Sadr Released; Nicaragua's Abortion Ban Deadly

By Kayla Hutzler

WeNews correspondent

Saturday, August 1, 2009

Cheers and Jeers

(WOMENSENEWS)--

Cheers

Shadi Sadr was released on July 28 from the Evin Prison, north of Tehran. She had been held there since July 17 after was arrested on her way to a prayer service, reported Iran Human Rights, a group of international activists who lobby for human rights in Iran. Sadr, a Women's eNews 21 Leader for the 21st Century 2004, is a women's rights advocate, lawyer and journalist who has had clashes with police ever since her two-week jail stay in 2004. Three other female women's rights activists remain in prison: Shiva Nazar Ahari, Kaveh Mozafarri and Jila Bani Yaghoub.

Sadr was released with 140 other prisoners who were being detained for their involvement in recent protests against the June 12 presidential election in Iran. These detainees were released from the Evin prison following a government committee investigation of prisoner conditions, which occurred after 20 prisoner deaths were reported by the pro-reform opposition, reported the Associated Press.

More News to Cheer This Week:

Tanzania has launched its first bank created specifically for women. The bank, based in Dar es Salaam, will only ask for an identification card or a passport to open an account, as opposed to most other banks in the country which require title deeds or proof of wealth, the BBC reported July 28. The bank will also require a much lower minimum deposit--about two U.S. dollars--than most other banks in Tanzania. The women's bank also told the BBC that it will offer expert financial help and advice to all women. So far 110 women have opened accounts at the bank.

At 7 a.m. on July 26, 463 women jumped into Oneida Lake in Syracuse, N.Y, to compete in the first annual Iron Girl triathlon. The competition is organized by the World Triathlon Corp., which runs the Ironman triathlons. About 593 women from 17 states, including California and Florida, registered for the event; their ages ranged from 14 to 70. Event officials expect about 1,000 women to show up for the triathlon next year, the Post-Standard, of Syracuse, N.Y., reported.