Catherine Ashton, the High Representative of the European Union says she is “profoundly worried over the many arrests” of female activists and journalists in Iran in recent days.
In a latest statement on Wednesday, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the Commission voiced particular concerns over the imprisonment of photographer Maryam Madj, filmmaker Mahnaz Mohammadi, journalist Zahra Yazdani, women’s rights advocate Maryam Bahrman and Mansoureh Behkish.
“I call on Iran to respect the right to freedom of expression, in accordance with its international human rights obligations, and to release these women and other detained women's rights defenders immediately.”
The statement is as follows:
"I am profoundly worried over the many arrests of women journalists, artists and women's rights defenders in recent weeks in Iran. These include photographer Maryam Madj, film-maker Mahnaz Mohammadi, journalist Zahra Yazdani, women’s rights advocate Maryam Bahrman and Mansoureh Behkish.
I call on Iran to respect the right to freedom of expression, in accordance with its international human rights obligations, and to release these women and other detained women's rights defenders
immediately."
Source: GVF
