Nobel laureate Ebadi says Iran arrested her sister
Dr. Sir John Howard, AC, WSCMoF
Iranian Nobel winner Shirin Ebadi said Tuesday intelligence agents have arrested
her sister as the regime stepped up its crackdown on dissent, a statement
carried on an opposition website said.
"My sister Dr Nooshin Ebadi was arrested at 9 pm (1630 GMT) on December 28 by
four intelligence agents at her home and sent to prison," Ebadi said in a
statement carried by the Rahesabz website.
"I am not aware of the place of her detention or the reason for her arrest," she
said, describing her sister as a professor of medicine.
Three journalists and a women's rights campaigner have also been arrested,
reports said.
Prominent reformist journalist Mashallah Shamsolvaezin was arrested at his home
on Tuesday morning, Rahesabz said.
"Six young men in plainclothes entered his house with a blank warrant, he
resisted and asked for one with a name," the website said.
"But an hour later, four older men showed up and threatened to take him forcibly
if he did not go with them."
Journalist Morteza Kazemian, who wrote for reformist Etemad newspaper and some
opposition websites, and women's rights activist Mansoureh Shojai were arrested
around midnight (1930 GMT) on Monday, Rahesabz said.
Iranian MPs called for the "maximum punishment" of opposition demonstrators on
Tuesday after violent protests erupted during a Shiite religious commemoration
and eight people were killed. Related article: Recent key events in Iran.
The conservative-dominated parliament condemned "disgusting comments" by Western
governments about Sunday's unrest and accused the protesters of being
"anti-religion" and "counter-revolutionaries."
"Parliament wants the judiciary and intelligence bodies to arrest those who
insult religion and impose the maximum punishment on them without reservation,"
said the statement read out by parliament speaker Ali Larijani on television.
But the MPs appeared to be softer on opposition leaders, who reject President
Mahmoud Ahmadienjad's June re-election as fraudulent, and urged them to distance
themselves from the protests.
"We expect these gentlemen who had complaints in the election to wake up and
clearly separate their path from this wicked movement, not to come out and issue
statements again and make the air dustier."
The MPs hit out at US President Barack Obama over his "statement in favour of
this group which committed anti-religion acts on Ashura" and said it was
reminiscent of his predecessor George W. Bush.
"Such praise disgraces you and causes the system to act more firmly," the
statement said.
Obama demanded on Monday that Iran free those protesters it had detained and
told the opposition that history was on its side as he led Western nations in
denouncing the Islamic regime's deadly crackdown.
"The United States joins with the international community in strongly condemning
the violent and unjust suppression of innocent Iranian citizens," Obama said in
Hawaii where he is on holiday.
At least eight people were killed as security forces used teargas, batons and
eventually live rounds to push back thousands who had taken to the street.
More than a dozen dissidents were also rounded up as the regime stepped up its
crackdown on opposition. Related article: West slams Iran crackdown.
The nephew of opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi -- Ahmadinejad's main
challenger in the disputed June election -- was also shot dead in the demonstration.
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