Front Line is deeply concerned following reports of ill-treatment of a number of human rights defenders while they were in detention. In the morning of 14 September 2007, 25 human rights defenders, all members of the One Million Signature Campaign, including 14 women and 11 men were violently arrested. All of those detained have been subsequently released. The 25 human rights defenders are all worker rights activists.

Further information

Posted 18/10/2007 All the 25 human rights defenders had gathered to attend an educational workshop on women's rights at the home of Reza Dolatshah's in Khoram Abad. According to reports, at approximately 11:40am, the workshop was violently interrupted by 10 armed police officers, including 3 female officers, who proceeded to beat Bahman Azadi with their rifles. The participants were then divided into two groups, male and female. They were taken into separate rooms where they were forced to undress before being body searched. The ordeal reportedly lasted an hour, during which the human rights defenders were subjected to beatings, verbal abuse and interrogation. The group was then taken outside the house where they were faced with a barrage of insults from a crowd of onlookers who had reportedly been told that the human rights defenders were being arrested because of involvement in acts of 'pleasure and debauchery'.

The 25 human rights defenders were then transferred to the local police station. The 14 women in the group were forced to wait for a number of hours in the corridors of the police station before being detained in two small cells. One of the women reportedly suffered an asthma attack but was refused medical attention. At approximately 15:00pm, the women were taken for interrogation. They were questioned about their work and the One Million Signature Campaign and how they knew Reza Dolatshah. The women were transferred to the offices of the Ministry of Intelligence where they were questioned individually and forced to sign written statements confirming that they would not participate in any future illegal meetings, in accordance with Article 498 of the Constitution. Twenty-two participants were released at midnight on 14 September 2007.

However, three of the group, Reza Dolatshah, Bahman Azadi and Khosrow Nasimpour remained in detention in an unknown location until their release on 16 September 2007. From reports received it is understood that Reza Dolatshah, who was suffering from swollen eyes, was brought into a room where he was requested by a judge to confess his identity and beliefs. The scene was apparently filmed on camera.

Front Line is extremely concerned that the afore-mentioned events form part of an ongoing campaign against members of the One Million Signature Campaign.