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Mehrangiz Kar is a human rights lawyer, writer, essayist, and former editor of the now-banned Zan literary review. Her work as an activist for women's rights often put her in conflict with Iranian authorities. Kar has published widely on women's issues in Iran. Her publications include Children of Addiction: Social and Legal Position of the Children of Addicted Parents in Iran (1990); Quest for Identity: the Image of Iranian Women in Prehistory and History Vol.1 and 11, (Vol.1 1992, volume 11 compiled and ready for print), which she co-edited with Shahla Lahiji, Iran's first woman publisher; Angel of Justice and Patches of Hell, a collection of essays which look at the status and position of women in pre- and post-revolutionary Iran; Women in the Iranian Labor Market (1994); and Legal Structure of the Family System in Iran.
Case history:
Kar was arrested with publisher Shahla Lahiji on April 29, 2000;
they were among 19 prominent Iranian writers and intellectuals who
were subsequently tried for participating in an academic and cultural
conference held at the Heinrich Böll Institute in Berlin on April 7-9
entitled "Iran after the elections," at which political and social
reform in Iran were publicly debated.
They were detained in Evin Prison until they were both released on bail on June 21, 2000. Kar and Lahiji were tried in closed hearings at Iran's Revolutionary Court and on January 13, 2001 were convicted and sentenced to four years' imprisonment on charges of acting against national security and disseminating propaganda against the Islamic regime. Kar is believed to have been facing additional charges at the Civil Court for violating the observance of hejab (the full head and body covering required of women), denying its necessity in Islam, and propagating against the Islamic Republic of Iran. Accusations relating to the observance of hejab are reportedly particularly common against women whom the authorities wish to intimidate and harass.
Current status:
Mehrangiz Kar's appeal hearing concluded in November 2001; however,
the verdict was not announced until February 2002. Both Kar's and
Lahiji's sentences were reduced to six months' imprisonment, calculated
as time served (two months' imprisonment) plus a 500,000 rial fine.
She is currently residing in the United States, where she is receiving
ongoing medical treatment for breast cancer. She is expected to return
to Iran when the treatment is completed.
Mehrangiz Kar is also an Honorary Member of the Canadian and English
PEN Centers.
PEN believes that Mehrangiz Kar's conviction should be reversed;
however, no further action is requested at this time.