Monireh Arabshahi
Monireh Arabshahi, is a women’s rights defender who has campaigned against forced veiling in Iran together with her daughter and woman human rights defender Yasaman Aryani.
Monireh was arrested in April 2019 when following up on the arbitrary detention of her daughter in Vozara detention centre. The two women’s right defenders had posted a video on 8 March 2019 on the occasion of the International Women's Day where they dropped their headscarves in Tehran’s subway and offered flowers to other women. The video went viral and the Revolutionary Court deemed their act of civil disobedience in defence of women’s right as a national security crime.
Human rights defenders and journalists in Iran are arrested, detained and prosecuted in unfair trials. HRDs continue to receive death threats and are subjected to harassment, arbitrary arrest and detention. They are refused bail or receive extreme bail conditions. HRDs are additionally subjected to systematic surveillance and their family members are targeted. Journalists have been subjected to flogging for criticising the government.
