By Louise Livesey | 24 April 2007, 10:56

Human Rights activists are experiencing a new crackdown on their activities, despite Iran’s laws protecting Freedom of Assembly. When arrested protesters can spend almost the entire period in solitary confinement.

Recent arrests include Mahboubeh Hosseinzadeh and Nahid Keshavarz areested for planning to petition against discriminatory laws against women. The Revolutionary Court also sentenced eleven more activitists to prison on 18th April for threatening “National Security”. The “threatening” acts included peaceful demonstrations in summer 2006 and the petition. Some of the eleven were tried in their absence (and therefore were unable to defend themselves) and sentenced to prison, automatically making them fugitives from justice. More information is available from Women Living under Muslim Laws and Meydaan