Tell the Iranian authorities that campaigning for women’s rights is not a threat to national security. Tell them to release immediately and unconditionally all those detained in connection with recent peaceful demonstrations for equality, to drop charges and to stop harassing women’s rights activists.

TAKE ACTION

Join the Campaign to Defend Women’s Rights Defenders- Meydaan: Women’s Field

SEND A LETTER TO THE GOVERNMENT OF IRAN

You can write directly to the Iranian authorities, including Mr. Seyed Mahmoud Shahroudi, the Head of Judiciary, Mr. Golam-Ali Haddad-Adel, the leader of the Iranian Parliament, and Mr. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Please send letters to:

Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahrudi
Head of the Judiciary
Ministry of Justice
Park-e Shahr
Tehran, Iran
Email: Irjpr@iranjudiciary.com
Fax: +98 21 879-6671
Salutation: Your Excellency

Golam-Ali Haddad-Adel
Leader of the Iranian Parliament Majles-e Shura-ye Eslami
Imam Khomeini Avenue, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Fax: +98 21 646 1746 (occasionally difficult to reach, please be patient)
Salutation: Dear Sir

His Excellency Dr. Mahmoud AhmadiNejad
The Presidency
Palestine Avenue, Azerbaijan Intersection, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Fax: +98 21 649 5880
E-mail: dr-ahmadinejad@president.ir
Salutation: Dear Sir

Dr. M. Javad Zarif
Ambassador to the United Nations
Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations
622 Third Ave.
New York, NY 10017
United States
Email: jzarif@un.int
Fax: +1-212-867-7086
Salutation: Your Excellency

• Please note that it is not always easy to send fax and email to Iran, therefore we urge you to also courier your letters to the Iranian embassy in your country (see the listing of an Iranian embassy in your country here).

A letter in your own words is best, but feel free to adapt the following sample letter:

Dear XX

I am writing to encourage the Islamic Republic of Iran to respect its obligation to its citizens, including those exercising their fundamental right to freedom of expression. Women’s rights defenders should be allowed the right to assemble peacefully. The equal rights they seek today are enshrined in the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Your government also has an obligation to protect human rights defenders under the 1998 U.N. Declaration on Human Rights Defenders. It declares that individuals and associations have the right to promote and to strive for the protection and realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms. As a party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, your government claims to respect human rights.

Article 27 of the Iranian constitution also guarantees this right to peaceful assembly: “Public gatherings and marches may be freely held, provided arms are not carried and that they are not detrimental to the fundamental principles of Islam.”

I urge you to do drop all charges against these women’s rights defenders and allow them to carry out their activities, free from intimidation and prosecution, according to Iranian and international law.

I stand with those in Iran who seek reform of laws that discriminate against women. Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter.

For further letter writing tips, please visit WLUML’s call to action.