Women’s Rights, the Veil and Islamic and religious laws

To mark International Women's Day, a seminar entitled Women's Rights, the Veil and Islamic and religious laws will be held at the University of London Union from 6 - 10pm.

The seminar is co-sponsored by the International Campaign in Defence of Women’s Right in Iran-UK and the National Secular Society and the Gay and Lesbian Humanist Association.

The speakers are:

Sonja Eggerickx: President of the International Humanist and Ethical Union
Ann Harrison: Researcher, Middle East and North Africa Department of Amnesty International’s International Secretariat
Maryam Namazie: Director of the Worker-communist Party of Iran’s International Relations Committee, 2005 National Secular Society’s Secularist of the Year Award, Winner and producer of International TV.
Taslima Nasrin: Physician, writer, radical feminist, human rights activist and secular humanist

In Iran yesterday, over 30 women were arrested and charged with endangering national security, propaganda against the state and taking part in an illegal gathering after protesting outside the court where 5 women were being tried for organising a protest last June against laws discriminating against women.

There will also be a showing - for the first time - of a short film “In the name of honor” by Reza Moradi.

Reza Moradi famously errupted in anger during Tony Benn's speech at the The War Coalition's "Time To Go" rally when some of the "peace demonstrators" in the crowd started waving Iranian flags. "We will not allow it! We will not alow the Islamic Regime to be represented here!" Moradi exclaimed, while attempting to explain what the Islamic Republic of Iran's flag meant to socialists, trade unionists, human rights activits and others who had been on the receiving end of torture, imprisonment and execution. His protestations, of course, fell on deaf ears, as the StWC stewards pushed him around and allowed the triumphant fascists to wave the flags in his face.

Admission is free

University of London Union
Room 3D, Malet Street, London WC1E 7HY
(Nearest underground stations: Russell Square, Goodge Street)

For more info, call 07719111738 or 07950924434