Egypt's Female TikTok Influencers in The State's Crosshairs for Spreading ‘Immorality’ In Society
New Age Islam News Bureau
11
Jun 2020
Haneen Hossam is a University student and a TikTok Influencer
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• Egypt's Female TikTok Influencers in The State's Crosshairs for Spreading ‘Immorality’ In Society
• Muslim Women Take Protest Against Rape to Osun Assembly, Nigeria
• White Celebrities Are Handing Over Their Instagram Accounts to Black Women for the #ShareTheMicNow Campaign
• Three Women in Traditional Muslim Dress Are Stopped and Searched by Coles Staff - In Sydney Supermarket
• Cop Protected from Arrest After Being Booked Over Triple Talaq
• Women Sue USA Swimming Over Sexual Abuse by Coaches
• Zimbabwe Re-Arrests 3 Women Who Charge Torture, Sexual Abuse
Compiled ByNew Age Islam News Bureau
URL; https://www.newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/egypt-female-tiktok-influencers-state/d/122094
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Egypt's Female TikTok Influencers in The State's Crosshairs for Spreading ‘Immorality’ In Society
June 11, 2020
Cairo, Egypt: Young Egyptian women with thousands of followers each on the popular TikTok app have become the latest target of state authorities who accuse them of spreading "immorality" in society.
Since President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi came to power in 2014, hundreds of journalists, activists, lawyers and intellectuals have been arrested and many websites blocked in the name of state security.
But in recent months a popular group of female social media "influencers" has also drawn the ire of the government, and several have been arrested in a crackdown cheered by many in the deeply conservative country.
University student Haneen Hossam in April posted a three-minute video clip telling her more than 1.3 million followers that girls on the social media platform could make money working with her.
"You will get to know new people and form friendships in a respectful manner ... but please keep it clean," she said, smiling cheekily from under a red veil.
"The most important thing for me is my reputation," she stressed, adding that participants who collaborate with her, depending on the number of clicks, could earn thousands of dollars.
Following allegations from online users that she was promoting prostitution, Egyptian police arrested Hossam on April 21, with a court only ordering her release on bail this week.
In May, another influencer was arrested, Mowada al-Adham, who rose to fame posting satirical clips on TikTok and Instagram, where she has two million followers.
The prosecutor-general said both women were charged with "attacking the family values of Egyptian society" through their inflammatory posts.
"This is excellent," wrote one user about the arrests, arguing that Egyptian justice must safeguard "the morals of the Egyptian street and society ... It needs to do it with an iron fist."
A sobbing Menna Abdel-Aziz, 17, her face battered and bruised, posted a TikTok video in which she said she had been gang raped by a group of young men.
The authorities' response was swift: she was arrested, along with her six alleged attackers, and all were charged with "promoting debauchery".
The non-government Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights called for her immediate release, the dropping of all charges and for the teenage girl to be "treated as a rape victim and survivor".
Only this Tuesday did prosecutors announce that she had been transferred from custody to a rehabilitation centre for female victims of abuse and violence.
Human rights lawyer Tarek al-Awadi said the recent arrests show how a deeply conservative and religious society is wrestling with the rapid rise of modern communications technology.
Internet penetration has reached over 40 percent of Egypt's youthful population of over 100 million. Online communications were a key instrument in the Arab Spring protests almost a decade ago.
"There is a technological revolution happening and legislators need to take into account a constantly changing environment," Awadi said.
Helwan University sociologist InshadEzzeldin agreed that "traditions and rituals trump the law" in Egypt, at a time when "the younger generations have access to, and knowledge of, everything now.".
The latest arrests fits into a wider pattern of the state targeting dissent online, said Joey Shea, a non-resident fellow researching cyber security at the Washington-based Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy.
"This is yet another attempt to increase and legitimise surveillance of digital platforms," she told AFP, pointing to laws criminalising "fake news" that are used to restrict freedom of expression.
"Young women used the internet to create different opportunities for themselves that are ordinarily unavailable because of their class," she said on Facebook.
https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/egypts-female-tiktok-influencers-in-the-states-crosshairs-2244374
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Muslim Women Take Protest Against Rape to Osun Assembly, Nigeria
JUNE 10, 2020
The Federation of Muslim Women’s Associations in Nigeria (FOMWAN) on Wednesday protested against rape, disclosing that the spate of the scourge in Nigeria has left even old women unsafe. ADVERTISING The organisation’s President, Mrs. KudiratOladunjoye disclosed this while presenting a “Save Our Souls” to the Speaker, Timothy Owoeye at the House of Assembly. Oladunjoye while leading members of Osun FOMWAN in a peaceful protest against rape to Assembly said the incessant rape perpetrated daily has gotten to a peak that all well-meaning Nigerians should condemn the act and see to it that offenders are heavily punished. READ ALSO: ActionAid advocates no bail or out-of-court settlement for rape cases She stressed that the group protested against rape to the House of Assembly with a view to ensuring that the state is purged of the increasing cases of rape in the country. She said, “We are here today on the instructions of our National headquarters on the issue of the menace plaguing the country presently, from the look of things, no woman is saved from rape any longer. “It is no longer new for people of whatever age to be a victim of rape. We now hear of cases of older women who are not spared by rapists. “Every mother now lives in perpetual fear, you can no longer go out in the evening alone or send your girl child on errands any longer due to the constant rape cases all around”. Responding after receiving the letter, Owoeye assured the women of their safety, saying the state is on top of the situation as life imprisonment was prescribed for rapists in the state law. READ ALSO: Let’s end rape, racism, social injustice in Nigeria, world – Adodo Eddy Osaman He held that the House of Assembly with the cooperation of law enforcement agencies will follow up with the enacted law that imposes stiffer sentences on perpetrators of rape. “I want to tell you authoritatively that hard time awaits rapist in the state as Osun will not tolerate rape, we, at the House of Assembly have resolved that our Director of Legal matters shall be present at all rape-related cases in Osun courts to ensure that we see to the end of all rape cases in the state. “I hereby charge our law enforcement agencies to diligently prosecute cases of rape. With too many instances, we must begin to hold people accountable no matter how highly placed”. The Speaker stressed.
https://www.vanguardngr.com/2020/06/muslim-women-take-protest-against-rape-to-osun-assembly/
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White Celebrities Are Handing Over Their Instagram Accounts to Black Women for the #ShareTheMicNow Campaign
By Faith Brar
June 10, 2020
Today marks the launch of #ShareTheMicNow, a social media campaign in which dozens of Black female activists will take over the Instagram handles of white performers, fashion designers, and athletes in an effort to amplify Black voices.
Created by marketing exec and Endeavor CMO, Bozoma Saint John; author and podcast host, Luvvie Ajayi Jones; author and Together Rising founder, Glennon Doyle; and Alice Olivia designer, Stacey Bendet, the goal of the campaign is to give influential Black women a platform to share their lives, stories, experiences, and the work they do "in order to catalyze the change that will only come when we truly hear each other's voices," reads a post on #ShareTheMicNow's Instagram page.
"When the world listens to women, it listens to white women," continues the post. "For far too long, Black women's voices have gone unheard, even though they've been using their voices loudly for centuries to enact change. Today, more than ever, it is NECESSARY that we create a unifying action to center Black women's lives, stories, and calls to action. We need to listen to Black women." (Related: Kerry Washington and Activist Kendrick Sampson Spoke About Mental Health In the Fight for Racial Justice)
The list of women participating in #ShareTheMicNow is nothing short of impressive. Some household names include actress Julia Roberts, fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg, and U.S. Women's National Team (USWNT) soccer player, Megan Rapinoe. Joining them are powerful forces within the Black community, including writer and activist Rachel Cargle, #MeToo founder Tarana Burke, and Teen Vogue editor-in-chief Lindsay Peoples Wagner. A full list of women participating can be found on the campaign's Instagram page.
https://www.shape.com/celebrities/news/white-celebrities-black-women-share-the-mic-now-campaign
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Three Women In Traditional Muslim Dress Are Stopped And Searched By Coles Staff - In Sydney Supermarket
10 June 2020
Three women in traditional Muslim dress were stopped by Coles staff and had their bags searched for stolen items before they were told to leave the store.
The women were shopping at Coles Ramsgate in southern Sydney on Tuesday when they accidentally tried to leave through a designated entrance.
This set off an alarm and the women were stopped by staff members who told them to produce their receipts to ensure they had not stolen anything.
But the situation quickly escalated after the women became angered by the accusations of theft and they were then told to leave the store.
In a video of the incident uploaded to the Sydney Crime News Facebook page, one staff member wearing a high-visibility jacket can be seen examining one of the women's receipt.
The video included the caption: 'These ladies were accused of stealing and then when they (staff) checked, they found nothing.'
Another staff member, wearing a black jumper, told the women to separate their shopping so they can properly search their items.
It was explained to the women they were stopped because they tried to leave through a designated entrance, setting off the alarm, and it was company policy in those circumstances to ask for proof of purchase.
This set off an alarm and the women were stopped by staff members who told them to produce their receipts to ensure they had not stolen anything
The video cuts to the end of the altercation as the staff member in the black jumper can be seen telling the women to get out of the store.
One commenter on the video said: 'Why were they targeted in the first place I wonder? If they didn’t steal and no crime was committed then a full apology should be given.'
'The lady explained to them that they're checking their bags because they tried to walk out from the "other way" and pointed to entrance,' one woman said.
er the women became frustrated by the accusations of theft and once they proved to staff they had no stolen items, the three women were forced to leave the store
A Coles spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia as part of the COVID-19 health and safety measures currently in place, their stores have designated entrances and exits to manage the flow of customers.
'On Tuesday this week, a security alarm sounded as a group of customers attempted to leave through an entrance at our Ramsgate store,' the Coles spokeswoman said.
'Coles is grateful to the vast majority of customers who have continued to show compassion to our hard-working team members during these busy times.'
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8405055/Three-Muslim-women-stopped-searched-Coles-staff-removed-store.html
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Cop protected from arrest after being booked over triple talaq
June 11, 2020
By NarsiBenwal
In a reprieve for a police sub-inspector (PSI) of the Mumbai Police, booked for giving 'triple talaq' to his second wife, the Bombay High Court on Tuesday granted him pre-arrest release. The cop had texted "talaq" thrice on his wife's cell phone.
A bench of Justice Bharati Dangre opined that the cop could be released on bail as the offense of triple talaq is a bailable one. The bench has ordered Khan to pay Rs 25,000 as a surety.
The bench was dealing with the anticipatory bail application filed by Yusuf Khan (name changed), booked for rape, unnatural sex and criminal intimidation along with the relevant provisions of Muslim Women Protection Act for giving triple talaq to his second wife.
The wife, alleged that Khan was already married and had two children from his first wife and despite this, he married her as per the Muslim custom and practice in December 2018. She further claimed that she conceived in January 2019 but was forced to abort the pregnancy forcibly. She again conceived and then delivered a girl in December 2019.
"Thereafter, Khan forwarded a message on her mobile pronouncing ‘Talaq’ by sending message on three occasions resulting into dissolution of marriage and then started avoiding her and refused to take care of the newly born daughter," the counsel for the wife, argued.
Having heard the contentions, Justice Dangre noted that the wife never alleged that she was forced to maintain sexual relationship with Khan. "She has admitted that this was done after the marriage. The further allegation is that she was divorced on phone by reading Talaqnama at the instance of Khan, which would attract different offence and since provisions of Muslim Women Protection Act is now added and the same is a bailable offence," Justice Dangre said.
"According to the wife, she had the sexual relations with Khan, only after performing the marriage as per the Muslim customs, thus no rape case is made out. In these circumstances, no custodial interrogation is necessary and moreover there are no chance of Khan fleeing, since he works as a PSI," Justice Dangre added, while granting him release.
https://www.freepressjournal.in/mumbai/cop-protected-from-arrest-after-being-booked-over-triple-talaq
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Women Sue USA Swimming Over Sexual Abuse By Coaches
11th June, 2020
Six women have filed civil lawsuits against USA Swimming, its local associations in California and three now-banned coaches claiming the national governing body failed to protect them from abuse by those coaches.
Debra Grodensky, Suzette Moran and Tracy Palmero, along with three other women who remain anonymous, filed three lawsuits this month — two in Alameda County Superior Court in Northern California and one in Orange County Superior Court in Southern California. Among individuals named in the suits are former U.S. Olympic and national team coach Mitch Ivey, former U.S. national team director Everett Uchiyama and former coach Andrew King.
The suits allege USA Swimming, including former executive director Chuck Wielgus, and other top officials, the local associations and clubs were aware of Ivey, Uchiyama and King’s predatory behavior but refused to address it, creating a culture of abuse that exposed dozens of underage swimmers to sexual abuse and harassment.
The lawsuits are believed to be the first major filings under a new California law that allows sexual abuse victims to confront in court their abusers and the organizations that protected predators. Assembly Bill 218, which went into effect on Jan. 1, created a three-year window to file past claims that had expired under the statute of limitations.
Grodensky said King abused her from ages 11 to 16 when she was a swimmer in Danville, California, in the early 1980s. Now 51 and living in New York, she said she has suffered from years of depression as a result of the abuse. Grodensky said King's grooming of her extended to her family, friends and teammates.
“I want this lawsuit to wake up USA Swimming,” Grodensky said. "I want cultural change and mandated education for this great sport.”
Moran said King coached her at age 12 in Northern California. Around the same age, she said Ivey began grooming her for his sexual gratification, which escalated and resulted in him getting her pregnant at 17. Moran said he told her to have an abortion months before the 1984 U.S. Olympic trials.
“USA Swimming enabled Mitch Ivey to abuse me and as a result, I've suffered from years of depression, low self-esteem and panic attacks on top of acute anxiety. I still suffer from the trauma today that will stay with me for the rest of my life,” Moran said. “USA Swimming must clean house and get rid of the coaches and executives that created this culture that condoned sexual abuse by coaches.”
“If I have the courage to tell my story on a national stage, USA Swimming should have the courage to clean house and make this sport safer for all children,” said Moran, who no longer likes to swim and kept her children out of the sport because of her abuse.
In a statement, USA Swimming said the three coaches named in the women's lawsuits have “long been” on the governing body's list of individuals permanently suspended or ineligible for membership due to allegations of misconduct from the 1980s and 1990s, and the U.S. Center for SafeSport has recognized and honored their bans.
“We fully support survivors of sexual abuse along their healing journey. USA Swimming’s Safe Sport program continues to work with prominent health and education experts to provide meaningful member resources and SwimAssist funding to those in need,” the governing body said. “The organization and its current leadership remain committed to providing a safe environment and a positive culture for all its members.”
Palmero said she was abused by Uchiyama beginning at 14 when she swam in Tustin, California, in the early 1990s. Now 46 and still living in Southern California, Palmero said she believed other coaches on her team knew of Uchiyama's abuse and did nothing. Ten years later, she reported him to Wielgus, who she said had Uchiyama sign a confidential agreement in which he admitted to the abuse and resigned. Wielgus died in 2017 at age 67.
“This news was devastating to me. It was as if they were dismissing everything that happened to me,” Palmero said. “This is how USA Swimming takes care of its predator coaches.”
“Yet they purposefully did not reach out to them, we believe, because they did not want to know the truth about who knew about their abuse and did nothing,” he said. “This organization cannot truly move forward unless it expels from its membership permanently those responsible for the perpetuation of this culture.”
Allard said he has previously alerted current USA Swimming President and CEO Tim Hinchey to people within the organization who were not qualified to supervise children and Hinchey took steps to remove them. Now he's calling on Hinchey to do more.
“There are people who remain in leadership positions today within USA Swimming who go way back, to even the days of Debra Grodensky in the late ‘80s, early ’90s,” Allard said, “and if it needs to blow things up to replace all these people with some good people, then that's what we have to do. That's where it starts.”
The Associated Press does not typically identify people who say they are victims of sexual assault but Grodensky, Moran and Palmero have come forward publicly to speak about their cases.
https://www.republicworld.com/world-news/us-news/women-sue-usa-swimming-over-sexual-abuse-by-coaches.html
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Zimbabwe Re-Arrests 3 Women Who Charge Torture, Sexual Abuse
June 10, 2020,
HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) — Zimbabwe police Wednesday arrested three opposition activists on accusations that they lied in saying that they had been abducted and tortured, their lawyers said.
The arrests came as a group of U.N experts spoke against a “reported pattern of disappearances and torture” by government agents in the country.
The three opposition women alleged that they were tortured and sexually abused by their abductors, whom they said took them from a police station in May, after they had been arrested for organizing an anti-government protest. Their abductors were unidentified, but because they took the women from police custody, it appears they were some kind of state agents.
The young women were missing for nearly 48 hours before being released by their abuctors. While they were being treated in a hospital for injuries inflicted during their captivity, prosecutors charged them with contravening lockdown regulations for participating in the protest.
On Wednesday, police re-arrested the women at Harare Central Police Station where they had gone to surrender their passports as part of their bail conditions in the case linked to the protest march, said Kumbirai Mafunda, spokesman for Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, which is providing lawyers for the trio.
The arrests came as a group of United Nations human rights experts said the Zimbabwe government should “immediately end” the practice of disappearances and torture “that appear aimed at suppressing protests and dissent.” The U.N. experts also said the government should “ensure the effective protection of women from sexual violence, and to bring those responsible to account.”
Zimbabwe’s Home Affairs Minister Kazembe Kazembe told reporters Wednesday that the alleged abductions had been fabricated and were part of a wider agenda to destabilize President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government.
He accused political rivals, local and foreign Christian preachers and foreign diplomatic missions based in Zimbabwe of trying to create dissent. He dismissed “rumors” of an impending coup, saying the government “is stable and peaceful internally.”
Speaking at a party meeting on the same day, Mnangagwa also spoke of a plot against his government which “culminated in the purported abductions.”
Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2020-06-10/zimbabwe-re-arrests-3-women-who-charge-torture-sexual-abuse
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