Ms Fatemeh Masjedi and Ms Maryam Bidgoli

In the morning of Wednesday, 29 December 2010, the Revolutionary Prosecution office called human rights defenders Ms Fatemeh Masjedi and Ms Maryam Bidgoli and informed them that they have only three days to introduce themselves to the prison administration in the city of Qom to serve a six months imprisonment sentence.

Fatemeh Masjedi and Maryam Bidgoli, were arrested by security forces in the city of Qom on 7 May 2009 for gathering signatures to change discriminatory laws against women. They were released on bail after two weeks.

Following a court hearing on 4 August 2010, the two women were found guilty of “propagating against the [political] system” and were both subsequently sentenced to a year in prison. Their prison sentences were both reduced to six months following a ruling by a court of appeal in Qom province on 7 December 2010.

Fatemeh Masjedi and Maryam Bidgoli are members of the One Million Signature Campaign, a movement which aims to end discriminatory laws against women in Iran. Up to now many members of this group have been arrested and attended courts and courts of appeal , but none of the final sentences has been implemented, unlike what is going to happen to the two defendants in this case.

This is the first time that a person has been condemned only for gathering signatures and as another negative development, the judges (in both level courts) have considered One Million Signature Campaign as a group "aiming to overthrow the Islamic Republic" which places all members of the campaign in greater danger. Front Line previously issued many appeals in relation to the arrest and detention of members of this group.

Front line believes that Fatemeh Masjedi and Maryam Bidgoli are being targeted as a direct result of their peaceful and legitimate activities in the defence of human rights, especially the rights of women. Front Line is concerned about the physical and psychological integrity of Ms Fatemeh Masjedi & Ms Maryam Bidgoli and urges the Iranian authorities to:

1. Immediately and unconditionally halt the implementation of the imprisonment order against human rights defenders Ms Fatemeh Masjedi and Ms Maryam Bidgoli and re consider the charges and conviction against them, as Front Line believes that they have been targeted solely as a result of their work in the defence of human rights;

2.Guarantee in all circumstances, the physical and psychological integrity of Ms Fatemeh Masjedi and Ms Maryam Bidgoli, as well as other human rights defenders in Iran, particularly by ensuring that adequate and effective measures are provided to protect human rights defenders at risk;

3.Ensure that all human rights defenders in Iran, carrying out their legitimate work in the defence of human rights, are able to operate free of restrictions and reprisals.