Iranian police have raided and closed the office of a human rights group led by the Nobel laureate, Shirin Ebadi. More informations you can read:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7794788.stm

http://www.20min.ch/news/ausland/story/13195215

The president of the Lawyer Association together with 15 Italian lawyers, the organisation HRI and the Women’s Museum, welcomed on Monday, the 15^th of December at 12.00 o’clock Nasrin Sotoudeh’s husband and daughter. She handed over to them a silver pin of the Lawyer Association and a cheque for 1.000,00 €. She was disappointed that it hasen’t been possible to meet Nasrin Sotoudeh, but she is looking forward to meet her in another occasion. The husband of Mrs. Sotoudeh explained for the lawyers and journalists present to the meeting, the difficulties of the legal position of women and children in Iran.

Iran Must Respect Defenders’ Right to Travel

Click Here to Take Action:

http://action.humanrightsfirst.org/campaign/Nasrin/

On December 10, women’s rights activist and attorney Nasrin Sotoudeh and her family went to the Imam Khomeini Airport. They planned to travel to Italy, where Sotoudeh was to receive an international human rights award.

Sotoudeh heard her name announced over the airport intercom system. Security officials approached her, seized her passport, and informed her that she was not permitted to travel.

Sotoudeh is not alone. At least four other women’s rights activists have gone through the same experience: Parvin Ardalan, Mansoureh Shojaee, Talat Taghinia, and Sussan Tahmasebi. Furthermore, Esha Momeni, member of the One Million Signatures Campaign for gender equality, is still unable to leave Iran, as the Ministry of Intelligence continues to hold her passport.

Governments must grant all persons the right to travel. Human rights defenders in particular rely on the exercise of this right in order to participate in meetings with their colleagues around the world and to have access to international human rights bodies.

Please join us in calling on the Iranian authorities to end their harassment of women’s rights activists and to respect the right of human rights defenders to travel.

Click Here to Take Action:

http://action.humanrightsfirst.org/campaign/Nasrin/

Click Here to Learn More about This Case:

http://action.humanrightsfirst.org/campaign/Nasrin/explanation

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To the Museum’ s management
An die Museumsleiterinnen

Dear colleagues,
liebe Kolleginnen,

This is a first letter, giving you some idea about the forthcoming event of a conference and an exhibition on Women’s Museums International, which will take place in Bonn/ Germany in September 2009. ( 09.09.09!)

It is also an invitation for you to take part at this conference and exhibition!
The participation of many women’s museums will contribute immensely to the purpose to increase the visibility of Women’s Museums in the world.

Dies ist ein erster Brief, der einige Informationen zu der im September 2009 ( 09.09.09 !)
in Bonn (Deutschland) stattfindenden Veranstaltung, der Konferenz der ‘Frauenmuseen weltweit’ sowie der Ausstellung ‘Frauenmuseen weltweit’, vermitteln möchte.
Gleichzeitig ist dieser Brief eine Einladung an Sie, bzw. Euch zur Teilnahme an dieser internationalen Veranstaltung! Es wäre im Sinne der Öffentlichkeitswirksamkeit sehr förderlich und auch wichtig, wenn die Frauenmuseen weltweit bei diesem Anlass sehr zahlreich vertreten sind.

It would be very kind, if you could let us know, that you have received this letter of information, or rather confirm your participation.
We will release this letter in German, Spanish and French and possibly also in Italian soon.

Es wäre schön, uns einen Hinweis zu übermitteln, dass diese Nachricht angekommen ist und bereits eine Anmeldung vorzunehmen.
Wir werden diesen ‘Newsletter’ in Kürze auch auf Deutsch, Französisch, Spanisch und voraussichtlich auch auf Italienisch verfügbar haben.

Best wishes from Bonn, Germany,

viele Grüße aus Bonn,

Chris Werner, Marianne Pitzen, Bettina Bab, Petra Peter-Friedrichs
Women’s Museum Bonn
Contact information: Chris Werner: 0049-2238 57766 chris.werner@netcologne.de
frauenmuseum@bonn-online.com

 

Women’s Museums International

December, 2008

To the Women’s Museums of the World

Dear women from all over the world,

dear colleagues,

Many of you have probably already heard about the first steps that were taken in order to get together and form a network of museums focusing on women.

In June of this year, we had the “First International Congress of the Women’s Museums” in Meran, Italy. This first congress of all times was organized by both, the Women’s Museum of Meran and the Women’s Museum of Senegal, setting the first sign of intercultural cooperation. Around 25 Women’s Museums from all continents then had the opportunity to get to know each other and to celebrate the event of coming together in the most beautiful way and in a brilliant surrounding, thanks to the wonderful preparations and presentations of our hosts. All this was highly welcomed and noticed in public.

In order to take the first steps to a closer cooperation of women’s museums and to strengthen their position within traditional museums, the Conference adopted a resolution, which is a platform, describing how women’s museums see their role in society.<!–[endif]–>

It was part of the conference, too, to found a network, which is run by Meran via internet. Furthermore the Conference agreed to have regular conferences in the future, taking place in the various partner institutions all over the world. The next “regular” Conference is supposed to be in Buenos Aires in 2010. Following that China will be the host.

But before these forthcoming events, we have agreed to set up a so-called “Part B” of the First Conference, which consists of the following parts and ideas:

Bonn, Germany 09.09.09

“Women’s Museums of the World” is a project, which consists of three parts. It will take place in Bonn/ Germany in September 2009.

The concept is

<!–[if !supportLists]–>· <!–[endif]–>to give an idea about what Women’s Museums are about to a broad public

<!–[if !supportLists]–>· <!–[endif]–>to take further steps in establishing Women’s Museums within the traditional landscape of museums and by doing this, helping to make them a recognized part of culture

<!–[if !supportLists]–>· <!–[endif]–>to intensify the cooperation between Womens’s Museums

<!–[if !supportLists]–>· <!–[endif]–> to create an international organization of Women’s Museums in order to be able to speak with one voice and to be heard in the global public

To achieve these aims we want to realize the following aspects

<!–[if !supportLists]–>· <!–[endif]–>Multilingual exhibition, supposed to travel the world, giving the public the possibility to “visit” all of the Women’s Museums at the same time and to be comprehensively informed about the variety of institutions

<!–[if !supportLists]–>· <!–[endif]–>Multilingual catalogue, which informs irrespective of the exhibition about the Women’s Museums, taking part in this world-wide project.

<!–[if !supportLists]–>· <!–[endif]–>Conference, which informs about the work, the history, the self-concepts and definitions of Women’s Museums. The conference will also try to set up a dialogue with experts on museum matters about the situation today relating to the subject ‘women and museums’. Furthermore it is the aim that Women Museums form an international section within ICOM. We would very much like to inaugurate a ‘Women’s Museums International’ section. For this reason we would very much appreciate having Mrs Allissandra Cummins, the current president of ICOM, as patron of this event.

This is the first “newsletter” in order to inform you about the forthcoming event. We, the Women’s Museum Bonn, are very proud to organize this occasion as host. We would now very much like to use this initial information in order to invite you and your institution to take part and to be part of everything, both what is already planned and what is still to be created!

We would be very happy to welcome you in Bonn next year!

In order to set up the whole event, we will from now on stay in regular contact with you. Shortly you will receive the second newsletter, informing you about details concerning the exhibition and the Conference.

Please do not hesitate to get in touch with us! Best wishes from Bonn,

Chris Werner, Marianne Pitzen, Bettina Bab, Petra Peter-Friedrichs Women’s Museum Bonn

Contact information: Chris Werner: 0049-2238 57766 chris.werner@netcologne.de

frauenmuseum@bonn-online.com

---

<!–[endif]–>

10 Powerful Months of Women, Power and Politics Call for Submissions: Exhibiting YouVote for I.M.O.W. as Your Favorite Nonprofit!Buy Fair Trade This Holiday Season Contribute to the I.M.O.W. Annual Fund You’re Invited to Pray the Devil Back to Hell Happenings Around the World

10 Powerful Months of Women, Power and Politics See Our New Look, Video and Toolkit
Since International Women’s Day on March 8, 2008, I.M.O.W. has been building one of the most comprehensive sources of women’s political participation on the Web: the Women, Power and Politics online exhibition. In December, see the exhibition in its entirety! We’ve unveiled a fresh new look, a new video from the I.M.O.W. team, an action-packed toolkit, and the best of your community voices. Reflect with us on ten compelling months of Women, Power and Politics: WELCOME – Watch a video overview of the Women, Power and Politics global online exhibition and read a personal letter from Curator Masum Momaya. POWER – Travel with us to India, Nigeria, Norway, Mexico, Morocco, and the United States as we explore women’s political power throughout history. BIOLOGY – Find out how women are using their bodies and their roles as mothers and wives to exercise political might. APPEARANCE – Investigate “leadership styles” and why women’s appearance gets more coverage than their political substance. ENVIRONMENT – Learn why women have a greater political stake in the world’s resources, its wellbeing and its future. RELIGION – Explore the relationship between faith and politics in the lives of women around the world. DEMOCRACY – Discover what happens when women are denied–or given–a voice. VOTING – Meet daring women’s suffrage pioneers and reflect on what the vote really means to women. ELECTIONS – Join us on the campaign trail as we ask, do women experience elections differently? ORGANIZING – Be inspired by women coming together through art, meetings and technology to create change. TOOLKIT – Take creative action with our list of 10 ways you can transform lives, communities and the world. YOUR VOICES – Read the top 30 stories from around the world submitted by our community participants and submit your own work. Subscribe to the RSS Story Feed to receive the latest stories from imow.org as they are posted.
Call for Submissions: Exhibiting You Submit Your Work to imow.org for 2009
In 2009, we’re exhibiting you! We’re calling on our community to share inspiring stories, projects, art, photography, video, animation, writing, poetry and more. Tell us how you are exhibiting change and make your voice heard. You could be featured on our Web site. Now accepting submissions for January. Submit your work through our online community. Your submission could inspire the change we all need.
Vote for I.M.O.W. as Your Favorite Nonprofit! I.M.O.W. Participates in the SmartNow.com Contest
	Cast your vote for I.M.O.W. in SmartNow.com’s Favorite Nonprofit Organization Contest. I.M.O.W. is one of nearly 20 organizations participating in SmartNow’s holiday promotion, which encourages women to give back. The three winning organizations receive a donation from SmartNow.com. To vote for I.M.O.W., follow this direct link: http://www.smartnow.com/page/7307 Vote now. Vote often. Voting closes December 22. We appreciate your support!
Buy Fair Trade This Holiday Season Help Support I.M.O.W.
I.M.O.W. has teamed up with Global Goods Partners (GGP) to bring greater awareness to the challenges facing women around the world. GGP is a nonprofit organization dedicated to alleviating poverty and promoting social justice by strengthening women-led development initiatives for marginalized communities in Asia, Africa, and the Americas. Purchase a fair trade product this holiday season from GGP, select the I.M.O.W./International Museum of Women code from the drop down menu before checking out, and I.M.O.W. will receive ten percent (10%) of each item purchased. Shop Now >
Contribute to the I.M.O.W. Annual Fund Help Amplify the Voices of Women Worldwide
	Contribute to the I.M.O.W. Annual Fund and help us continue to impact the lives of women around the world. This is a pivotal year for the Museum and your contribution is key to the success of our exhibitions and cultural programs that educate, create dialogue, and build community. As is true for many nonprofit organizations, finances are tight this year. Your contribution is more important than ever. Our programs depend on it. Contribute Today!
You’re Invited to Pray the Devil Back to Hell Special Screenings of Acclaimed Documentary Hosted by I.M.O.W.
Join I.M.O.W. staff at select San Francisco screenings of the award-winning documentary film, Pray the Devil Back to Hell, about the courageous Liberian women who came together across faith to bring peace to their shattered country. Screenings on Saturday, December 13 at 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. at the Red Vic Movie House will be introduced by I.M.O.W. Board Chair Elizabeth Colton. After the 2:00 p.m. screening, Women, Power and Politics Curator Dr. Masum Momaya will lead a discussion on the power of grassroots organizing; following the 4:00 p.m. screening, I.M.O.W. Manager of Education and Public Programs Dr. Constanza Svidler will lead a similar discussion. Don’t miss it! The Los Angeles Times calls this “a marvelous documentary detailing how the everyday became extraordinary, ‘how ordinary women,’ in the words of one of them, ‘did the unimaginable.’” Learn more.
Happenings Around the World December 10 – San Francisco Bay Area, USA Join Survivors International and Amnesty International in an event-filled International Human Rights Day. Events include a film series, speaker panels and write-a-thons to bring awareness to gender-based violence and international human rights. Learn more >

To forward this e-mail to your friends and family, click here > >

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Dears,
Hanging of Juveniles Under the Age of 18 in Iran / Nasrin Sotoudeh:
http://feministschool.biz/english/spip.php?article191

A New Web Site Established by the Activists of Campaign for One
Million Signatures in Italy :

http://feministschool.biz/english/spip.php?article193

peace

n

Human-Rights-International (HRI) Award 2008

 

to the Human Rights Defender and Lawyer

 

NASRIN SOTOUDEH

 

Yesterday, more than 100 people took part in the meeting room of the Hotel Steigenberger in Merano to the first Human-Rights-International (HRI) Award 2008. The highlight of this evening was the acceptance of the award by Nasrin Sotoudeh’s husband Reza Khandan Heris and her daughter Mahrawe. His speech together with the video message of Sotoudeh were moments of great emotion.

 

This meeting has been a success. The moment, when the HRI – award was handed over was accompanied by an atmosphere of intense feelings and emotions.

 

The meeting has been opened by the hosts Adi Pfitscher of HRI, of Bolzano, and Sissi Prader of the Women’s Museum of Merano. Both of them, were very disappointed, that Nasrin Sotoudeh couldn’t take part, but they were pleased to welcome Nasrin Sotoudeh’s husband Reza Khandan Heris and the daughter Mehrawe. Then the word was given to Marcella Pirrone, a wellknown lawyer in Bolzano, for her efforts for women’s rights. She took it as a great honour to moderate this meeting. The music for this occasion was played by Michael Lösch.

 

Vanda Carbone, representing the city of Merano, together with Maria Grazia Barbiero, representing woman’s affairs in the Italian Parliament remembered, that also the this year’s Alexander Langer Award winners weren’t allowed to come to the ceremony and until today we have no information about their destiny. Maria Grazia Barbiero thanked HRI and the Women’s museum for the networking and for giving the first HRI prize to a woman. In her speech she spoke about women’s rights, as a natural part of the human rights. She also made some examples where we see that there is a lot to do in this world.

 

Shirin Ebadi, the Nobel Prize Winner in 2003, was also in contact in a video conference. She congratulated her colleague Nasrin Sotoudeh. Astrid Schönberger, the coordinator of the “womaninmuseum” network told that they are planning a Women’s Museum in Iran, the first one in an Islamic Republic.

 

After this Adi Pfitscher and Sissi Prader handed over a sum of 5.500,00€ to Nasrin Sotoudeh’s husband and daughter. Reza and Mehrawe thanked Adi and Sissi with a silver flower, for their engagement for the human rights in Iran.

 

Reza Khandan Heris thanked with the hand on his heart; he also read a letter of his wife, written by her after she was stopped from the Iranian authorities at the airport of Teheran. She is optimistic and is looking forward to meet another time in Italy or Iran. The highlight of this night was the video conference, where Nasrin explained the situation of the women in Iran: how difficult it is for brave women to fight for their rights, for human rights in general and for democracy. Although she declared to be convinced that the system in Iran can be changed, using peaceful and legal means.

 

Miss Ella Mohammadi from Rome, Shirin Ebadi’s personal translator, translated the whole evening the words of Nasrin, Reza and Shirin into the Italian language.

 

Pfitscher announced that the HRI award will be continued every three years.

 

 

Yesterday, more than 100 people took part in the meeting room of the Hotel Steigenberger in Merano to the first Human-Rights-International (HRI) Award 2008. The highlight of this evening was the acceptance of the award by Nasrin Sotoudeh’s husband Reza Khandan Heris and her daughter Mahrawe. His speech together with the video message of Sotoudeh were moments of great emotion.

This meeting has been a success. The moment, when the HRI – award was handed over was accompanied by an atmosphere of intense feelings and emotions.

The meeting has been opened by the hosts Adi Pfitscher of HRI, of Bolzano, and Sissi Prader of the Women’s Museum of Merano. Both of them, were very disappointed, that Nasrin Sotoudeh couldn’t take part, but they were pleased to welcome Nasrin Sotoudeh’s husband Reza Khandan Heris and the daughter Mehrawe. Then the word was given to Marcella Pirrone, a wellknown lawyer in Bolzano, for her efforts for women’s rights. She took it as a great honour to moderate this meeting. The music for this occasion was played by Michael Lösch.

Vanda Carbone, representing the city of Merano, together with Maria Grazia Barbiero, representing woman’s affairs in the Italian Parliament remembered, that also the this year’s Alexander Langer Award winners weren’t allowed to come to the ceremony and until today we have no information about their destiny. Maria Grazia Barbiero thanked HRI and the Women’s museum for the networking and for giving the first HRI prize to a woman. In her speech she spoke about women’s rights, as a natural part of the human rights. She also made some examples where we see that there is a lot to do in this world.

Shirin Ebadi, the Nobel Prize Winner in 2003, was also in contact in a video conference. She congratulated her colleague Nasrin Sotoudeh. Astrid Schönwerger, the coordinator of the “womaninmuseum” network told that they are planning a Women’s Museum in Iran, the first one in an Islamic Republic.

After this Adi Pfitscher and Sissi Prader handed over a sum of 5.500,00€ to Nasrin Sotoudeh’s husband and daughter. Reza and Mehrawe thanked Adi and Sissi with a silver flower, for their engagement for the human rights in Iran.

Reza Khandan Heris thanked with the hand on his heart; he also read a letter of his wife, written by her after she was stopped from the Iranian authorities at the airport of Teheran. She is optimistic and is looking forward to meet another time in Italy or Iran. The highlight of this night was the video conference, where Nasrin explained the situation of the women in Iran: how difficult it is for brave women to fight for their rights, for human rights in general and for democracy. Although she declared to be convinced that the system in Iran can be changed, using peaceful and legal means.

Miss Ella Mohammadi from Rome, Shirin Ebadi’s personal translator, translated the whole evening the words of Nasrin, Reza and Shirin into the Italian language.

Pfitscher announced that the HRI award will be continued every three years.

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL

PUBLIC STATEMENT

 

AI Index: MDE 01/001/2008

11 December 2008

 

Human rights defenders barred from leaving Iran, Tunisia

 

As human rights activists across the world marked the 60^th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) yesterday, both the governments of Iran and Tunisia prevented leading human rights activists from travelling abroad.

 

Iranian security authorities barred lawyer and women’s rights activist Nasrin Sotoudeh from taking a flight from Tehran to Italy, where she was due to collect a human rights award, and Tunisian security authorities prevented two human rights defenders, journalist Lotfi Hidouri and lawyer Mohammed Abbou, from travelling from Tunis to attend a conference in Beirut organized by the World Association of Newspapers. These were the latest in a series of actions taken by the authorities in both Iran and Tunisia to prevent human rights activists taking part in activities abroad.

 

Nasrin Sotoudeh was stopped from taking her flight after she had passed through passport control at Tehran’s Emam Khomeni airport. Two security officials in plain clothes made her surrender her passport without explanation. She was due to be presented with an award by Human Rights International, an Italian human rights organization in Bolzano, Italy, on 12 December 2008. Her husband will now receive the award on her behalf. A member of the independent Defenders of Human Rights Centre in Iran and a lawyer, she has acted as defence counsel for human rights activists such as those charged for promoting the One Million Signature Campaign in support of equal rights for women, and juvenile offenders facing the death penalty.

 

In Tunisia, Lotfi Hidouri, who works for Kalima, an independent online news magazine and belongs to the National Council for Liberties in Tunisia, was detained by security officials when he attempted to take a flight from Tunis Carthage Airport to Beirut. He was handcuffed and taken to a police station in Ben Arous, south-east Tunis, ostensibly in order to appear before a public prosecutor today.

 

Mohammed Abbou was also prevented from travelling to attend the same event in Beirut on the grounds that he was unable to produce a document from the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights confirming that he is no longer restricted following his release from prison in July 2007. He was previously prevented from travelling in August 2007, when the authorities told him for the first time that he had been made subject to a one year travel ban at the time of his release. That ban should have elapsed at the end of July, but Abbou has received no official confirmation of this and was prevented from travelling to France in October 2008.

 

Meanwhile, Tunisian security authorities physically prevented members of the Tunisian League for Human Rights from entering the organization’s office in Tunis to commemorate the 60^th anniversary of the UDHR.

 

Amnesty International is calling on both the Iranian and Tunisian governments to lift the travel bans on these and other human rights activists and allow them to travel abroad in pursuit of their human rights work. It urges both governments to recognize the valuable role played by human rights defenders and to promote and support their work in line with the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders (as it is commonly known), adopted by the UN 10 years ago.

 

Background

Human rights activists in both Iran and Tunisia are subject to frequent harassment and intimidation by the security authorities in their countries, and prevented from travelling abroad to attend human rights training workshops and seminars and to collect awards. In most cases, they are not informed why they are not permitted to travel or under what legal authority, and they have no effective remedy against such bans. In October, the Iranian authorities prevented women’s rights activist Sussan Tahmasebi from travelling to South Africa to attend an international conference on women’s rights that was held in November. Previously, they barred Parvin Ardalan, another women’s rights activist, from travelling to Sweden to collect a human rights award in March 2008.

 

Public Document

****************************************

 

For more information please call Amnesty International’s press office in London, UK, on +44 20 7413 5566 or email: press@amnesty.org

 

International Secretariat, Amnesty International, 1 Easton St., London WC1X 0DW, UK www.amnesty.org