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Iran women in jail hunger strike Iran women in jail hunger strike
(about 4 hours later)
Thirty-three detained Iranian women activists have gone on hunger strike in prison, their relatives say. A group of Iranian women activists are continuing a hunger strike in prison, after eight of their number were freed.
They say the women are protesting over the continued detention of some group members who were expected to be freed. Thirty-three women were arrested on Sunday after staging a demonstration outside a courthouse in Tehran.
The women were arrested on Sunday after staging a demonstration outside a courthouse in the capital, Tehran. They were showing solidarity with five women on trial for organising an anti-discrimination protest in 2006.
They were showing solidarity with five women on trial for organising a protest last June against laws they said discriminated against women. Women activists say the crackdown is intended to prevent any kind of protests as Iran marks International Women's Day on 8 March.
The five have been charged with endangering national security, propaganda against the state and taking part in an illegal gathering. The five arrested last June have been charged with endangering national security, propaganda against the state and taking part in an illegal gathering.
'$50,000 bail''$50,000 bail'
The 33 women began the hunger strike in protest at the continued detention of at least seven of their younger colleagues, their families said. The women began the hunger strike in protest at the continued detention of at least seven of their younger colleagues, their families said.
The relatives of the seven women had been told earlier to expect their release but this did not happen, the BBC's Frances Harrison in Tehran says. Human-rights activists and family members confirmed up to eight women were subsequently released from jail.
Our correspondent reports that some relatives who had been waiting outside Tehran's Evin prison said they were told to go home and expect the women to return at night. But they also confirmed that those remaining in jail were continuing the hunger strike to press for their own release.
She says that some of the women have been able to telephone their families. The eight were told they were being transferred to another cell and had no idea they were about to be freed, the activists said.
The husband of one told the BBC that his wife had been asked for more than $50,000 (£26,000) as bail. Some of the jailed women have been able to telephone their families.
He said that when his wife said they could not afford it, she was told her case would be sent to the judiciary. The husband of one told the BBC his wife had been asked for more than $50,000 as bail, and when she said they could not afford it she was told her case would be sent to the judiciary.
Women activists believe this crackdown is to prevent any kind of protest on International Women's Day on 8 March, our correspondent says. The BBC's Frances Harrison in Tehran says different women's groups have announced plans to protest outside parliament and Tehran University on 8 March.
But, she says, different women's groups have announced plans to protest outside parliament and Tehran University.
One group even said it wanted to protest against the law that says Iranian women must wear Islamic dress.One group even said it wanted to protest against the law that says Iranian women must wear Islamic dress.