Women arrested and beaten after weekend vigil for their missing children

Mother of Neda Agha Soltan holds vigil

The “mourning mothers” are a group of women in Iran who demonstrate in public parks each Sunday for their missing and killed children. Among them last week was the mother of killed activist Neda Agha-Soltan.

Amnesty International has urged the Iranian authorities to release a group of women who were beaten and arrested during a peaceful vigil in Tehran at the weekend, the organization said.

“Women who are grieving for children killed by security personnel want to know truth about what happened and have an opportunity to count on support from the state in this issue. They must not face arbitrary detention and beatings,” Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui, Deputy Director of Amnesty International’s Middle East and North Africa Programme said.

About 33 women, members of a group known as the ‘Mourning Mothers’, were seized during their weekly meeting in Laleh Park, Tehran on Saturday, media outlets reported. Several of the women were beaten and 10 were taken to hospital.

The ‘Mourning Mothers’ are women whose children have been killed, disappeared or detained in post-election violence in Iran since last June, and their supporters. All 33 women are now being held in Vozara Detention Centre, Tehran.

Mourning mothers in Iran hold pictures of children photo - Planet Iran

“These women should be released immediately and unconditionally and an investigation launched into their treatment,” Sahraoui said.

According to the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, on Sunday, protesters gathered and chanted outside the Vozara detention centre in support of the detained women, which led to traffic nearby being blocked.

Security forces reportedly attacked the crowd and violently dispersed it. Two people who were in a passing car taking pictures of the protest were arrested and taken inside the detention centre.

The ‘Mourning Mothers’ meet in silence for an hour each Saturday near the place and time of the killing of protester Neda Agha-Soltan, whose death was shown in footage circulated around the world in July.

Nine of the women are believed to suffer from illnesses, increasing the concern for their well-being.

“We are seriously concerned about the health of these detained activists and hold the Iranian authorities responsible for their well-being,” Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui said.

This is not the first time that members of the group have been arrested. Up to 29 were arrested on 5 December, although all were released by 7 December.

Statement from the Mourning Mothers

We continue to mourn…

The silent mourning of mothers on Saturday June 27th 2009 in Laleh Park in Tehran was violently suppressed by security forces. A number of mothers and young women attending this peaceful gathering/sit-in were detained by the security forces. Despite the violent crackdown by the security forces and their attempt to disperses the attendees, more than 500 women and mothers were able to continue with the sit-in and gatherings in the central spot of the park. These mothers were peacefully gathering to commemorate the young men and women who had participated in the non-violent post-election demonstrations and had been martyred.

Following our first announcement, we- the mourning mothers of the martyrs- will continue with our peaceful sit-in in Laleh Park and other parks in Tehran. We will do so till we see the end of violence on the streets, freeing of all those arrested for participating in the peaceful protests after the June 12th election specially our fellow mothers who had been arrested last Saturday and the prosecution of those responsible for our children’s death. Our sit-ins will be in Laleh park and the following parks every Saturday from 7-8 p.m.

Laleh Park
Andishe Park
Mellat Park
Gofegoo Park

Dear Mothers! Our mother instinct has forced us to demand justice for our children and freeing those who are unlawfully detained in prisons. We invite you to join our grassroots peaceful gatherings in the above-mentioned parks on Saturdays of each week.

To our boys and brothers in the security forces! We are your mothers. We treat you with respect as mothers. Respect us and our wishes and refrain from inflicting harm onto your mothers. Our sighs will follow you if you treat us with violence.

The Mourning Mothers of Iran