Six of the 33 Iranian women's rights activists who were arrested Monday following a demonstration have been released on bail. The other detainees have declared a hunger strike, starting today. (see 33 Women's Rights Activists Arrested in Iran, Taken to Evin Prison) Human rights activist and Nobel laureate Shirin Ebadi said that the arrests had come in response to the "Million Signatures to Change Discriminatory Laws" campaign.
One of the freed activists said that the activist women intended to hold a demonstration in front of the Majlis on International Women's Day, tomorrow, March 8.
At a number of universities, students yesterday held ceremonies marking Women's Day, during which they condemned the arrest of the women activists.
Source: Rooz, Iran, March 7, 2007
For more on the campaign and on the struggle of women in Iran, see MEMRI Inquiry and Analysis No. 296, "Human Rights in Iran (1): Women's Struggle Against Discrimination by the Regime," September 29, 2006.
