Arrest of 4 Women Activists for Participating in March 8 Ceremony in Sanandaj and Dehgolan

The number of civil activists arrested for participating in the International Women's Day ceremony on March 8 in Sanandaj and Dehgolan has increased to four. According to the latest report from the human rights organization "Hengaw", Leila Pashayi, Baran Saadi, Soheila Motai, and Souma Mohammadi were arrested on Tuesday, March 20, by the security forces of the Islamic Republic "without a judicial order" and transferred to an unknown location. There is still no information available about the fate and whereabouts of these individuals. According to this human rights organization, Soheila Motai, a women's rights activist and one of the detainees from the "Zan, Zhan, Azadi" movement, was arrested on Tuesday evening in Dehgolan by the Intelligence Department forces. Additionally, Souma Mohammadi, a civil activist, was arrested on Tuesday at her workplace in the Almas Shopping Center in Sanandaj. This civil activist had been summoned and threatened several times by security agencies in recent years. Baran Saadi was also arrested early Tuesday at her family home. She was among those arrested during the nationwide protests of 2022 and had been released on bail after two months of detention. Furthermore, Sardar Pashayi, a former coach of the Iranian national wrestling team, announced on the social media platform "X" that security forces in Sanandaj had raided Leila Pashayi's house and arrested her sister for the umpteenth time. According to him, security agents have accused his sister, Leila Pashayi, of "acting against national security" because she spoke out against mandatory hijab, child marriage, and death sentences against imprisoned women on International Women's Day and protested these issues alongside other women. Previously, the Hengaw human rights organization reported that despite threats from security agencies, the March 8 ceremony was held on Friday, March 18, with the participation of women activists and several civil organizations, including the Kurdish Women's Union and women's rights activists from Sanandaj. According to this organization, the Sanandaj Intelligence Department summoned several women activists on Thursday, March 17, and warned them not to participate in the ceremony. In this context, the Free Workers Union of Iran reported that several labor activists, including Tayeb Chatani, Lotfollah Ahmadi, Iqbal Shabani, Khabat Dehdar, and Jamal Asadi, were summoned by security forces in the days leading up to March 8 and prohibited from participating in the ceremony. Additionally, Sharif Saadpanah, a board member of the Free Workers Union of Iran, was summoned by the Sanandaj Intelligence Department via phone and questioned about participating in the International Women's Day ceremony and New Year celebrations. According to this union, Saadpanah was threatened that if he participated in any gathering or related event, he would face prosecution. Several days after these arrests, there is still no accurate information about the whereabouts and status of the detainees. Human rights organizations have called for information regarding the fate of these activists and their unconditional release. My Lady's Instagram was shut down after posting a video defending women's rights. Three civil activists were arrested in Sanandaj following the International Women's Day ceremony. A women's rights activist stated: The regime has turned life into hell with gender apartheid.