Spanish MEP sends letter to Iran pushing for the release of female prisoners

Spanish MEP, María Eugenia Rodríguez Palop has written to the high representative of the European Union, Federica Mogherini to push the Iranian government to release three Iranian women jailed for protesting the mandatory wearing of the Hijab.

The first vice president of the Commission on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality, María Eugenia Rodríguez Palop has asked that the charges be dropped and the women to be released after they were jailed for publically demonstrating against the wearing of a full veil during International Women’s Day, on March 8, which took place in the Tehran subway.

Arabshahi, Yasaman Aryani and Mojgan Keshavarz were sentenced to a total of 55 years in prison for breaking strict Islamic laws.

The Spanish government representative is concerned that the women have not had access to proper legal assistance at all stages of the process, including an appeal.

Palop is angered that this latest in a series of anti-hijab arrests “appears to be a strategy against women’s movements that defend their rights, like the so-called White Wednesday.”

Palop has also insisted that the women “have contact with their families and with those who will legally represent them” as written in the formal letter.