<nettime> Virtual Sit-in in Solidarity with Iranian Detainees, June 16-19

[Gita Hashemi <gita@ping.ca>]

you might have heard about the violent break-up of a peaceful
demonstration in tehran on monday this week. among the detainees are
several bloggers and journalists. the news of the attacks got out
immediately via other bloggers. please join in this solidarity action.

be well.

gita
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Subject:   Electronic Solidarity Action
Dates:   June 16 - 19, 2006
Go to:   http://opinionware.net/iran
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Please join us in an urgent action in solidarity with Iranian women's 
movement and in support of the tens of people who were detained on 
June 12, 2006 in Tehran.  Some detainees are apparently scheduled to 
attend court on Saturday, June 17th.  This action is an electronic 
sit-in on the website of the Presidency of the Islamic Republic of 
Iran.  Help send a strong message to Iran's President to demand the 
immediate and unconditional release of all detainees. 

Background:
On June 12, 2006, Iranian law enforcement forces violently attacked 
and arrested peaceful demonstrators who had gathered in Haft-e Tir 
Square, Tehran, to demand equal rights for women.  In an interview at 
the Evin Prison 2 days later, the spokesperson for the Islamic 
Republic (in)Justice Department stated that 70 people - 42 women and 
28 men - were arrested and have been transferred to the Evin 
Prison. Eye-witness accounts, published on several Farsi and English 
blogs, report the number of detainees to be much higher, including 
some who were arrested several hours before the demonstration was to 
take place.  A coalition of women's associations, other NGOs and 
individuals had organized the demonstration - on the anniversary of a 
peaceful action with similar goals held last year in front of Tehran 
University - to demand changes to the discriminatory legal code in 
Iran, specifically:
     * The right to divorce by women
     * Child custody rights for women
     * Abolition of polygamy
     * Equal rights in family law
     * Increasing the minimum legal marriage age for girls to 18 (currently 15)
     * Equal rights for women as witnesses in courts of law

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Action organized by Sirens of Solidarity in collaboration with 
OpinionWare and Creative Response, aided by Electronic Disturbance 
Theatre.
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More info about the events (in English):

Amnesty International
http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGMDE130662006?open&of=ENG-2MD

Human Rights Watch
http://hrw.org/english/docs/2006/06/15/iran13548.htm

Reporters without Borders
http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=17983

More info about the events (in Farsi):

Majale-ye Zanestan
http://herlandmag.org/

Rooznameh-ye Shargh
http://www.sharghnewspaper.com/850324/html/iran.htm
>>>>>>>>>>>>



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