Three Iranian Women Protesters Still Detained

All but three of a group of women arrested during a peaceful protest in Tehran on March 4 have been released.

More than 30 women had been detained as they protested the trial of four women's rights advocates charged in connection with a peaceful protest in June 2006 against discriminatory laws.

One of the released protesters, Shahla Entesari, told Radio Farda that women's rights activists were planning to gather today in front of parliament to mark international Women's Day and call for equality.

"We will be there and we have called on women [to join us], we will emphasize our democratic demands and will try to prevent violence by acting peacefully," she said.

The UN and several human rights organizations inside and outside Iran had condemned the arrests and called on Iran to end the persecution of women's rights activists.

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