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Iran: More women's rights defenders sentenced

Four women's rights activists, Nasrin Afzali, Nahid Jafari, Zeinab Peighambar-zadeh, and Minou Mortazi, have been given suspended sentences of whipping (10 lashes) and six months imprisonment.
Four women's rights activists, Nasrin Afzali, Nahid Jafari, Zeinab Peighambar-zadeh, and Minou Mortazi, have been given suspended sentences of whipping (10 lashes) and six months imprisonment. They have been given this harsh sentence for having been part of a small group of people who gathered outside the Revolutionary Court in March, 2007 to register their objections to the trial of five other women activists earlier charged for taking part in a peaceful demonstration in 2006 to demand the removal of laws discriminating against women.
On April 19, 2008, Branch 13 of Tehran's Revolutionary Court sentenced Nasrin Afzali to 10 lashes and a six- month suspended prison sentence, in effect for two years. Afzali's lawyer, Mohammad Mostafaii, told the Meydaan website that during her trial on March 12, 2008, the judge issued his sentence although no evidence was presented relating to the charge of "disturbing the public order" brought against her. Security forces detained Afzali along with 32 other women on March 4, 2006, during a gathering of women's rights activists in support of five of their prosecuted colleagues.

The same court also sentenced another activist, Nahid Jaafari, to 10 lashes and a six- month suspended prison sentence on the same charges on April 21, 2008. Branch 16 of Tehran's Revolutionary Court sentenced Zeinab Peyghambarzadeh, a sociology student at Tehran University and women's rights activist, to a two- year suspended prison sentence on March 29, 2008. She was also suspended for two semesters from continuing her education by the university's Disciplinary Committee.

Another activist, Marzieh "Minoo" Mortazi Langaroudi, also detained on March 4, 2006, was sentenced to 10 lashes and a six-month suspended imprisonment on March 29, 2008.

http://www.wluml.org/english/newsfulltxt.shtml?cmd%5B157%5D=x-157-561451

Source: 
WLUML networkers
Submitted on Sun, 05/11/2008 - 23:00
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