Iran frees women's rights activist: report
TEHRAN (AFP) — Iran has freed a women's rights activist in her fifties whose arrest prompted a public protest letter signed by hundreds of her fellow campaigners, the Kargozaran newspaper reported on Thursday.
It said that women's rights and environmental activist Khadijeh Moghaddam, 56, had been freed on Wednesday following her arrest on suspicion of "acting against national security" on April 8.
Her bail of one billion rials (110,000 dollars) was paid by an unidentified individual.
Moghaddam has been described as a pioneer in environmental protection in Iran, working for better waste management and protesting against deforestation.
She has also been involved with the "one million signatures" campaign -- an attempt to change Iranian laws that discriminate against women by collecting signatures online and in person.
Some 600 activists signed the letter demanding that "Khadijeh Moghaddam's illegal detention end as soon as possible," reformist media reports said earlier this week.
"Who would believe Moghaddam has harmed national security or caused public offence?" the letter asked.
Several women have been jailed for their involvement in the one million signatures campaign as Iran has stepped up arrests of human rights campaigners and trade unionists over the past year.
The campaign was launched after a June 2006 demonstration for equal rights for women in inheritance, divorce and child custody, at which nearly 70 protesters were arrested amid allegations of police brutality.
Meanwhile, student activist Behrouz Karimi was released after four months in jail on a bail of 3 billion rials (330,000 dollars) paid by his family, Kargozaran reported.
