Iran releases 8 women's rights activists from jail

By Agence France Presse (AFP).

TEHRAN: Eight Iranian women's rights activists arrested during a demonstration this week have been released but 25 others still detained are on hunger strike, one of their lawyers said on Wednesday. Thirty-three women's rights activists were arrested in Sunday's demonstration outside a revolutionary court where five other feminists were standing trial. "Eight of the 33 detained activists were released on Tuesday evening," lawyer Nisrine Sotoudeh said. "The hunger strike goes on. We hope they are all released before March 8." She added that two activists, Parvin Ardalan and Mahnaz Mohammadi, "who suffer from multiple sclerosis, are in bad health and the prison officials are refusing to deliver their medicine." Sotoudeh said the authorities have asked for a hefty bail of 500,000 rials (about $54,000) each for three of the detainees, and three others "have been transferred to the inmates' section, which has poor conditions." - AFP