Monmouth Amnesty International Group marked Human Rights Day (10th December) by supporting two women in Iran who have been punished for supporting the right of women to choose what they wear.

Yasaman Aryani, who walked through a women-only train carriage in Tehran on International Women’s Day (8th March 2019) with her hair uncovered and handed out white flowers. She spoke of her hopes for a future where women would have the freedom to choose what they wear. She has been sentenced to 16 years in prison.

Nasrin Sotoudeh, a human rights lawyer in Iran, who faces imprisonment for 38 years and 148 lashes. Her crime is to have given legal representation to women who had peacefully protested against a law which forces them to cover their head in public.

To highlight the plight of these women the group re-decorated the Amnesty Tree in Chippenham Fields, opposite Waitrose car park, with white flowers. Group members also sent letters of protest to Iranian officials.

The Monmouth Group is holding its annual Write for Rights event in Monmouth Priory on Saturday 21st December from 10am-12pm. Members of the public can join millions of others in supporting these women and others by sending a message of hope to victims of human rights abuse across the globe in Amnesty International’s Write for Rights campaign.

Monmouth Amnesty group will provide cards, tea, coffee and cake!

Stuart Penny (Chair, Monmouth Amnesty International Group)