The Presidency of the European Union expresses its deep concern following the arrest of Iranian women's rights activists by Iranian security forces during a peaceful demonstration in front of the Islamic Revolutionary Court building in Tehran on 4 March 2007.

Those arrested were conducting a peaceful protest against the ongoing trial of five of their colleagues, accused by the Iranian court of breaching the public order and security as a result of their participation in a peaceful demonstration for women's rights in June 2006. The activists were exercising their established right to freedom of assembly and opinion, enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of the United Nations.

The Presidency of the European Union notes that most of the women arrested have now been released. It calls for the immediate and unconditional release of those still being detained and the cessation of proceedings against those already released.

The promotion of women's rights and the improvement of living conditions for women all over the world is a cornerstone of European policy.

The Presidency of the European Union calls on Iran to respect universal human rights, to which it is also bound. This applies particularly to the principle of non-discrimination on the basis of gender and the right to freedom of opinion and assembly.

The Presidency of the European Union calls on Iran to respect the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders of the General Assembly of the United Nations and to ratify the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and its Optional Protocol.

For further information please refer to: 

German Embassy Tehran
Av. Ferdowsi 320-324 P.O.Box 11365-179 Tehran 11365 Tel.: +98-21-3999-0000	Press Division: Tel.: +98-21-3999-1670 Fax: +98-21-3999-1970 E-mail: pr-s1@tehe.diplo.de