Several women who had attempted to gather in Tehran to mark International Women’s Day have been detained, reports said.
Sharq newspaper also reports the arrest of two journalists during the attempted gathering. One of the journalists, Ali Salem was badly assaulted during his arrest, according Free Trade Union of Iran and social media posts.
Women’s rights activists had announced that they would stage a peaceful protest outside the Labor Ministry in the Iranian capital on March 8 to call for more rights.
“On this one day, out of an entire year, we as women of this country should be able to make these cities our own, stay in the streets, and return to our homes at days’ end, without having our bones crushed,” they said in a statement issued earlier this week.
Women and men who attempted to gather for the demonstration were confronted by security forces who dispersed them, according to social-media accounts.
Social media posts also speak of security personnel using force against the participants.
More than a dozen people were reportedly detained.