今年７月のアジア太平洋NGOフォーラムにも参加されていた、イランのジャーナリストで活動家のMahboobeh Abbasgholizadeh さんが１１月１日に自宅で逮捕され、安全が懸念されています（イランでは逮捕されたカナダ人ジャーナリストの女性が獄中で不審死を遂げるという事件が最近起きています）。家族も弁護士も接見を許されていないそうです。「イスラム法下の女性たち（WLUML）」ほかいくつかのNGOが、彼女の安全と正義を守るために行動を呼びかけています。いちばん簡単な方法は、以下のサイトでサインをすることです。
http://www.petitiononline.com/mahboube/petition.html
また、それぞれ手紙を出すこともWLUMLは推奨しています。以下がサンプルレターになります。

SAMPLE LETTER

Your Excellency,

We write to express our deep concern at the arrest of Khanum Mahboobeh Abbasgholizadeh on November 1st 2004 from Tehran, apparently on the orders of the Prosecutor of Tehran. We are distressed by the fact that Ms. Abbasgholizadeh has been detained for a week now without any formal charges being framed, and that Ms. Abbasgholizadeh has not been allowed to exercise her right to legal counsel. We are equally dismayed that not even her family, including her two daughters, has been allowed to meet Ms. Abbasgholizadeh and that no information has been given to the family about where she is being detained.

Ms. Abbasgholizadeh, who has worked for many years as a journalist, is currently the editor of Farzaneh Journal, and the Director of the NGO Training Centre. As the first journal of women’s studies in Iran, Farzaneh has helped make visible the progress made by Iranian women and the vibrancy of intellectual debate within Iran. As Director of the NGO Training Centre, Ms. Abbasgholizdeh is contributing to the development of civil society in Iran, an essential component of all modern societies.

We are indeed astonished that a woman such as Ms. Abbasgholizadeh, who has served her country, has devoted her life to the improvement of women’s lives and has come to be known as one of the most respected representatives of Iranian women in the international community, should be treated in this way.

Ms. Abbasgholizadeh’s arrest follows a wave of other arrests of web-log writers and closure of on-line journals. We are extremely worried that her arrest marks the start of a campaign against women’s NGOs and civil society organizations in Iran.

Given the current international environment, it is important that the Iranian government ensures that those who have been contributing positively by providing a more rational perspective on Iran to the international community, such as journalists, academics and civil society groups, are encouraged to continue to play their positive and constructive role for the further development of their country.

We call upon you to ensure the safety and security of Ms. Abbasgholizdeh and her immediate and unconditional release.

Yours sincerely

Please send letters to:

President:
His Excellency Hojjatoleslam Sayed Mohammad Khatami
The Presidency
Palestine Avenue, Azerbaijan Intersection, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Fax: +98 21 649 5880
E-mail: khatami@president.ir
(Salutation: Your Excellency)

Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran:
His Excellency Ayatollah Sayed Ali Khamenei
c/o The Presidency
Palestine Avenue, Azerbaijan Intersection, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Fax: +98 21 650203 (this is via the Interior Ministry, ask for fax to be forwarded)
Email: info@wilayah.net
(Salutation: Your Excellency)

Minister of Foreign Affairs
His Excellency Kamal Kharazi
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Email: matbuat@mfa.gov.ir

Head of the Judiciary
His Excellency Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi
Ministry of Justice, Park-e Shahr, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Email: irjpr@iranjudiciary.org (mark ‘Please forward to HE Ayatollah Shahroudi’)
(Salutation: Your Excellency)

Nasser Qavami, Head Judicial & Legal Affairs Committee:
Majles-e Shura-ye Eslami
Imam Khomeini Avenue, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Fax: +98 21 646 1746 (occasionally difficult to reach, please be patient)
(Salutation: Dear Sir)