Tehran, YJC. The EUHR’s meeting with a number of women’s rights activists has been subject to much criticism calling the activists seditionists of the 09 election.
After
meeting Iran’s political leaders, the High Representative of the Union for
Foreign Affairs and Security Policy for the European Union met a number of
women’s rights activists in Tehran.
Catherin
Ashton left Iran but the Foreign Ministry is under heavy criticism especially
by parliament members who say the visits were not coordinated. They further blast
the visits by relating the activists to post-09 election events.
Narges
Mohammadi, one of the activists whom Ashton visited, has said that the visit
has been completely official and that she had been given official invitation
before the meeting.
Speaking
in interview with Radio Farda she stated "As Mrs. Ashton’s trip to Iran coincided
with the international women’s day she would have liked to see some activist
women. So they sent me an invitation which I accepted and we met her on that
day.”
She
further said "Whenever the talks are about women they can cover a large range
of issues relating to women’s activities and rights. Human rights were
discussed as well as current circumstances, what women demand and what their
situations are and what priorities their demands address.”
"We
talked also about human rights. The thing I said there of course was in relations
to the necessity to form the civil society, since I believe that for it to be
realized would meet many demands by various strata of society, including women.
These were topics Mrs. Ashton and I talked about,” Mohammadi stated.