At least 7 women's rights activists arrested in Gilan province

Reports from the 'Bidar Zani' website and civil activists in Iran indicate that at least 7 women’s rights activists were arrested in the cities of Rasht, Bandar Anzali, Fuman, and Lahijan in Gilan province on Wednesday, August 16. According to these reports, Jala Javadari, Zahra and Zohreh Dadras, Forough Sami'nia, and Matin Yazdani were arrested in Rasht, while Yasmin Hashdari, a women's rights activist and poet in Bandar Anzali, was also detained by security forces. Bidar Zani reports that these five were arrested at their homes, and there is still no information about their status or the detaining authority. Additionally, a civil activist in Iran informed Voice of America that Negin Rezaei, a women’s rights activist residing in Fuman, and Vahedeh Khushsirat, another women’s rights activist, were arrested at her home in Lahijan. Previously, there have been reports about increasing security and judicial pressures against women and girls opposing mandatory hijab imposed by the Islamic Republic. In this context, some reports indicate the arrest of Elaheh Asgari, a photographer and Instagram blogger, on the morning of Wednesday. According to these reports, Ms. Asgari was arrested by agents of the Ministry of Intelligence while visiting the passport office to retrieve documents that had been confiscated from her at the airport, and she was transferred to Evin Prison after a search of her residence. The Iranian Retirees Council also wrote about this: 'While the civil struggle of women in the streets against mandatory hijab continues, on the eve of the anniversary of Mahsa Amini's death, pressure on women’s rights activists in Iran is increasing through summons, arrests, and heavy judicial sentences.' Meanwhile, the newspaper Shargh reported on Tuesday, August 15, that a group of children's rights activists, in an open letter, referred to the health condition of Zahra Sayadi, a social activist and children’s rights advocate, calling for her release for treatment. Ms. Sayadi, who was arrested in 2019, was sentenced by the court to one year in prison for 'disrupting public order by providing water, food, and warm clothing to protesters and rioters.' This sentence was upheld by the appeals court. According to Shargh, Zahra Sayadi's father, Reza Sayadi, stated that she 'has been battling cancer since last year and was transferred to prison while her treatment was not complete. According to the doctor’s diagnosis, she needs medication injections at least until the end of this year, and after this period, there is a possibility of extending her treatment based on the doctor's opinion.' In part of the open letter from children’s rights activists, it is stated: 'For more than 2 months, Zahra Sayadi has been in prison despite being in the midst of a battle with cancer and only comes out on medical leave for chemotherapy sessions and medication injections. It is evident that given her health condition, Ms. Sayadi cannot endure even one day in prison, which endangers her life.' They called for her immediate and unconditional release, referring to 'Zahra Sayadi's tireless and continuous efforts to uphold the rights of children, especially undocumented children and the forgotten children of Sistan and Baluchestan' in recent years.