The United Nations has called on Iran to release three women jailed for protesting against wearing veils.

Six independent human rights experts have condemned the decades-long prison sentences handed down to them for protesting the strictly enforced wearing of veils in Iran.

They say the sentences are alarming.

They have called on Iranian authorities to quash the convictions and "immediately release all human rights defenders who have been arbitrarily detained for their work in advocating women's rights, and to ensure full respect for the rights of women to freedom of opinion and expression, peaceful assembly and non-discrimination."

"We are alarmed that the arrest and lengthy sentences handed to these women are directly related to the peaceful exercise of their rights to freedom of expression and assembly in the pursuit of gender equality in Iran," the experts said in a joint statement on Friday.

The experts said respect and support for women rights defenders' activities are "essential" to the overall enjoyment of human rights.

Mojgan Keshavarz | Image: National Council of Resistance of Iran's Women's Committee

Mojgan Keshavarz was given a sentence of 23 years and six months, while Monireh Arabshahi and her daughter Yasaman Aryani were each sentenced to 16 years.

All three were convicted of assembly and collusion in acts against national security, propaganda against the State and "encouraging and providing for [moral] corruption and prostitution".

Ms Keshavarz was also convicted on a charge of "insulting the sacred".

"Universally guaranteed human rights"

The charges were brought after an online video showed the women handing out flowers on the Tehran metro on March 8th, International Women's Day.

The human rights defenders, who themselves were not wearing the hijab, peacefully protested Iran's compulsory veiling laws and advocated for a woman's right to choose what to wear.

After the video surfaced, the women were detained in April.

The UN said friends or family were not able to contact them for several weeks.

During the initial investigation stage, they were denied access to lawyers, and during the trial their legal representatives were reportedly prohibited from representing them.

"We remind the Iranian authorities that women human rights defenders challenging the imposition of a compulsory dress code on women, are acting in defence of universally guaranteed human rights", the UN statement continued.

"The use of repressive legislation to criminalize the exercise of freedom of expression and peaceful assembly is incompatible with Iran's obligations under international human rights law".

According to news reports, at least 32 people have been arrested and at least 10 imprisoned since January 2018 for protesting the mandatory wearing of the hijab.

Although the UN experts told Iran of their concerns, the government replied that the three women had been arrested on charges relating to morality and national security offences.

Main image: Yasaman Ariani, Mojgan Keshavarz and Monireh Arabshahi | Image: National Council of Resistance of Iran's Women's Committee