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Iran Focus
 London, Sep. 26 - The international human rights group Amnesty
International is "greatly concerned" by a continuing crackdown by
Iranian authorities against rights activists, according to a statement
released by the group on Monday.
"Amnesty International is greatly concerned by new arrests and
detentions in Iran targeting human rights activists, minority community
activists and others peacefully exercising their rights to freedom of
expression and association", the group said.
The statement said that in recent days at least 10 people were detained for
seeking to demonstrate against the imminent execution of four women. More
than 15 Iranian Azeris had been detained for
advocating a school's boycott at the start of the new academic year, it
added.
"On 24 September at least 10 people were detained while demonstrating
peacefully outside the United Nations office in Tehran. They were protesting against the
expected imminent execution of several women, including Kobra
Rahmanpour, Fatemeh Haghighat-pajouh, Nazanin Fathehi and Shahla Jahed".
"Amnesty International is calling on the Iranian authorities
immediately to cease arrests and harassment of those peacefully exercising
their rights, including human rights defenders, and to ensure that all
persons in detention are protected from torture or other
ill-treatment", it said.
It also highlighted the case of former Majlis
(Parliament) deputy Ali Akbar Mousavi-Kho’ini,
who has been detained without charge for over 100 days and recently said
that he was undergoing continuous pressure by the Iranian authorities to
“repent”.
The group called on the Iranian authorities to "end the practice of
harassing those peacefully exercising their right to freedom of expression
and association".
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