Iran woman activists see unlikely parliament allies

TEHRAN (Reuters) - Women's rights activists in Iran hope a new parliament will discuss unequal inheritance and "blood money" laws, even though conservatives are expected to strengthen their grip in Friday's election.

Sussan Tahmasebi, who like other campaigners has been sentenced to jail for her activities, said support was growing among some female conservatives for action on the laws, which set payments for women at half the level of those for men.

Conservative factions are expected to retain their dominance of the 290-seat assembly after many leading reformists who want social and political change were barred from running in a pre-election screening process.

But activists say the women's movement is having an impact.

"Conservative women have championed these issues in the last year or so ... so it is quite possible these issues will be addressed by the next parliament," Tahmasebi told Reuters.

"I think we have been able to impress upon decision makers the sense of urgency in reforming some of these laws."

The activists, backed by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Shirin Ebadi, say women face institutionalized discrimination that makes them "second-class citizens" when it comes to divorce, inheritance, child custody and other aspects of life.

Women are legally entitled to hold most jobs, but the Islamic Republic remains dominated by men.

Under sharia, Islamic law, men receive twice as much inheritance as women and compensation for the loss of a woman's life, or "blood money", is half that paid for a murdered man, rules that also apply to physical injury.

But Tahmasebi said pressure for changing legislation governing "blood money" had increased after parliament early this decade introduced equal treatment for non-Muslim men while the rules for Muslim women remained unchanged.

"PROPAGANDA"

"It was a lost opportunity to do the same for women. It got a lot of women, even conservative women, upset." she said.

The outgoing parliament had only 12 female MPs. At least 15 MPs are needed to introduce a bill and it remains unclear how many male MPs would back a change in the laws.

Iranian officials reject allegations of discrimination against women. Clerics say women in Iran are protected from the sex symbol status they have in the West and insist the Islamic Republic is implementing God's divine law.

Tahmasebi, who has appealed a partly suspended two-year jail sentence for taking part in a banned rally in 2006, is a leading member of a campaign that is trying to gather 1 million signatures in favor of more women rights in Iran.

Activists say at least 43 of them have been detained since it was launched in 2006. Most were released within a few days.

Judiciary spokesman Alireza Jamshidi said last month collecting signatures was not a crime, but "making propaganda against the system and disturbing public opinion" was.

Western diplomats see the detention of women activists as part of a wider crackdown on dissent, which they say may be in response to international pressure over Iran's nuclear work. Tehran rejects Western accusations it is seeking to build bombs.

Tahmasebi said the outgoing conservative-led parliament "did not do very much for women" but that its attitude gradually became more positive on the issue of female rights.

A fellow activist, Parvin Ardalan, said Friday's vote would not be free after many reformists were rejected by a powerful clerical watchdog but she was optimistic about the power of the women's movement to push for change.

Out of nearly 7,600 people who registered to run in the election, 616 were women, according to Iranian media, but there was no information on how many cleared the vetting hurdle.