Iran: Guarantee Fair Court Hearings for Two Kurdish Women
23 Jun 2008 18:53:09 GMT
Source: Human Rights Watch
(Washington DC, June 23, 2008) – Iranian judicial authorities should guarantee two Kurdish women's rights activists transparent court proceedings when their cases come up for a hearing, Human Rights Watch said today.
Activist Hana Abdi is appealing a five-year prison sentence, while Ronak Safarzadeh is on trial on charges that could lead to a death sentence. Human Rights Watch urges Iranian authorities to ensure fair and open court proceedings for both women. The government's previously documented patterns of restricting freedom of association and expression using broad security laws raise concern that the officials are prosecuting both women only on the basis of their involvement in Kurdish rights and women's rights activism.
