SITUATION FOR WOMEN AND NGOS IN IRAN DETERIORATING, SAYS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 IRAN RPO DUBAI 000009 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/2/2016 TAGS: IR PGOV PHUM SUBJECT: SITUATION FOR WOMEN AND NGOS IN IRAN DETERIORATING, SAYS WOMEN'S RIGHTS ACTIVIST RPO DUBAI 00000009 001.3 OF 002 CLASSIFIED BY: JILLIAN BURNS, DIRECTOR, IRAN REGIONAL PRESENCE OFFICE, DEPARTMENT OF STATE. REASON: 1.4 (D) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: AN IRANIAN PROFESSOR AND WOMENS RIGHTS ACTIVIST DESCRIBED GOVERNMENT PRESSURE ON ACTIVISTS AND NGOS IN IRAN FOR IRAN REGIONAL PRESENCE OFFICE (IRPO) DIRECTOR AND IRPOFF. SHE SAID THE SITUATION FOR WOMEN IN IRAN HAS DETERIORATED UNDER THE AHMADINEJAD PRESIDENCY. WHILE THE POLICE CRACKDOWN ON TWO MAJOR WOMENS RIGHTS DEMONSTRATIONS THIS YEAR CAUGHT HEADLINES, MUCH OF THE PRESSURE HAS BEEN MORE SUBTLE. THIS INCLUDES PLACING NGOS IN UNCERTAIN LEGAL STATUS, KEEPING A RATING SYSTEM ON LEVELS OF POLITICAL ACTIVISM AMONG STUDENTS, AND OFFERING INCENTIVES FOR UNIVERSITY PROFESSORS TO SPEND THEIR SABBATICALS IN RELIGIOUS SCHOOLS. END SUMMARY. WOMEN'S RIGHTS DEMONSTRATIONS DISRUPTED -------------- ¶2. (C) IRAN REGIONAL PRESENCE OFFICE (IRPO) DIRECTOR AND IRPOFF MET WITH AN IRANIAN SOCIAL SCIENCE PROFESSOR AND WOMEN'S RIGHT ACTIVIST ON OCTOBER 29 TO DISCUSS THE SITUATION FOR WOMEN UNDER THE AHMADINEJAD GOVERNMENT. THE ACTIVIST NOTED THAT THE ATMOSPHERE FOR SOCIAL ACTIVISM HAS DETERIORATED SIGNIFICANTLY SINCE THE ELECTION OF PRESIDENT AHMADINEJAD. WHEN ASKED ABOUT THE TWO WOMEN'S RIGHTS DEMONSTRATIONS BROKEN UP BY POLICE THIS YEAR, SHE DESCRIBED SOME OF THE BACKGROUND TO THE EVENTS AND WHAT FACTORS MAY HAVE AGGRAVATED THE SITUATION. IN THE CASE OF THE MARCH 8 DEMONSTRATION FOR INTERNATIONAL WOMENS DAY, THE ORGANIZERS HAD APPLIED FOR A PERMIT TO HOLD THE DEMONSTRATION AT TEHRAN UNIVERSITY. TWENTY MINUTES BEFORE THE DEMONSTRATION WAS TO BEGIN, THEY HEARD THEIR PERMIT WAS DENIED, TOO LATE TO INFORM PEOPLE. POLICE USED BATONS TO BEAT DEMONSTRATORS, INCLUDING RENOWNED SEPTUAGENARIAN POET AND ACTIVIST SIMIN BEHBEHANI. ¶3. (C) THE PROFESSOR THEN DESCRIBED THE PLANNING FOR THE JUNE 12 DEMONSTRATION TO PROTEST UNEQUAL RIGHTS FOR WOMEN UNDER IRANIAN LAW. DEMONSTRATORS CALLED FOR LEGAL GENDER EQUALITY, INCLUDING EQUAL RIGHTS IN DIVORCE, CHILD CUSTODY, INHERITANCE, AND COURT TESTIMONY, BEFORE THE RALLY WAS BROKEN UP BY THE POLICE. SHE MADE CLEAR THAT SHE DISAGREED WITH THE DECISIONS OF THE 10 OR SO ORGANIZERS. THEY DECIDED NOT TO APPLY FOR A PERMIT, OUT OF CERTAINTY THEY WOULD BE DENIED. THE PROFESSOR ARGUED THAT NOT AT LEAST GOING THROUGH THE MOTIONS OF APPLYING FOR A PERMIT ASSURED THEM A CHARGE OF ILLEGAL ACTIVITY. INSTEAD OF HOLDING THE DEMONSTRATION AT THE UNIVERSITY AGAIN, WHERE THEY WOULD LIKELY DRAW A SYMPATHETIC CROWD, THE ORGANIZERS CHOSE A BUSY INTERSECTION IN CENTRAL TEHRAN, FILLED WITH WORKING CLASS BUS AND TAXI DRIVERS WHO MET THEM WITH INDIFFERENCE OR HOSTILITY. ¶4. (C) ANOTHER IMPORTANT FACTOR DIFFERENTIATING THE 2006 RALLIES WITH A MORE SUCCESSFUL 2005 WOMEN'S DEMONSTRATION, THE ACTIVIST EXPLAINED, WAS THAT THE 2005 RALLY WAS HELD SHORTLY BEFORE THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS, WHEN NUMEROUS FOREIGN CORRESPONDENTS WERE IN TOWN. SHE BELIEVES THE GOVERNMENT TOLERATED THE EVENT BECAUSE IT DID NOT WANT PICTURES OF A CRACKDOWN ON A DEMONSTRATION GETTING INTERNATIONAL PLAY. ¶5. (C) THE PROFESSOR ALSO NOTED OTHER SPLITS IN THE WOMEN'S RIGHTS FIELD. WHEN SHARLA SHERKAT, THE EDITOR OF THE PROGRESSIVE MAGAZINE ZANAN (WOMEN),PUBLICLY DISAGREED WITH THE DECISIONS OF THE EVENT ORGANIZERS, SHE WAS CRITICIZED FOR NOT MAINTAINING SOLIDARITY. NGOS, ACTIVISTS AND PROFESSORS UNDER INCREASED SCRUTINY -------------- -------------- ¶6. (C) THE PROFESSOR ALSO DISCUSSED LESS OVERT PRESSURES ON CIVIL SOCIETY. A NUMBER OF NGOS HAVE BEEN LEFT IN LEGAL LIMBO AFTER THE MINISTRY OF INTERIOR IN EARLY 2006 INSTRUCTED THEM TO FILE FOR NEW PERMITS. THOSE NGOS THAT DID NOT FILE THE REQUEST ARE NOW VULNERABLE TO ACCUSATIONS OF OPERATING WITHOUT A PERMIT. THOSE THAT DID FILE THE PAPERWORK HAVE STILL NOT RECEIVED A RESPONSE BY LATE OCTOBER, MEANING THEY TOO COULD BE ACCUSED OF OPERATING WITHOUT A PERMIT. 7.(C) THE ACTIVIST NOTED THAT PUBLICATIONS TARGETED TOWARD WOMEN AND FEATURING ARTICLES ABOUT WOMEN'S ADVANCEMENT, SUCH AS THE MAGAZINE ZANAN (WOMEN) STILL PUBLISH, BUT DO SO CAREFULLY, WITH A DEGREE OF SELF-CENSORSHIP. AT THE SAME TIME, THE HEAD OF THE PRESIDENT'S OFFICE FOR WOMEN -- WHOSE APPOINTMENT WAS CRITICIZED FOR HER LACK OF BACKGROUND IN WOMEN'S ISSUES -- HAS PUBLISHED A SERIES OF UNFAVORABLE ARTICLES ABOUT FEMINISM, SUCH AS "FEMINISM AND PROSTITUTION." 8.(C) THE PROFESSOR NOTED THAT THE SITUATION FOR HER FELLOW ACTIVISTS, PARTICULARLY STUDENTS, HAS SIGNIFICANTLY DETERIORATED B T #0009 N -- END OF ERRORED MESSAGE -- RPO DUBAI 00000009 002.3 OF 002 THIS YEAR. DISCUSSING THE ARREST OF FORMER MAJLES DEPUTY AND HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST ALI AKBAR MUSAVI KHOINI AT THE JUNE 12 DEMONSTRATION, SHE SAID HE HAD BEEN UNDER SURVEILLANCE FOR SOME TIME FOR HIS WORK WITH THE STUDENT ACTIVIST ORGANIZATION, OFFICE FOR CONSOLIDATING UNITY, AND THAT THE GOVERNMENT WAS LOOKING FOR A REASON TO ARREST HIM. HIS PARTICIPATION IN THE WOMEN'S RIGHTS RALLY PROVIDED THAT REASON, SHE OPINED. 9.(C) THE ACTIVIST ALSO EXPLAINED THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS DEVISED A THREE-STARRED SYSTEM FOR RATING STUDENTS' LEVELS OF POLITICAL ACTIVISM. ONE STAR DENOTES THAT A FILE IS OPEN ON THAT STUDENT; TWO STARS MEANS THAT THE STUDENT IS UNDER SURVEILLANCE; THREE STARS INDICATES THAT THE STUDENT MAY NOT BE PERMITTED TO RE-REGISTER FOR CLASSES. THE GOVERNMENT REPORTEDLY DENIED THE EXISTENCE OF SUCH A SYSTEM, BUT A GROUP OF STUDENTS WHO HAD RECEIVED THESE STAR RATINGS PUBLISHED A LIST OF THEIR NAMES AND RATINGS TO PROVE THE EXISTENCE OF THE SYSTEM. ¶10. (C) THERE HAVE BEEN PURGES OF LIBERAL AND SECULAR UNIVERSITY PROFESSORS, THE ACTIVIST CONFIRMED. SHE NOTED THAT THE PURGES HAVE PARTICULARLY AFFECTED THE HUMANITIES DISCIPLINE RATHER THAN SCIENCES, SUCH AS MATHEMATICS OR ECONOMICS. SOME PROFESSORS ARE FIRED, SOME ARE FORCED TO RETIRE, AND STILL OTHERS ARE SIMPLY NOT PROMOTED TO FULL PROFESSORSHIPS. SHE NOTED THAT THE GOVERNMENT IS OFFERING INCENTIVES FOR PROFESSORS TO STUDY AND TEACH TOPICS THAT ARE "MORE ISLAMIC." FOR EXAMPLE, THE QVERNMENT OFFERS FULL FUNDING FOR SABBATICALS ONLY IF THE PROFESSORS GO TO THE HOWZEHS (SEMINARY SCHOOLS) IN IRAN'S MAJOR RELIGIOUS CENTERS, QOM OR MASHHAD. SABBATICALS IN WESTERN COUNTRIES ARE NOT SIMILARLY FUNDED, AND THOSE PROFESSORS WHO GO ON SABBATICAL OR TAKE UP VISITING PROFESSORSHIPS IN THE UNITED STATES ARE PLACED UNDER GREATER SCRUTINY. THAT FACT WAS NOT STOPPING HER, HOWEVER, FROM APPLYING FOR A VISA TO GIVE A SEMINAR AT AN AMERICAN UNIVERSITY. ¶11. (C) COMMENT: THIS SOURCE'S COMMENTS TRACK WITH SIMILAR REPORTS THAT THE GOVERNMENT IS WORKING, IN A SLOW AND RELATIVELY QUIET MANNER TO REVERSE MANY OF THE ADVANCES MADE UNDER FORMER PRESIDENT KHATAMI. NONETHELESS, SHE MADE CLEAR THAT SOME ACTIVISTS HAD NOT YET BEEN DETERRED FROM THEIR WORK. BURNS B T #0009 N -- END OF ERRORED MESSAGE --