Yet another case of stoning; Sudan women continue to be caught up in the chaos

•  Tens of thousands worldwide petition Iran to end child marriages

•  Pakistan: ‘3,132 cases of violence against women reported in six months’

•  Pakistan: Demand for release of Christian girl, abolition of discriminatory laws

•  'Pak girl held for blasphemy cannot read'

•  Arab women among world’s most influential

•  Bangladesh: Rural women contribute to cutting poverty

•  Why the World, Including Indonesia, Would Be a Better Place if Women Were in Charge

•  Women’s universities need qualified faculty, strong research base: Pakistan

•  Lady Naipaul Decries Pak ‘Horror’ Moving To UK

•  Five family members die in home fire in Saudi Arabia

•  Maldives: Mother of abandoned guest house baby a 13 year-old minor, police confirm

•  Bangladesh: Awami League ticket goes to Tajuddin's daughter

•  Recognition of women's contribution demanded: Bangladesh

•  Women arrested for looting passengers: Pakistan

•  Three women arrested in sorcery cases: Dubai Police

•  Man jailed for kidnap, cleared of rape bid: UAE

•  Rajasthan panchayat bars girls from carrying cell phones

•  Chennai’s con queen: Married 15 men and ran away with their money

Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau

Photo: Tens of thousands worldwide petition Iran to end child marriages

URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/yet-another-case-stoning;-sudan/d/8429

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Yet another case of stoning; Sudan women continue to be caught up in the chaos

By Hala Al karib

August 25, 2012

In July 2012, a 23 year old woman Laila Ibrahim Issa Jamool from Dar Hamer, a pastoralist tribe of Sudan Kordofan’s region found herself shackled inside Omdurman women prison holding on to her sick infant who is suffering from Asthma. Laila’s family moved to Khartoum as a result of conflict, impoverishment and the growing destruction of livelihoods in rural Sudan triggered by lack of spending on development which has overwhelmed Sudan country sides over the past 30 years or more. The exodus of people from the rural to urban areas has disintegrated communities and shattered millions of lives.

After Laila fled her marriage home due to family disputes and later demanded for divorce, her ex husband expected her family to repay him the 9000 Sudanese pounds he spent on his wedding to Laila. The poor family could not pay the reparation amount demanded. Blinded by his anger, laila’s ex husband went to the police station accusing Laila of Zina (adultery), possibly in the hope to acquire compensation. Subsequently, on 10th of July the Criminal Court in Hay Alnasir-Khartoum sentenced Laila to death by stoning for adultery (Zina) under Article 146 of the Sudanese Penal Code 1991.

Laila was only attempting to get a divorce, a personal legitimate matter that is feasible in the most militant Islamic jurisdiction, the result is; her life has been put on the line.

Although stoning has always been part of Sudan criminal code of 1991, the only known sentencing by stoning cases taken place in Sudan were the three cases during 2007 and then the latest case of Intisar Al Sharif in April 2012. All the cases were either dismissed or the sentencing was suspended including the latest case of Intisar who went through a similar experience last May and was released after all the charges being dismissed in June 2012. Prior to 1991 there were no documented cases of sentencing by stoning that have taken place in Sudan.

Laila’s trial according to her lawyers’ appeal is lacking the minimum standards of a fair trial. Like the case of Intisar Al sharif and all the other cases from 2007, none of the women have had any comprehension of the risk of facing the current Sudan legal system and being accused of Zina. Laila was not aware of the prejudice and the hostility of the legal institution towards women, she has no understanding of the law and most importantly, she was not allowed legal representation or legal advice all through the process of her trial. She sat helplessly while being subjected to the interrogation and arrogance of the court until the sentencing was passed. Like Intisar, it took Laila days to understand that stoning means brutal execution. She is still unable to comprehend why.

The ongoing appearance of cases of stoning in Sudan lately is far from being a coincidence. It’s mostly generated and legitimized by the spreading of the culture of violence and discrimination intensified after South Sudan declaration of independence. The escalation of the systemic violence against women in Sudan is a serious indication of the country’s withdrawal from its international and regional obligations and a reflection of Sudan’s situation losing direction between corridors of isolation and violence.

The current legal framework of Sudan is developed in isolation from the Sudanese people. It is generated based on the restricted essence of political Islam, aiming at striping people of their cultural identity and isolating them further from the world around them. This legal framework does not relate nor does it fit into Sudan societies. Forced migration to central cities is positioning rural Sudan people, particularly the women in a vulnerable situation making them the easy hunt for a hostile legal system that has no understanding of their traditionally inherited cultural practices employed for decades to cope with social problems and resolve family disputes.

Within this current Sudan jurisdiction, women’s lives and dignity is constantly undermined and compromised. This is evident particularly in relation to the 1991 Sudan criminal code which carries serious misogyny trends manifested in its articles and proceedings. It contains a mix of criminal and moral prohibitions based on specific manipulated interpretations of Islamic Shariah articles and ideological conviction. The de-anchoring of the law from a clear standard of general public interest leaves the articles of the criminal code particularly open to exploitation as a tool to express the temporary interests of the authorities in control.

Sudan is claimed to be undergoing a constitutional process. Unless this process is transparent and inclusive of the views of the Sudanese people and serious about integrating regional and international jurisdiction and to initiate a complete legal reform, the country will continue sinking into the dilemmas of isolation and brutality.

The author is Regional Director of the Strategic Initiative for Women in the Horn of Africa (SIHA Network)

http://www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?article43703

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Tens of thousands worldwide petition Iran to end child marriages

AUGUST 19, 201

A call to action at ThePetitionSite.com created by Christian Miller targets the Iranian government and requests that it not legalize the forced marriage of girls under the age of 10. The petition has garnered the signatures of many thousands of people worldwide, a number of whom have expressed outrage at the Islamic Republic's move, which some consider to reflect an attitude towards female children as property and household slaves.

Entitled "Iran: Don't Legalize Marriage for Girls Under 10!" the petition reads:

The Iranian Parliament recently issued a statement that they regard the law prohibiting marriage for girls under 10 as un-Islamic and illegal. According to Parliament member Mohammad Ali Isfenani, "We must regard nine as being the appropriate age for a girl to have reached puberty and qualified to get married."

Over the past few weeks, over 75 girls under 10 were forced to marry much older men. Legalizing this practice would effectively legalize sex between a young child and an over-18 adult.

Nine-year-olds cannot understand and therefore can't enter the "strong covenant" of marriage outlined in the Quran. More importantly, their bodies are clearly not ready for sex, let alone child bearing. Many young girls have died from bleeding as a result of being forced into early sex and childbirth. Please sign the petition to tell the Iranian Parliament that child marriage should be illegal!

In the comments accompanying the petition appear expressions of dismay at this "legalized pedophilia" and "child rape." Others point out that children suffer greatly under such "relationships":

At age 10 a person does not have the capacity to give informed consent for a long term relationship of such importance, and [legalized child marriage] allows for barbaric exploitation of children.

Still others point out that the Islamic Republic of Iran ("IRI") is already one of the most hated regimes in the world and that it is an "embarrassment" to Muslims.

Child Marriage and Islam

However, the IRI contends that laws against child marriage are "un-Islamic," and such marriages have been common throughout the Muslim world for many centuries. In fact, this exploitation of female girls is widespread in many other Islamic countries and areas such as Afghanistan, Upper Egypt, northern Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Yemen. Child marriage is increasingly common in the West as well, with Muslim immigration in particular.

The practice is justified by Muslim clerics using the sahih ("genuine") hadiths that discuss the Islamic prophet Mohammed as having married a six-year-old girl and consummated the marriage when she was nine. These hadiths have allowed for such marriages and child sex countless times since Islam's founding. The result has been little girls not only raped repeatedly but also impregnated on a regular basis. Not a few of these young girls have died from complications of child birth.

The petition seeks to bring Iran in line with the morality of much of the rest of the world, which considers such behavior to be illegal, immoral and unconscionable. Petitioners note that such practices treat the girls as chattel with no will of their own, and abuse them physically, mentally and emotionally. Many want the legal age for marriage to be increased to at least 16, but others insist that only consenting adults over the age of 18 should be involved in such decisions.

U.S. Government recognition of problem

A recent report from the United State Government entitled "United States Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Gender-Based" addresses the abuse of females globally, including child marriage, and outlines various steps it has taken in ending such practices. The report begins by saying:

The United States Congress has long championed efforts to prevent and respond to gender-based violence, including in the context of child marriage, female genital mutilation/cutting, sexual violence resulting in obstetric fistula, and region-specific violence against women, from Latin America and the Caribbean to the Middle East and North Africa....

Gender-based violence takes on many forms and can occur throughout the life cycle. Types of gender-based violence can include female infanticide; child sexual abuse; sex trafficking and forced labor; sexual coercion and abuse; neglect; domestic violence; elder abuse; and harmful traditional practices such as early and forced marriage, "honor" killings, and female genital mutilation/cutting.

While the U.S./USAID report attempts to avoid associating all Muslims with these problems or to make it seem as if only Muslims are engaged in such behaviors, there are some telling points that there has been an issue not simply with various individuals who happen to be Muslim but with an attitude itself within Islam that inculcates disrespect for females.

U.S. trains Muslim imams on rights of females

Part of the process used by the American government includes "Child Marriage Eradication Committees" in Nepali communities, which are largely Hindu. However, the same process is being used in Muslim countries as well:

In Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, the Department of State’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor supported a program that promoted women's rights by training 450 imams using a curriculum on the compatibility of women’s rights and Islam.

This section reports favorably the practices of a Muslim religious leader or "imam" in Herat, Afghanistan, who asks the bride's age and requires proof of her consent. This approval of these practices reveals that many imams are not concerned with a bride's age or consent.

This process of education is good news, of course, but it does admit that these anti-female, child-enslaving practices have been occurring in many places globally, and that they are considered criminal, immoral and, therefore, not "godly," as the Iranian government is insisting with its push to legalize marriage for girls under the age of 10. It is clear from USAID's actions that what may be obvious to many must be taught to others, including large numbers of Muslim authorities.

The USAID report also comments that, unfortunately, "in a number of countries, despite data showing that intimate partner violence and/or child marriage are prevalent, there are no programs addressing these issues."

The efforts of various organizations tackling this abuse are to be applauded, encouraged and supported. Moreover, we must continue to identify the problem boldly, without dishonesty, as demonstrated by this increasingly successful petition against the Iranian government's attempts at legalizing what amounts to child rape and enslavement.

ttp://www.examiner.com/article/tens-of-thousands-worldwide-petition-iran-to-end-child-marriages

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Pakistan: ‘3,132 cases of violence against women reported in six months’

August 25, 2012

There was no respite from violence committed against women in Pakistan as 3,132 brutal cases were reported from different parts of the country in the first six months of the current year, the Madadgar National Helpline said on Friday.

 It said women’s rights were worsening, with abuses showing an increasing trend.

 Women are the most vulnerable and marginalised group in society, facing discrimination and violence in their daily life. Physical, psychological and sexual abuse of women, including domestic violence, Karo-Kari, suicide, stove and acid burns, rape and forced marriage remain a serious problem, according to the organisation.

 The Madadgar National Helpline shared a biannual data of violence against women from January to June 2012, showing that the women’s rights situation remained poor in the country.

 The report released by the organisation has been compiled from the monitoring of different incidents in national and local newspapers.

 According to the statistics, in these six months as many as 432 women were murdered, 110 raped, 197 murdered after rape, 89 gang-raped and 332 kidnapped. There were 533 cases of use of torture, 104 of the women fell prey to Karo-kari, 125 were burnt, 417 were tortured by police, 303 committed suicide, 97 became victims of human trafficking, and 91 fell prey to Vani. Moreover, 201 cases of forced marriages were reported. “These numbers are startling, and attest to the fact that women and girls are victimised, in both urban and rural settings.”

 The province-wise breakdown of the data shows that 1, 375 incidents, the highest number of cases, were reported in Punjab, 878 in Sindh, 527 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and 352 in Balochistan.

 This shows that the most populous areas of the country have witnessed more violations, and more people are willing to report these abuses. While it seems that Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have a low crime rate, in reality these low numbers are due to their scant population. On the

 other hand, it may also show

 unwillingness on the part of

 the victims to report violations, especially in tribal and rural areas. Actual incidences may vary grossly.

 Referring to Article 2 of the Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, Zia Ahmed Awan, president of Lawyers for Human Rights and Legal Aid, said they condemned discrimination against women and advocated the principle of equality of both genders. It has established legal protection against discrimination. “But in practices these rights often remain fictional.”

 The government had ratified many laws to defend the rights of women, but sadly these regulations remained confined to paper and serious efforts were not taken to implement them, and as a result government institutions failed to offer the necessary protection, he said.

 Awan also demanded strict implementation of the laws pertaining to the equality and freedom of women.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-4-128056-3132-cases-of-violence-against-women-reported-in-six-months

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Pakistan: Demand for release of Christian girl, abolition of discriminatory laws

   August 26, 2012

KARACHI, Aug 25: A large number of people who staged a demonstration at the Karachi Press Club on Saturday demanded the immediate release of 11-year-old Christian girl Ramsha Misrik arrested on a blasphemy charge and abolition of discriminatory laws.

The participants in the demonstration, organised by the All Pakistan Christian League, also demanded a judicial inquiry into the issue to find out why a case had been registered against a girl suffering from mental impairments and what the motives of the accuser as well as the police were in registering the case.

Bishop Arshad Khokhar said no sane Christian could even think of desecrating the holy book or making blasphemous remarks about holy persons of any religion. He said the case against Ramsha was false and should be taken back and it should be found out why it was registered against a minor girl.

He demanded that amendments be made to Sections 295-B and C of the Pakistan Penal Code to stop their misuse and to protect innocent people against victimisation.

Civil society activist Nasir Mansoor said it was not correct that under the constitution all people were equal as the constitution had reserved top official posts — president, chief executive, etc — for Muslims. He demanded that discriminatory articles be removed from the constitution.

He said during Gen Zia’s rule the CIA and Pakistan state organs created religious extremists to fight the Russians, but after the Russians were gone the extremists turned their guns on the enlightened people of Pakistan. And minority communities and women being the most vulnerable sections of society were most victimised.

He alleged that in the interior of Sindh minor Hindu girls were kidnapped and forcibly converted to Islam and married off and the culprits had the support of local leaders, including PPP legislators.

Labour leader Habibuddin Junaidi said Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah had declared all citizens equal and announced that religion was everyone’s personal matter and the state had nothing to do with it. He deplored that later rulers, particularly the military ones, deviated from the Quaid’s path and started misuse of religion to prolong their rules.

Amjad Farooq, Safeena Javed, Mushtaq Matto, Sheema Kirmani, Ghazala Shafiq, Farhat Pervin, William Sadiq, Lateef Mughal, and others also spoke.

They said that since Sections 295- B and C were introduced hundreds of people had been victimised and more than 60 killed or burnt to death. They said the law was being grossly misused to settle personal scores.

The protesters also chanted such slogans as: ‘Ramsha Misrik and Asia Bibi be released immediately’, ‘Stop killing innocent people in the name of blasphemy’, ‘Abolish the blasphemy law’, ‘Talibanisation not acceptable’, ‘Killers of Shahbaz Bhatti be punished’ and ‘Killer of Salman Taseer be hanged’.

The demonstrators later took out a procession and after marching on various roads, including Sarwar Shaheed Road, Abdullah Haroon Road, Maulana Deen Mohammad Wafai Road, returned to the KPC and dispersed.

The organisations that took part in the demonstration included the Action Committee for Human Rights, Peace and Development; Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research, Tehreek-i-Niswan, Nowcommunities, Pakistan Minority Alliance and Church of Pakistan.

http://dawn.com/2012/08/26/demand-for-release-of-christian-girl-abolition-of-discriminatory-laws/

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'Pak girl held for blasphemy cannot read'

Aug 26, 2012

VATICAN CITY: French Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran on Saturday went to the defence of the Pakistani girl accused of blasphemy, stressing that she "cannot read or write".

Tauran, who is in charge of interfaith dialogue in the Vatican, said "that before asserting a sacred text has been the object of scorn, it is worth checking the facts."

Rimsha, aged 11 to 16 as per different reports, is accused of burning pages from a kids' religious instruction book with verses from the Quran.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/Pak-girl-held-for-blasphemy-cannot-read/articleshow/15721829.cms

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Arab women among world’s most influential

By Habib Toumi

 August 23, 2012

Shaikha Al Bahar, Shaikha Lubna, Shaikha Mayassa recognised for political, economic and cultural might

Manama: Three Arab women feature on the 2012 list of the most powerful women in the world.

Shaikha Al Bahar, the chief executive officer of the National Bank of Kuwait (NBK), was ranked 85, Shaikha Lubna Al Qasimi, UAE Minister Of Foreign Trade was 92nd and Shaikha Mayassa Al Thani, the chair of Qatar Museums Authority, was 100th.

Bibliographies published by Forbes magazine that issues the list annually referred to Shaikha Al Bahar as a powerful force in the NBK Group with its total assets reaching $51.1 billion (Dh187 billion).

Forbes reported that Shaikha Lubna became the first woman to hold a cabinet position in the UAE when she was appointed Minister of Economy in 2004. Fours year later she was appointed Minister of Foreign Trade, and this year, she has been using her post to strengthen exports to Arab markets, it said.

Full report at:

http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/kuwait/arab-women-among-world-s-most-influential-1.1064967

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Bangladesh: Rural women contribute to cutting poverty

26 August 2012

The rural women have been contributing laudably to alleviating poverty for attaining self-reliance through income-generations in the northern region to change the overall rural socio-economic scenario in recent years.

Head of Women's Rights of RDRS Bangladesh Monjusree Saha said the distressed women are now engaged in various income-generating activities after winning over poverty and driving away monga (a seasonal famine like situation).

"The womenfolk has achieved laudable economic success with empowerment through sewing handloom garments, cottage industries, business, animal husbandry, poultry, homestead gardening, farming fruits, vegetables and other agri-activities," she added.

District Relief and Rehabilitation Officer of Rangpur Mokhlesur Rahman said hundreds of distressed rural women have achieved self-reliance from social safety-net programmes.

Chilmari upazila Chairman Shawkat Ali Sarker, Bir Bikram, and Taramon Bibi, Bir Pratik, said many rural women lived amid miseries following abject poverty and their children could not go to schools in the past.

Full report at:

http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=247082

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Why the World, Including Indonesia, Would Be a Better Place if Women Were in Charge

Henri Lois | August 25, 2012

Steven Pinker wrote that over history, women have been a pacifying force. Traditional war is a man’s game: tribal women never band together to raid neighboring villages.

As mothers, women maintain peaceful conditions in which to nurture their offspring and ensure that their genes survive into the next generation.

“Women hold up half the sky,” in the words of the Chinese proverb, yet that’s mostly an aspiration; in the real world, women are uneducated marginalized.

In the 19th century, the paramount moral challenge was slavery. In the 20th century, it was totalitarianism. Today, it is the aggression against women around the world: sex trafficking, acid attacks, rape and so forth.

In 1988, one study found that 39,000 baby girls died annually in China because parents did not give them the same medical care that boys received.  

In India, a “bride burning” takes place approximately every two hours, to punish a woman for an inadequate dowry or to eliminate her so a man can remarry, according to various reports.

In addition, ultrasound machines have allowed pregnant women to find out the sex of the fetus — and then get an abortion if it is female.

In reality, women have helped make the world a better place for us all. Nearly 82 percent of jobs lost during the economic global slowdown have belonged to men, while most of the new jobs have gone to women. 

Full report at:

http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/opinion/why-the-world-including-indonesia-would-be-a-better-place-if-women-were-in-charge/540118

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Women’s universities need qualified faculty, strong research base: Pakistan

 Myra Imran

 August 23, 2012

Islamabad: According to the Pakistani University Ranking 2012 and Research Ranking 2011 published by the Higher Education Commission (HEC), no women’s university was successful in making a place in top ten universities of the country. It indicates that these universities need to pay attention towards academic standards, hiring trained and qualified faculty and strong research base.

Pakistan has seven women’s universities, including Sardar Bahadur Khan Women University, Quetta; Kinnaird College for Women, Lahore; Lahore College for Women University, Lahore; Fatima Jinnah Women University, Rawalpindi; Frontier Women University, Peshawar; Jinnah Women University, Karachi, and Women University, Multan.

The report shows increase in the number of women in the Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) across the country. According to statistics collected from HEIs, the number of women in universities has risen from 196,000 in 2004-05 to 391,000 in 2009-10. The total number of students in HEIs was 869,000 in 2009-2010. The enrolment rate for women is 45 per cent as compared to 55 percent of men.

Full report at:

http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-6-127663-Womens-universities-need-qualified-faculty-strong-research-base

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Lady Naipaul Decries Pak ‘Horror’ Moving To UK

LONDON – Disturbed by cases of honour killing in Britain, Nadira Naipaul, wife of celebrated Indian origin writer VS Naipaul, says that she sees here the same “horror” that made her flee Pakistan.

Writing in the Daily Mail on Sunday, Nadira, says: “I can still see the horror that made me flee Pakistan – in the haunted eyes of girls raised here…When I married VS Naipaul and moved to England in 1996, I thought I had left the horror behind”.

She adds: “Pakistan had drained my resolve, and I was tired of fighting a losing battle. To me, England, for all its ills, was the promised land. Instead, I have found the horror I fled has followed me here. It is all around, eroding the very core of everything Britain believes in”.

“I see it everywhere. In the haunted eyes of young Pakistani girls, brought up in Britain, who know nothing but a Westernised life: young women who work happily behind beauty counters in our department stores, yet must return home to parents who refuse to emerge from their cultural ghettos”.

Full report at:

http://thelinkpaper.ca/?p=21855

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Five family members die in home fire in Saudi Arabia

26 August 2012

JEDDAH: A Saudi woman and her four children who were killed in a massive fire inside their home in Shaqeeq, near Jazan, were buried at Bin Haijan cemetery on Friday.

First Lt. Musleh Al-Ghamdi, spokesman of the Civil Defense in Jazan, identified the woman as Khadeeja Mohammed Fawaz, 42, adding that the fire accident occurred while her husband had gone out to buy food.

Al-Ghamdi said his department has launched an investigation to determine the cause of the blaze.

The children who died in the incident were Rawan Maayuf Muhammed, 14, an intermediate school student, Fatma Maayuf Muhammed, 8, a primary school student, Husain Maayuf Muhammed, 10, a Class IV student, and 2-year-old Kassim Maayuf Muhammed.

Three-year-old Rashid Maayuf Muhammed, who survived the accident, has been hospitalized for burn injuries.

Full report at:

http://www.arabnews.com/five-family-members-die-home-fire

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Maldives: Mother of abandoned guest house baby a 13 year-old minor, police confirm

By Hawwa Lubna

August 22nd, 2012

The manager of a guest house in Male’ has discovered a six month old baby left alone in one of the property’s rooms on Monday (August 20), prompting a police investigation that today revealed the child’s mother to be a 13 year-old minor.

According to local media reports, the child was discovered by the manager of the M. Hudhufas guest house in the capital after he heard the baby crying for several hours. Upon entering the room, he discovered the child alone and unharmed.

The Maldives Police Service was alerted to the scene immediately, with the baby being taken into state care temporarily while a search was conducted for the child’s parents.

A girl claiming to be the child’s mother later came to the police station by herself after officers called the mobile number she had provided while checking into the guest house.

“We called the number to confirm if she was the baby’s mother and asked her to report to the station. When she came, we found out that she was just a 13 year-old girl,” Police Sub-Inspector Hassan Haneef said.

When asked about the circumstances surrounding her pregnancy, Haneef noted that no further information could be revealed about the case at this stage, as the mother was a minor herself.

Full report at:

http://minivannews.com/politics/mother-of-abandoned-guest-house-baby-a-13-year-old-minor-police-confirm-42435

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Bangladesh: Awami League ticket goes to Tajuddin's daughter

Rashidul Hasan

26 August 2012

The Awami League has nominated Simeen Hussain Rimi, daughter of the country's first prime minister Tajuddin Ahmad and elder sister of former state minister for home Tanjim Ahmad Sohel Taj, for contesting the Gazipur-4 (Kapasia) by-election slated for September 30.

The parliamentary board of the ruling party gave the nomination at a meeting at the Gono Bhaban last night, party General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam told journalists.

Earlier in the afternoon, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who is also AL president, visited the Banani residence of Syeda Zohra Tajuddin, presidium member of the party. She stayed there for more than an hour. The premier's younger sister Sheikh Rehana was with her.

Rimi and her sister Mahjabin Ahmad Mimi were also present at the time.

While returning to the Gono Bhaban, Hasina took Rimi with her.

Asked about the visit, Ashraf said she (Zohra) has been ill for long, and the AL chief visited her to enquire about her condition.

The premier also sought Zohra's opinion on nominating an AL candidate for the by-polls, Ashraf said.

Full report at:

http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=247050

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Recognition of women's contribution demanded: Bangladesh

26 August 2012

The government should honour and give due recognition to women who contributed to the Liberation War in 1971, said speakers at a workshop yesterday.

They also demanded constructing a memorial complex and a monument as a testimony to women's role during the war and their endurance in the face of repression.

They were addressing a daylong workshop styled "Violence on Woman and Reconstruction of Values: Perspective 1971" jointly organised by War Crimes Facts Finding Committee and Research Initiatives and Development at the Brac Centre Inn in the capital.

Noted litterateur Selina Hossain said women sacrificed a lot during the liberation war and fought in an equal level with men, but they have not been honoured and recognised by the state.

Full report at:

http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=247081

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Women arrested for looting passengers: Pakistan

26 August 2012

ISLAMABAD: Islamabad police have arrested five outlaws, including three women, who have deprived many female passengers of their gold ornaments during travel. The police also recovered some weapons and stolen items from them, a police spokesman said on Saturday.

According to details, Sabzi Mandi police received complaints regarding a gang active in looting female passengers. SHO Asjad Mahmood assigned the task to ASI Nawazish Ali to trace out the gang.

ASI Ali arrested three woman thieves, namely Sanam, Sobia and Nagina. They admitted taking away gold ornaments of female passengers during travel on public transport. Police also recovered gold jewellery from them.

Meanwhile, ASI Muhammad Ishfaq from Bhara Kahu police arrested Zafar Iqbal for possessing a 30-bore pistol while ASI Akhtar Zaman from Loi Bher police nabbed Mubabar Ali, who was in possession of a 12-bore gun. Cases have been registered against those nabbed and further investigations were underway.

SSP Yaseen Farooq has appreciated the police performance and directed all officers to ensure effective policing and curb activities of anti-social elements.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2012\08\26\story_26-8-2012_pg11_7

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Three women arrested in sorcery cases: Dubai Police

Amira Agarib / 26 August 2012

The Dubai Police have arrested three women of different nationalities in separate cases of fraud using witchcraft and sorcery. The suspects allegedly collected huge amounts of cash from their victims.

Brigadier Khalil Ibrahim Al Mansouri, Director of the General Department of Criminal Investigation of the Dubai Police, said that the Anti-Economic Crime Section of the police managed to arrest the women in the end of July after receiving complaints.

In the first case, an Arab saleswoman complained that the suspect, also an Arab national,  convinced her that she could harm people with the help of a “jinn” and started blackmailing her. The victim continued to give money till the amount reached Dh200,000.

Al Mansouri said that the second case started in an Asian country where an Arab woman suspect met the victim, identified as U.U.D., and told her that she was suffering from effect of black magic by someone. The suspect offered to treat her and asked for  money to buy some tools of sorcery. The suspect continued to send her black magic materials from her country even after the victim reached the UAE. The police said U.U.D. used to send money to the suspect through an exchange office. She filed a complaint with the Dubai Police after the suspect collected a huge amount. The police asked the complainant to lure the suspect to the UAE and arrested her after she took Dh100,000 from the complainant after her arrival.

Full report at:

http://www.khaleejtimes.com/kt-article-display-

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Man jailed for kidnap, cleared of rape bid: UAE

Marie Nammour / 24 August 2012

A 26-year-old Emirati man was recently sentenced to one-year imprisonment by the Court of First Instance for kidnapping a woman by dragging her from a lift to his apartment.

The court, however, cleared the defendant of trying to rape the 40-year-old Filipina he kidnapped.

He was fined Dh1,000 for consuming liquor.

The verdict has been appealed by both the defendant and the Public Prosecution. A hearing at the Court of Appeal is scheduled for the middle of next month.

According to the prosecution records, the accused dragged the alleged victim all the way through the corridor from the lift to his rented hotel apartment in Al Qusais to rape her. He managed to force her inside but was stopped short after hearing knocking on the door.

He faced charges of rape attempt, kidnap with the use of force and use of liquor.

He claimed during investigation that he grabbed the woman because he was drunk.

The complainant told the prosecutor that the incident happened when she went to visit her girlfriend in the hotel apartment where she lived around 6.30am. As she entered the building, she saw the defendant talking with the receptionist. She took the lift and the defendant followed her.

Full report at:

http://www.khaleejtimes.com/nation/inside.asp?xfile=/data/courtroundup/2012/August/

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Rajasthan panchayat bars girls from carrying cell phones

August 26, 2012

Jaipur: After girls in a Uttar Pradesh village were banned from using mobile phones about a month ago, a village panchayat in Rajasthan has prohibited minor girls from carrying mobiles and directed them to cover their heads when going out of home.

The village council has also ordered minor boys not to play music on their mobile phones.

The restrictions have been imposed in Kishorpura village near Udaipurwati town of Jhunjhunu district, some 200 km from here.

"The panchayat recently held a general meeting in which village elders expressed the view that mobile phones were spoiling girls," Kishorpura sarpanch (council head) Bimla Meena said.

Following the meeting, the elders decided to impose a ban on the use of mobile phones by minor girls from the village.

Full report at:

http://zeenews.india.com/news/rajasthan/rajasthan-panchayat-bars-girls-from-carrying-cell-phones_795818.html

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Chennai’s con queen: Married 15 men and ran away with their money

By M. C. Rajan

26 August 2012

IN RUSKIN Bond’s short story Susanna’s Seven Husbands , later turned into 7 Khoon Maaf by filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj, the protagonist Susanna marries seven times only to kill the husbands one by one.

It was her quest for love and the search for the ideal husband that forced her to take those extreme steps.

But love was not the prevailing motif in Shahanaz’s life. For her the lure of money was too irresistible and it was this insatiable desire that forced her to marry 15 men and dump them. But only after she had made away with whatever cash and jewellery she could lay her hands on.

The dalliances of Shahanaz, who is in her early 30s, came to light this week when complaints started pouring in at the police commissioner’s office in Chennai.

Initially, it was thought there were only a few victims.

But with the numbers swelling, the police have now been taken aback and they are on the lookout for this much- married woman.

Though some reports claimed she had ‘ married’ over 50 times, the police said so far 15 has come to light.

Full report at: Mail Today

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URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/yet-another-case-stoning;-sudan/d/8429