WE ARE ALL SHIVA - 8 WAYS TO HELP
Friday, August 27, 2010 at 10:00am
8 WAYS YOU CAN HELP
CAMPAIGN IN SUPPORT OF SHIVA NAZAR AHARI
Human right defender detained at Evin prison
http://www.chrr.biz/shiva/index-en.php
I am asking you for your support.
Her family has been intimidated into silence - Be their voice.
Think of Shiva this brave and intelligent 27 year old woman as your sister, as your daughter and speak up for her. International support is crucial in Shiva’s defence and SHE needs your help
Ways you can help Shiva:
1. Write Letter (sample letter and addresses http://www.chrr.biz/shiva/spip.php?article17 )
Write to the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, Ayatollah Khamenei
Write to the Head of Judiciary, Ayatollah Sadegh Larijani
Write to the Director of Human Rights, Dr Ali Larijani
2. Write Letter to your local Iranian Embassy (email addresses can be viewed here http://www.chrr.biz/shiva/spip.php?article17 )
3. Tell your local /national press about Shiva’s story (some addresses can be viewed here http://www.chrr.biz/shiva/spip.php?article17 )
4. Tell your local member of parliament or representative
5. Sign the Reporters from Borders Petition
http://www.reporter-ohne-grenzen.de/kampagnen-aktionen/petition-iran/petition-iran.html
6. Send Shiva a postcard to Evin Prison
7. Make a video message of support and email it to cmpgnforshiva@gmail.com
8. <span>Organise or join </span>a demonstration near you on 2 or 3 September wearing a face
mask of Shiva. DETAILS WILL BE POSTED ON Take a photograph and send us the photo:
cmpgnforshiva@gmail.com
Please do one do all
but help Shiva and
whatever you choose to do don’t forget to let us know
cmpgnforshiva@gmail.com
http://www.chrr.biz/shiva/index-en.php
‘Vibrant’, ‘compassionate’, ‘selfless’, ‘dedicated’, ‘courageous’, ‘extraordinary human being’ are all words used to describe Shiva. Shiva Nazar Ahari was born after the Islamic Revolution. She was brought up in a system that identified her and the women in my country as second class citizens. An oil rich country where millions sleep hungry every night and thousands of children are forced into labour every year.
Only a teenager and still at school she started teaching these children to read and write, spoke out about the injustices of inequality and got arrested for having two white candles in her bag at a vigil for the victims of September 11. Shiva came out of prison and set about defending the rights of political prisoners. Demanding justice with the families of political prisoners outside the UN building in Tehran she was arrested again.
Not deterred, she helped found the Student Committee of Human Rights Reporters while at university. She became a “Star Student” - not a reflection of her academic achievements but a mark of prohibition. Star Students are banned from further education. Shiva started paying the cost of fighting for equality and human rights in Iran.
Shiva is still paying the price. Her home was raided by agents of Ministry of Intelligence in the early hours of 14 June 2009, just over twenty four hours after the tenth presidential elections in Iran. Shiva wasn’t home. A few hours later Shiva was arrested from her place of work. No one knew where she was taken. Her mother, her father both seriously ill started looking for her. Shiva was detained in solitary confinement at Evin Prison. She remained there until half a million dollars was demanded as bail. Impossible! Finally, Shiva was conditionally released in September - her family putting up the equivalent of two hundred thousand dollars.
Shiva being Shiva, as soon as she was out started a campaign in support of Atefeh Nabavi, a young woman she had come to know while in prison. Atefeh had been ill treated and raped following her arrest. Within weeks Shiva was behind bars again. Today, she is at Evin prison waiting for her trial on 4 September. She is charged on three counts: propaganda against the regime, collusion to commit a crime and Moharebeh (enmity against God).
People who know her by reputation, families whose lives she has touched and all who know her are outraged by these fabricated charges. Shiva’s only crime is that of caring and of not remaining silent in the face of injustice. Any one who has had any association with her will bear witness to her extraordinary resolve and her selfless love for others.
There is growing concern over the irrational, unpredictable and illegal behaviour of the prosecutors and judges in passing sentences where there is complete disregard for Iran’s national laws and international commitments and obligations. The charge of Moharebeh carries a long prison term and even the maximum penalty of death. Her colleagues at the renamed Committee of Human Rights Reporters along with many human rights defenders have set up an international campaign in her support.
CAMPAIGN IN SUPPORT OF SHIVA NAZAR AHARI
Human right defender detained at Evin prison
http://www.chrr.biz/shiva/index-en.php
I am asking you for your support.
Her family has been intimidated into silence - Be their voice.
Think of Shiva this brave and intelligent 27 year old woman as your sister, as your daughter and speak up for her. International support is crucial in Shiva’s defence and SHE needs your help
Ways you can help Shiva:
1. Write Letter (sample letter and addresses http://www.chrr.biz/shiva/spip.php?article17 )
Write to the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, Ayatollah Khamenei
Write to the Head of Judiciary, Ayatollah Sadegh Larijani
Write to the Director of Human Rights, Dr Ali Larijani
2. Write Letter to your local Iranian Embassy (email addresses can be viewed here http://www.chrr.biz/shiva/spip.php?article17 )
3. Tell your local /national press about Shiva’s story (some addresses can be viewed here http://www.chrr.biz/shiva/spip.php?article17 )
4. Tell your local member of parliament or representative
5. Sign the Reporters from Borders Petition
http://www.reporter-ohne-grenzen.de/kampagnen-aktionen/petition-iran/petition-iran.html
6. Send Shiva a postcard to Evin Prison
7. Make a video message of support and email it to cmpgnforshiva@gmail.com
8. <span>Organise or join </span>a demonstration near you on 2 or 3 September wearing a face
mask of Shiva. DETAILS WILL BE POSTED ON Take a photograph and send us the photo:
cmpgnforshiva@gmail.com
Please do one do all
but help Shiva and
whatever you choose to do don’t forget to let us know
cmpgnforshiva@gmail.com
http://www.chrr.biz/shiva/index-en.php
‘Vibrant’, ‘compassionate’, ‘selfless’, ‘dedicated’, ‘courageous’, ‘extraordinary human being’ are all words used to describe Shiva. Shiva Nazar Ahari was born after the Islamic Revolution. She was brought up in a system that identified her and the women in my country as second class citizens. An oil rich country where millions sleep hungry every night and thousands of children are forced into labour every year.
Only a teenager and still at school she started teaching these children to read and write, spoke out about the injustices of inequality and got arrested for having two white candles in her bag at a vigil for the victims of September 11. Shiva came out of prison and set about defending the rights of political prisoners. Demanding justice with the families of political prisoners outside the UN building in Tehran she was arrested again.
Not deterred, she helped found the Student Committee of Human Rights Reporters while at university. She became a “Star Student” - not a reflection of her academic achievements but a mark of prohibition. Star Students are banned from further education. Shiva started paying the cost of fighting for equality and human rights in Iran.
Shiva is still paying the price. Her home was raided by agents of Ministry of Intelligence in the early hours of 14 June 2009, just over twenty four hours after the tenth presidential elections in Iran. Shiva wasn’t home. A few hours later Shiva was arrested from her place of work. No one knew where she was taken. Her mother, her father both seriously ill started looking for her. Shiva was detained in solitary confinement at Evin Prison. She remained there until half a million dollars was demanded as bail. Impossible! Finally, Shiva was conditionally released in September - her family putting up the equivalent of two hundred thousand dollars.
Shiva being Shiva, as soon as she was out started a campaign in support of Atefeh Nabavi, a young woman she had come to know while in prison. Atefeh had been ill treated and raped following her arrest. Within weeks Shiva was behind bars again. Today, she is at Evin prison waiting for her trial on 4 September. She is charged on three counts: propaganda against the regime, collusion to commit a crime and Moharebeh (enmity against God).
People who know her by reputation, families whose lives she has touched and all who know her are outraged by these fabricated charges. Shiva’s only crime is that of caring and of not remaining silent in the face of injustice. Any one who has had any association with her will bear witness to her extraordinary resolve and her selfless love for others.
There is growing concern over the irrational, unpredictable and illegal behaviour of the prosecutors and judges in passing sentences where there is complete disregard for Iran’s national laws and international commitments and obligations. The charge of Moharebeh carries a long prison term and even the maximum penalty of death. Her colleagues at the renamed Committee of Human Rights Reporters along with many human rights defenders have set up an international campaign in her support.
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