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In an interview with International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, women’s rights activist, researcher, and documentary filmmaker Mahboubeh Abbasgholizadeh, analyzes the condition of the Iranian women’s movement and civil society activists in Iran after the 12 June 2009 elections. Abbasgholizadeh who formerly headed the nonprofit Center for Training in Iran, at one point was the editor of Farzaneh, a women’s periodical.

“The suppression caused the network of women’s movement which was built around campaigns to break into smaller groups,” Abbasgholizadeh states. “From the very first night after the election coup, the suppressors have implemented a far-reaching project to destroy civil society which they believed to be the real organizers of the Green movement, and their efforts continue to date.”

Describing the crackdown, Abbasgholizadeh says that, “Surveillance of the comings and goings and relationships of civil activists has caused many of them to go into hiding. Over fifty known women’s activists have been detained so far and about 600 arrests were made after the elections from among those active in Iranian women’s movement.”

The interview follows:

Campaign: Considering the post-elections pressure put on Iranian civil society activists, journalists, political activists, and especially anyone who has advocated changes in existing laws within legal frameworks, what is the biggest issue facing the women’s rights act... >>>