Iranian Activists Decry Violence Against Women
Over 500 Iranian women’s rights activists and supporters released a statement calling on authorities to intervene and put an end to the violence against women, as a response to the sixth reported gang rape in recent months. The statement says, “the gang rapes represent the height of misogyny and irresponsibility [on the part] of the military, security, and judicial authorities in Iran” and urges concern for the safety of women. Several examples of the increase in violence against women in Iran include:
- July 22, six men abducted a woman in a town west of Tehran, Malard and allegedly robbed and gang-raped her.
- In early June, two men with criminal records reportedly raped a mentally disabled woman in Tehran.
- On May 14, 14 men raided a party near Isfahan and raped the women there after locking the men in a room.
After intense criticism of it’s arrests on rights activists, Iran released Pegah Ahangarani, a supporter of Iran’s opposition Green Movement and famous actress, from Tehran’s Evin prison on Wednesday. She was released $84,000 bail.
Alternatively, Iran’s Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi urged the United States to “free innocent Iranian nationals in its custody based on humanitarian principles.” Salehi met with the families of the detained and argued that the Iranian nationals are innocenet and advised Washington to free them as soon as possible. Iran’s delegation to the United Nations reported that the Iranian nationals have been detained based on false allegations, are in critical health conditions and have been denied their basic rights.
