Iran (Islamic Republic of)

A group of United Nations independent human rights experts today warned that unreasonable limitations placed on the right of Iranian citizens to stand for Presidential office, discrimination against women candidates for elections and ongoing restrictions on freedoms of expression, association and peaceful assembly, constitute a serious violations of rights guaranteed by international law.

The first female candidate was registered for the upcoming presidential election in Iran, the Fars News Agency reported. Razieh Omidvar, 46, has submitted her registration to the election headquarters, and said that her goal is to improve the country's overall situation and to serve the public. The Iranian Constitution has not explicitly banned women from the post of presidency. Naturally, if Omidvar wins the elections, she will become the first ever female president of Islamic Republic of Iran.

 "The main obstacle for post-revolutionary Arab women is a "patriarchal culture" that imposes a false interpretation on Islam."

The spokesman for Parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, Hossein Naghavi-Hosseini, said Parliament was persuaded to consider the government's proposed bill after hearing reports from experts about problems with the current regulations.,

Some of the detained Iranian human rights activists were released on the International Women's Day. However, three women activists are still remaining in jail as reported by the Middle East Times.

Four women activists were arrested in Iran while collecting signitures for the campaign demanding changes in the discriminatory laws against women.
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