Amnesty International: Iran pressures protesters against compulsory hijab to make televised confessions
Amnesty International announced in a report that the Islamic Republic authorities are trying to extract televised confessions from activists by arresting them, holding them in solitary confinement for long periods, and pressuring the families of those protesting against the compulsory hijab in Iran.
The report, published on Monday, July 14, states that Amnesty International has identified similar practices in at least six other cases, including one in which a women's rights defender disappeared for 11 days this month.
Philip Luther, Amnesty International's Middle East and North Africa Research and Advocacy Director, said: "The Islamic Republic's authorities, feeling threatened by the growing women's rights movement against compulsory hijab, have resorted to cruel tactics to discredit the campaign against compulsory hijab and discourage others from joining it."
"These women should not have even been arrested in the first place," he added. "It is outrageous that they must now either endure torture or be forced to confess their guilt and deny their opposition to compulsory hijab on state television."
Amnesty International then referred to what happened to Saba Kordafshani, quoting her mother, who said that Ms. Kordafshani was held in solitary confinement in the Vazra detention center for 10 days, during which time she was pressured to confess on camera that she had joined the White Wednesdays campaign. Ms. Kordafshani’s mother was also arrested to force her to confess.
This human rights organization emphasized in its statement that the Islamic Republic must immediately and unconditionally release these activists, drop the charges against them, and refrain from broadcasting their forced confessions.
The United States government has repeatedly supported Iranian women's efforts in recent years to eliminate discriminatory laws, including mandatory hijab.
Last March, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, at the "Women of Courage Award" ceremony at the US State Department, praised Iranian women's efforts to fight against compulsory hijab.
Source: Voice of America
