International Campaign for Human Rights in
Iran reports that 15 members of Grieving Mothers have been arrested in Tehran.
Grieving Mothers is a group formed by the mothers of post-elections protesters
who were killed in the events following Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's allegedly
fraudulent re-election.
Gathering of grieving mothers in Laleh Park in Tehran (file photo)
Reformist media report that the mothers were
arrested yesterday during a gathering in Tehran's Laleh Park.
Grieving Mothers gather every Saturday in Laleh Park to demand the prosecution
of the perpetrators of their children's death. Mother of Neda Agha-Soltan as
well as mother of Sohrab Aarabi belong to the group.
Neda Agha-Soltan's mother
Hadi Ghaemi, spokesman for the International
Campaign for Human Rights in Iran condemned the arrest of the grieving mothers a
"shameful" act whilst the "murderers of their children enjoy unlimited
immunity."
Accounts from Tehran indicate that families of the detained mothers have
gathered in front of Vozara Detention Centre calling for the release of their
kin. Some of the grieving mothers suffer from health complications.
Parvin Fahimi with son Sohrab Arabi
The Campaign also reports that arrest of Hayedeh
Tabesh, member of the One Million Signatures Campaign. Ms. Tabesh was arrested
yesterday in Esfahan and according to her lawyer, her whereabouts are unknown.
Hayedeh
Tabesh
Mehrnoush Etemadi, another women's rights activist and member of the One Million
Signatures Campaign, was also arrested two weeks ago. She has been visited once
during this time by her family and indicated that she is "under pressure."
Mehrnoush Etemadi
The One Million Signatures Campaign is an organization of women with the
objective of collecting one million signatures to change discriminatory laws
against women. The group is active all across Iran where members directly
contact people and speak to them one on one inviting them to add their signature
to their document.
The International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran urges the judiciary to cease
these "illegal arrests and the assault on women's rights activists and the
grieving mothers."
