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BBC:  Thirty-three women were arrested on Sunday after staging a demonstration outside a courthouse in Tehran.  They were showing solidarity with five women on trial for organising an anti-discrimination protest in 2006. Women activists say the crackdown is intended to prevent any kind of protests as Iran marks International Women’s Day on 8 March. The five arrested last June have been charged with endangering national security, propaganda against the state and taking part in an illegal gathering.

‘$50,000 bail’

The women began the hunger strike in protest at the continued detention of at least seven of their younger colleagues, their families said. Human-rights activists and family members confirmed up to eight women were subsequently released from jail. But they also confirmed that those remaining in jail were continuing the hunger strike to press for their own release. The eight were told they were being transferred to another cell and had no idea they were about to be freed, the activists said. Some of the jailed women have been able to telephone their families.

The husband of one told the BBC his wife had been asked for more than $50,000 as bail, and when she said they could not afford it she was told her case would be sent to the judiciary.

The BBC’s Frances Harrison in Tehran says different women’s groups have announced plans to protest outside parliament and Tehran University on 8 March. One group even said it wanted to protest against the law that says Iranian women must wear Islamic dress

REZA ALINEJAD

During her February 2007 speaking tour, Nazanin Afshin-Jam received an email titled “VERY URGENT” from an unknown sender named Ali Alinejad. She was shocked to learn from Ali that his brother Reza had been imprisoned for 5 years and was now facing imminent execution for a murder he claims he committed in self-defence when he was 17 years old. Nazanin had not heard of this case and it was not reported with Amnesty International. She immediately forwarded the message to Nazanin Fatehi’s lawyer Mr. Mostafaei to see if he could help in any way. After reviewing the file, Mr. Mostafaei agreed to take on Reza’s case.

Later Mr. Mostafai sent Nazanin a letter he had written to Ayatollah Shahroudi, head of judiciary of the Islamic Republic of Iran, asking for an appeal and re-trial. In his plea, Mr. Mostafaei explained that Reza was eating with his friend on the sidewalk, in the city of Shiraz, when they were approached by two men who started harassing them with profanities. They proceeded to attack Reza and his friend with a nunchaku (a Japanese weapon used in martial arts). Reza’s friend testified that the two attackers had surrounded them and they were not able to run away. Reza was seriously injured by a blow to the head While Reza was defending himself, one of the two attackers was stabbed and killed. Another person who had witnessed what had happened testified that Reza was defending himself. The friend of the man who was killed also testified that the fight was initiated by them and that they attacked Reza and his friend with a nunchaku.

In his letter, attorney Mr. Mostafaei, concluded that the murder was unintentional. He stressed that due to the fact that Reza was only 17 years old at the time of offence, he should not be executed because Iran is signatory to UN covenants that prohibit the executions of minors for alleged crimes committed below the age 18.

Reza is one of dozens of minors on death row sentenced by the Islamic Republic of Iran. Reza needs your help. According to Mr. Mostafaei, he only has one month to live.

Please sign the petiition to save Reza and all other minors facing execution at:

www.stopchildexecutions.com

www.StopChildExecutions.com