Answer given by High Representative/Vice-President Ashton on behalf of the Commission

31.8.2011

The Commission is well aware of the situation of Iranian lawyer and women's rights defender, Maryam Bahreman, and of her long-time work for human rights and women's rights in Iran, including the campaign ‘One million signatures’. It is also aware of the arrest of Maryam Bahreman by the Iranian authorities shortly after she had attended meetings related to the 55th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women in New York.

The High Representative/Vice-President issued, on 6 July 2011, a public statement in which she expressed her profound worry over the many recent arrests in Iran of women journalists, artists and women's rights defenders. These include Maryam Bahreman, to whom the Honourable Member refers, as well as photographer Maryam Madji, filmmaker Mahnaz Mohammadi, journalist Zahra Yazadi and Mansoureh Behkish.

In her statement, which was made available in Farsi so as to reach a wide public, the High Representative/Vice-President called on Iran to respect the right to freedom of expression in accordance with its international human rights obligations. The High Representative/Vice-President furthermore called on Iran to immediately release these women, and other detained women's right defenders in Iran.

Ms Mansoureh Behkish, one of the detained women, has since been released, which is a most welcome development.