has taken drastic measures to silence every act of political opposition with violent crackdowns and gross human rights violations.

Iran has dropped its bid for a seat on the UN Human Rights Council amidst strong global criticism. This opposition has been driven by Iranian and global human rights activists, including Nobel Peace Laureate Shirin Ebadi. In an open letter to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon and Members of the UN General Assembly, Ebadi outlined the Islamic Republic of Iran's egregious and constant breaches of international law and international covenants that it has signed onto.

The Change for Equality website has been awarded Reporters Without  Borders first-ever "Netizen Prize". Change for Equality is run by Iranian women's rights activists and promotes the One Million Signatures Campaign. The award was presented to one of the founders of the website, Parvin Ardalan, on March 11 by Reporters Without Borders and Google in Paris.

Iranian authorities blocked the website the next day, March 12, which happens to be World Day Against Cyber-Censorship. This is the 23rd time that Change for Equality has been shut down since it was launched in 2006.

The Iranian Government is continuing its campaign of intimidating activists, arresting thousands. Many of the detainees are women, who seemingly vanish into Iranian prisons without a trace. The security and intelligence forces justify their actions using a blanket detention order, which gives agents the license to arrest anyone at will.

Please call for the immediate release of Mansoureh Shojaee, one of the founders of the One Million Signatures campaign for women's equality in Iran, Morteza Kemian, a journalist, and others arbitrarily detained.

TAKE ACTION

with Feminist Majority Foundation here.

Following the renewed demonstrations, detentions and abuse of human rights in Iran, United for Iran is calling on the international community to engage in a global day of action for democracy, freedom, and human rights in Iran, on Saturday, July 25th.  Cities around the world will host rallies in support of the Iranian people and in condemnation of human rights abuses by Iranian authorities.

Nobel Peace Laureate, Shirin Ebadi one of the sponsors of the event and is also calling upon the international community for support.  The initiative is also supported by Physicians for Human Rights and PeaceJam.

"If one country sincerely wants to support democracy in another country that is under dictatorial rule, the only thing to do is to support the freedom fighters who stand for the democratic institutions of that country. Done this way, the sapling of democracy will bear the flower of freedom.” – Shirin Ebadi, Iranian human rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner.

Over the last two weeks, the Iranian authorities have been criminalizing peaceful protest and taking violent actions against its citizens.   Gross human rights violations, arbitrary arrests, and extreme violence have been occuring daily.

Read more about recent events in our Middle East News section.

Take action now to call on the government of Iran to protect the human rights of women, journalists, students, peaceful protesters and activists.

Send an email to the Ayatollah Sayed Ali Khamenei and the Islamic Republic of Iran through Amnesty International.

Sign a petition to  the Organization of Islamic Conference, the Non-Aligned Movement, and all UN member states through Avaaz.

Donate $15 to help fund enough bandwidth for Iranians to send secure e-mails and share their information without fear of being persectued through Avaaz.

In the face of increasing threats and intimidation, Shirin Ebadi remains courageously determined to stay in Iran to defend fellow human rights advocates. She needs your support.

TAKE ACTION:

Join the international community in demanding the Iranian government put an end to the intimidation against Shirin Ebadi and other human rights defenders.

Click here to find the Iranian representative/embassy in your country. Write and urge them to secure the safety and protection of Ebadi and other human rights activists, so they may continue their critical work in Iran free from fear.