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Iran: Women’s Rights Campaigner Negin Released on Bail
Written by DI Monitoring & Investigation Committee
Wednesday, 08 October 2008
Ms. Negin Shaykh Al-Aslami
On November 23, 2008, human rights
activist Ms. Negin Shaykh Al-Aslamiwas released on bail after being arrested
for unknown reasons in Tehran.
DI extends its sincere thanks and appreciation to DI member
organisations, DI Defenders, subscribers, supporters and friends for their
assistance, sending letters or otherwise supported the campaign.
Result of DI
campaign / latest news:
On November 23, 2008, Ms. Negin Shaykh Al-Aslami was released from Section 209 of Evin Prison in Tehran, on a bail of over 35,000 euros.
No date for her trial was given following her release.
There is no further information on the charges she is facing.
Information about DI campaign:
Name:Negin Shaykh Al-Aslami
Sex:Female
Age:33
Authorities:Iranian
Category:Prisoners
of conscience / Arbitrary detentions / Fear of torture or ill-treatments /
Harassment / Human rights defenders
The case:
Ms. Negin
Shaykh Al-Aslami (hereafter Negin), 33 years, a women's
rights defender, was reportedly arbitrarily detained by the Iranian
intelligence services, the Ettelaat, on October 5, 2008 in Tehran. She is
thought to have been taken to Section 209 of Evin Prison in the capital Tehran,
which is run by the Ministry of Intelligence and outside the control of Iran's
Prison Authority.
Negin is member of
the One Million Signatures Campaign against discriminatory laws and has also
served as President of the Azarmehr Cultural Association of Women. She is
actively engaged with the principles of gender equality, especially promotingthe empowerment of women, in
particular with regard to greater involvement of marginalized women and
elimination of gender gaps in health and job opportunities. She is an academic and journalist whose only goal has been to publish articles on women's rights and to promote understanding.
According to human
rights defenders in Iran, Negin will be kept in detention until after 25
November, the United Nations International Day
for Elimination of Violence Against Women. This may be an attempt to prevent planned events, such as days of
activism against gender-basedviolence, from taking place.
DI Views:
DI has
been informed by DI Defenders in Iran that Negin has recently had a complicated surgery in her chest
and DI is deeply concerned about the health and well-being of Negin.
The journalist
Negin was aware of the difficult circumstances under which women's rights
activists continued their work, however she joined the struggle for equality
and was demanding that laws which discriminate against women be revised. She
pledged to keep up her activities until those demands were met by authorities.
Iranian authorities are required to create an
environment conductive to human rights defenders, to take effective measures to
protect, promote, and respect them, and to take action to prevent attacks and
harassment against them.
International Law
UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders
states:
Article
1: Everyone has the right, individually and
in association with others, to promote and to strive for the protection and
realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national and
international levels.
Article
5: For the purpose of promoting and protecting
human rights and fundamental freedoms, everyone has the right, individually and
in association with others, at the national and international levels:
(a)
To meet or assemble peacefully;
(b)
To form, join and participate in non-governmental organizations, associations
or groups;
(c)
To communicate with non-governmental or intergovernmental organizations.
Article
12:
1. Everyone has the right, individually and in
association with others, to participate in peaceful activities against
violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms.
2. The State shall take all necessary measures to ensure
the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually and in
association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto
or de jure adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary
action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights
referred to in the present Declaration.
3. In this connection, everyone is entitled, individually
and in association with others, to be protected effectively under national law
in reacting against or opposing, through peaceful means, activities and acts,
including those by omission, attributable to States that result in violations
of human rights and fundamental freedoms, as well as acts of violence
perpetrated by groups or individuals that affect the enjoyment of human rights
and fundamental freedoms
DI Demands:
Defend
International strongly condemns the detention of women rights campaigner Ms. Negin
Shaykh Al-Aslami and demands her immediate release. Moreover DI urges the
Iranian authorities to stop detaining, harassing and prosecuting human rights
defenders who are simply exercising rights protected by international
conventions ratified by Iran.
Iranian
government must drop all charges against activists who have peacefully
advocated for human rights. Iran must encourage civil society to promote and
facilitate the enjoyment of the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of
association, to allow women's rights defenders to use civil means to address
their concerns, and to raise public awareness of the equal rights and
responsibilities of male and female through campaigns, training, distribution
of manuals and brochures etc.
Defend
International:
Announces its full support and solidarity with women's right defender Negin, and calls upon all its members to
express their solidarity by writing to the Iranian embassies in their
countries;
Calls upon the Iranian authorities
to guarantee the security and physical
and psychological integrity of women's right defender Negin;
Believes that the right and freedom
of association and of public assembly are fundamentally integral
dimensions of the freedom of expression;
Calls upon the Iranian government to respect
human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with international
human rights conventions and instruments ratified by Iran;
Calls upon the Iranian authorities to put an end to all kinds of
harassment against women's right defender Negin, as well as against all
human rights defenders in Iran;
Calls upon the Iranian authorities to comply with the provisions of the UN
Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, adopted by the General Assembly of
the United Nations on December 9, 1998, in particular with its Article 1,
5 and 12;
DI campaign:
Please
copy the following appeals, add your signature and address and send them to
arrive as soon as possible.
I am deeply concerned
at the news that Ms. Negin Shaykh Al-Aslami was detained on October
6, 2008 in the capital Tehran and maybe has been taken to
Section 209 of Evin Prison.
I call
for the immediate and unconditional release of Ms. Negin
Shaykh Al-Aslami as she
appears to be held solely for the peaceful exercise of her right to freedom of
expression and association. In addition she should be granted immediate and
regular access to her family, lawyer and to any necessary medical treatment as
she recently had a very complicated surgery.
I urge
you to guarantee in all circumstances the physical and psychological integrity
of Ms. Negin Shaykh Al-Aslami. I also urge you to put an end to legal
discrimination against all women in Iran and to allow women's rights
campaigners to continue their peaceful activities without any obstacles.
Finally
I would like to express my hope that she will be released very soon.
Thank
you for your urgent attention to this matter.
I am deeply concerned
at the news that Ms. Negin Shaykh Al-Aslami was detained on October
6, 2008 in the capital Tehran and maybe has been taken to
Section 209 of Evin Prison.
I call
for the immediate and unconditional release of Ms. Negin
Shaykh Al-Aslami as she
appears to be held solely for the peaceful exercise of her right to freedom of
expression and association. In addition she should be granted immediate and
regular access to her family, lawyer and to any necessary medical treatment as
she recently had a very complicated surgery.
I urge
you to guarantee in all circumstances the physical and psychological integrity
of Ms. Negin Shaykh Al-Aslami. I also urge you to put an end to legal
discrimination against all women in Iran and to allow women's rights
campaigners to continue their peaceful activities without any obstacles.
Finally
I would like to express my hope that she will be released very soon.
Thank
you for your urgent attention to this matter.
I am deeply concerned
at the news that Ms. Negin Shaykh Al-Aslami was detained on October
6, 2008 in the capital Tehran and maybe has been taken to
Section 209 of Evin Prison.
I call
for the immediate and unconditional release of Ms. Negin
Shaykh Al-Aslami as she
appears to be held solely for the peaceful exercise of her right to freedom of
expression and association. In addition she should be granted immediate and
regular access to her family, lawyer and to any necessary medical treatment as
she recently had a very complicated surgery.
I urge
you to guarantee in all circumstances the physical and psychological integrity
of Ms. Negin Shaykh Al-Aslami. I also urge you to put an end to legal
discrimination against all women in Iran and to allow women's rights
campaigners to continue their peaceful activities without any obstacles.
Finally
I would like to express my hope that she will be released very soon.
Thank
you for your urgent attention to this matter.
I am deeply concerned
at the news that Ms. Negin Shaykh Al-Aslami was detained on October
6, 2008 in the capital Tehran and maybe has been taken to
Section 209 of Evin Prison.
I call
for the immediate and unconditional release of Ms. Negin
Shaykh Al-Aslami as she
appears to be held solely for the peaceful exercise of her right to freedom of
expression and association. In addition she should be granted immediate and
regular access to her family, lawyer and to any necessary medical treatment as
she recently had a very complicated surgery.
I urge
you to guarantee in all circumstances the physical and psychological integrity
of Ms. Negin Shaykh Al-Aslami. I also urge you to put an end to legal
discrimination against all women in Iran and to allow women's rights
campaigners to continue their peaceful activities without any obstacles.
Finally
I would like to express my hope that she will be released very soon.
Thank
you for your urgent attention to this matter.
I am deeply concerned
at the news that Ms. Negin Shaykh Al-Aslami was detained on October
6, 2008 in the capital Tehran and maybe has been taken to
Section 209 of Evin Prison.
I call
for the immediate and unconditional release of Ms. Negin
Shaykh Al-Aslami as she
appears to be held solely for the peaceful exercise of her right to freedom of
expression and association. In addition she should be granted immediate and
regular access to her family, lawyer and to any necessary medical treatment as
she recently had a very complicated surgery.
I urge
you to guarantee in all circumstances the physical and psychological integrity
of Ms. Negin Shaykh Al-Aslami. I also urge you to put an end to legal
discrimination against all women in Iran and to allow women's rights
campaigners to continue their peaceful activities without any obstacles.
Finally
I would like to express my hope that she will be released very soon.
Thank
you for your urgent attention to this matter.
I am deeply concerned
at the news that Ms. Negin Shaykh Al-Aslami was detained on October
6, 2008 in the capital Tehran and maybe has been taken to
Section 209 of Evin Prison.
I call
for the immediate and unconditional release of Ms. Negin
Shaykh Al-Aslami as she
appears to be held solely for the peaceful exercise of her right to freedom of
expression and association. In addition she should be granted immediate and
regular access to her family, lawyer and to any necessary medical treatment as
she recently had a very complicated surgery.
I urge
you to guarantee in all circumstances the physical and psychological integrity
of Ms. Negin Shaykh Al-Aslami. I also urge you to put an end to legal
discrimination against all women in Iran and to allow women's rights
campaigners to continue their peaceful activities without any obstacles.
Finally
I would like to express my hope that she will be released very soon.
Thank
you for your urgent attention to this matter.
