A/HRC/28/26 Iranian women who marry men from Iraq or Afghanistan are unable to pass on their Iranian nationality to their children, who thereby risk becoming stateless. Gender-discriminatory nationality laws often lead to the statelessness of women and children, or to situations where a woman, her children or husband are deprived of the nationality of the country where they reside.12 29. On 20 June 2014, Ghocheh Ghavami, a British-Iranian woman, was reportedly arrested and subsequently convicted to a year of imprisonment and a two-year travel ban for protesting peacefully against a State ban on Iranian women attending male volleyball and football games in a stadium. 13 She was reportedly held for 41 days in solitary confinement and charged with propaganda against the establishment and attending gatherings and demonstrations against the system.14 On 22 September, the Public Prosecutor dismissed claims that Ms. Ghavami had been detained for attending a sport event, explaining that she had been arrested because of her activities against the establishment and for her links with satellite channels, including BBC Persian.15 She was later released on bail for an amount equivalent to $37,000. 30. Women in the Islamic Republic of Iran are required to observe Islamic dress code in public places. The parliament reportedly recently approved a plan “on the protection of promoters of virtue and preventers of vice”, which would increase checks on improper veiling. In their comments on the present report, the Iranian authorities reported that the plan had been sent back to the parliament by the Guardian Council after it found 14 paragraphs in conflict with the Constitution. The morality police strictly monitor all public places, including vehicles, and take action against those who do not adhere to the morality codes. Women who appear without an Islamic hijab risk arrest and imprisonment of between 10 days and two months, or a fine of up to 500,000 rials. Approximately 30,000 women were reportedly arrested between 2003 and 2013, with many others subjected to expulsion from university or banned from entering public spaces, such as parks, cinemas, sport facilities, airports and beaches. 16 31. The acid attacks in October 2014 against six women for allegedly wearing improper hijab in Isfahan, Kermanshah and Tehran highlights the risks to health and safety run by women.17 The incidents drew considerable attention both domestically and internationally, with concerns being were expressed that the attacks might be linked to the approval of the plan on the protection of promoters of virtue and preventers of vice. On 22 October, security forces reportedly attacked with batons protestors who had gathered in front of the parliament to denounce the acid attacks.18 Journalists and activists were detained, including 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 In their comments on the present report, the Iranian authorities pointed out that a law adopted in 2006 provides that children born in the Islamic Republic of Iran from a marriage of an Iranian woman with a foreign man could be granted Iranian nationality if they had no criminal or national security-related record. PressTV, “Iran Judiciary rejects media propaganda on Qavami case”, 18 November 2014. Human Rights Watch, Iran: “Free Woman in Sports Protest Case”, 8 November 2014: PressTV, “Iranian-British national, Ghoncheh Qavami, released on bail”, 23 November 2014. PressTV, “Iran Judiciary rejects media propaganda on Qavami case”, 18 November 2014. Justice for Iran, “Disciplining Bodies, Diagnosing Identities, Mandatory Veiling, Mandatory Sterilization, Sexual Torture and the Right to Bodily Integrity in the Islamic Republic of Iran” submission for the universal periodic review of the Islamic Republic of Iran, 2014. International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, “Sotoudeh: Acid Attacks on Women Show ‘Plan to Promote Virtue’ Must Stop”, 22 October 2014. International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, “Protesters Deploring Acid Attacks against Women are Beaten and Arrested”, 24 October 2014. Saeed Kamali Dehghan, “Iranian journalists detained after reporting on acid attacks”, Guardian, 28 October 2014. 9