This statement will be forwarded to the president and the Judiciary

Stop the pressure on equality right activists and the ratification of the discriminatory laws

Campaign for one million signatures for changes of discriminatory laws, after its initial gathering on 22nd June 2006 in the Haft e Tir square in Tehran and with 70 women and men arrested, officially launched in august 27 2006.

Equal Right activists have chosen the most peaceful way possible for campaigning, which is collection of signatures in order to remind the government the need for changes of the discriminatory laws. Sadly the campaign and its activists have been suppressed and have been subject to extreme repression. A lot of activists during collection of signatures have been arrested and some have been prohibited to leave the country and some have had long prison sentences.

Not only the right to peaceful gathering has been denied, which is a right stated in the constitution, the equal right acrivists have also been subjected to harassments and arrests during our gathering in public and private dwellings, celebration of our anniversary on 22nd June 2008 the activists were denied entry to the building and have had 9 of our members arrested for informing the invited guests on the forced cancelation of our anniversary celebration.

Web sites of campaign in Tehran and other branches are consistently filtered, as many as 13 web sites including Feminist School, Change for Equality, and Iranian women’s association, were filtered in one day.

The suppression of the Equality right activists happens at the same time as Mr Ahmadinejad’s government has introduced a Bill known as "Protection of Family’s" in the parliament. A time that Iranian society needs more than ever for new and up to date and fair laws and the Campaign for One Million Signatures are actively trying to change inhumane laws such Hanging of the children under the age of 18, cancellation of the Stoning law totally, and Equal laws on marriage and divorce rights, Guardianship of children, Citizenship, Freedom of movement from one country to another by women without anyone’s consent and cancellation of polygamy, sadly proposed Article 23rd not only doesn’t respect women’s right but is giving the right of having a second to men, which means in effect change of law from: Men needed to have the first wife’s consent to the removal of consent to men’s financial ability.

We the undersigned: State our objection for all the unlawful suppression of the Equal right activists.

To the respected president and the Judiciary we demand:

1) Urgent removal of the government proposed Bill for "protection of Family’s".

2) Introduction of a new Bill for elimination of Sexual Discrimination in family laws and the court of law, with the presence of women’s activists and Equal rights solicitors.

3) Official acknowledgment of Freedom of Expression for women in their objection to the discriminatory laws and their right to civil campaigning for changing of those laws and start of web sites and weblogs for a peaceful collection of signatures.

4) Official acknowledgment of the right to have peaceful gathering in public and private dwellings in particular for women.

5) A total cancellation of court rulings on all the women right activists and the activists of the Campaign for one million signatures. 6) Cancellation of all the past rulings on women right activists and activists of the Campaign for one million signatures.

7) Cancellation of the prohibiting of leaving the country by the activists of the Campaign for one million signatures.