‘Honour Killing’ Of Iranian Woman Mona Heidari, 17, Sparks Calls for Social, Legal Reforms
New
Age Islam News Bureau
09
February 2022
• Hijab-Wearing
Indian Woman Lauded For Standing Up To Far-Right Hindu Mob
• Nigerian
Constitution Supports Wearing Of Hijab by Muslim Women – Buhari Government
• Pakistani
Woman Had Nail Hammered Into Head to ‘Guarantee’ Baby Boy
• 4
Saudi Women on Forbes List of Most Influential Businesswomen in MENA Region
• Actress
Sharifah Sakinah Shows Proof Hubby Embraced Islam
• ‘Horrifying’:
Malala Asks Indian Leaders to Let Girls Go To School in Hijab
• Karnataka
Hijab Row: Child Rights Panel Says Darul Uloom Told Muslim Women to Not Wear
Uniform
• As
Karnataka Hijab Row Escalates, a Look at Laws on Face Coverings across the
World
• Sports
Minister Sajadi Hails Potential of Iranian Women Athletes
Compiled
by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/honour-killing-iranian-mona-heidari/d/126336
--------
‘Honour
Killing’ Of Iranian Woman Mona Heidari, 17, Sparks Calls for Social, Legal
Reforms
Mona
Heidari PHOTO: Iran hrm
-----
08
February, 2022
A
viral video of a man appearing to display his decapitated young wife’s head in
the street after he discovered her alleged adultery has deeply shaken Iranians.
Police
suspect that Mona Heidari, 17, was killed by her husband and brother-in-law in
the southwestern city of Ahvaz, Iran’s ISNA news agency reported.
By
Monday, officers had arrested the two men “during a raid on their hideout,”
state news agency IRNA said, citing local police.
The
case prompted Iran’s vice president for women’s affairs, Ensieh Khazali, to
call on parliament to take “urgent measures” and on the authorities to raise
awareness to prevent such cases.
Iranian
newspapers and social media saw an outpouring of shock and rage over the
killing, with many demanding social and legal reforms.
“A
human being was decapitated, her head was displayed on the streets and the
killer was proud,” said the reformist daily Sazandegi.
“How
can we accept such a tragedy? We must act so that femicide does not happen
again.”
Renowned
feminist filmmaker Tahmineh Milani wrote on Instagram: “Mona was a victim of
devastating ignorance. We are all responsible for this crime.”
Following
Heidari’s murder, calls were revived to reform laws for the protection of women
against domestic violence and to raise the legal age for marriage, currently
set at 13 in Iran.
According
to Iranian media, the victim was just 12 when she was married, and had a
three-year-old son by the time she was killed.
Lawyer
Ali Mojtahedzadeh, in the reformist paper Shargh, blamed “legal loopholes” for
“paving the way for honor killings.”
Fellow
member of parliament Elham Nadaf told the ILNA news agency: “Unfortunately, we
are witnessing such incidents because there are no concrete measures to ensure
the implementation of laws to prevent violence against women.”
Authorities
meanwhile shut down the news website Rokna, saying it “psychologically
disturbed society” after it shared the viral video of the man, IRNA reported.
In
May 2020, a man beheaded his 14-year-old daughter in another so-called “honor
killing” which sparked public outrage. He was sentenced to nine years in prison
later that year.
Source:
Al Arabiya
--------
Hijab-Wearing
Indian Woman Lauded For Standing Up To Far-Right Hindu Mob
Hijab
wearing Indian Muslim student was heckled by a large group of slogan-shouting
young men wearing saffron scarves at a Karnataka college.
----
February
9, 2022
A
Muslim woman wearing a hijab in southern India's Karnataka state has been
hailed for braving threats and heckling by a Hindu far-right mob outside a
college, as protests intensified over a ban on Islamic headgear in the
educational institutes that has outraged Muslim students in the South Asian
country.
In
a video posted online by campaigners on Tuesday, Muskan Khan is seen parking
her two-wheeler outside a college in the city of Mandya before she is heckled
by Hindu members of a right-wing group with "Jai Sri Ram" (Hail Lord
Ram) chants.
The
girl reacts by raising her hand and shouting back: "Allahu Akbar"
(Allah is Great).
Khan,
who stood up to a mob of saffron scarf-clad men, later told NDTV –– a local TV
channel –– she "was not worried about facing them alone and that she would
keep fighting for her right to wear the hijab."
"I
have always worn the hijab in college," she said, adding the school never
had issues with her clothes and it's "the outsiders" who have stirred
the controversy in the province ruled by PM Narendra Modi's right-wing
Bharatiya Janata Party (or BJP).
Support
grows for Muslim girl
Immediately
after the video went viral, Khan was called "lioness",
"hero", "brave", and "courageous" on social
media.
"How
brave these men are and how macho they must feel while targeting a lone young
lady! Hatred for Muslims has been completely mainstreamed and normalised in
India today," said ex-chief minister of India-administered Kashmir, Omar
Abdullah, while commenting on the video in a tweet.
Bollywood
actor Richa Chadha slammed the mob and tweeted in support of the woman.
"Raise
your sons better! A bunch of ugly, cowards attacking a lone woman in a pack and
feeling proud of it? WHAT LOSERS! Shameful. They'll be jobless, more frustrated
and penniless in a few years. What poor upbringing! No sympathy, no redemption
for them. I spit on your kind (sic)," she wrote.
Aakar
Patel, who is the Chair for Amnesty International India, wrote on Twitter,
"Shekhar and I have written a thousand columns each none of which amounted
to or achieved what that woman did today," referring to Shekhar Gupta,
founder of news website The Print, whose editorial over the hijab ban drew
widespread flak.
Global
rights champion Malala Yousafzai called the hijab ban for students "horrifying",
adding, "Objectification of women persists – for wearing less or more.
Indian leaders must stop the marginalisation of Muslim women."
Schools
shut over possible violence
Meanwhile,
authorities in the state shut schools on Tuesday.
The
stand-off in Karnataka state has galvanised fears among the minority community
about what they say is increasing persecution under the Hindu nationalist
government of PM Modi.
Fresh
demonstrations on Tuesday saw officers fire tear gas to disperse a crowd at one
government-run campus, while a heavy police presence was seen at schools in
nearby towns.
Chief
Minister Basavaraj Bommai appealed for calm after announcing all high schools
in the state would be closed for three days.
Students
at a government-run high school were told not to wear hijabs last month, an
edict that soon spread to other educational institutions in the state.
"All
of a sudden they are saying you are not supposed to wear hijab... why did they
start now?" said Ayesha, a teenage student at the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial
College in the coastal city of Udupi.
Ayesha
said a teacher had turned her away from her chemistry exam for wearing the
garment.
"We
are not against any religion. We are not protesting against anyone. It is just
for our own rights," she told AFP news agency.
Fellow
student Amrut, standing nearby among a crowd of Hindu boys wearing saffron
shawls, said the dispute had unfairly prevented him from attending class.
"We
had... requested them not to wear hijab," he said. "But today they
are wearing hijab. They are not allowing us to go inside.
'Religious
apartheid'
"What
we are witnessing is a form of religious apartheid. The decree is
discriminatory and it disproportionately affects Muslim women," said A H
Almas, an 18-year-old student who has been part of the weeks-long protests.
Critics
say Modi's election in 2014 emboldened hardline groups who see India as a Hindu
nation and are seeking to undermine its secular foundations at the expense of
its 200 million-strong minority and 14 percent Muslim community.
Opposition
parties and critics accuse the BJP government at the federal and state level of
discriminating against religious minorities and running the risk of stoking
violence.
Modi
has defended his record and says his economic and social policies benefit all
Indians.
A
case filed by one of the students, who said in her petition that wearing the
hijab was a fundamental right to religion guaranteed by the constitution, was
heard in the Karnataka High Court in state capital Bengaluru on Tuesday.
While
no final order was passed, the judge appealed for peace and calm and will
continue hearing the petition on Wednesday, one of the lawyers for the
petitioner told Reuters news agency.
Neither
banned nor curbed
For
many Muslim women, the hijab is part of their Islamic faith. It has for decades
been a source of controversy in some Western countries, particularly in France,
which in 2004 banned it from being worn in public schools.
But
in India, where Muslims make up almost 14 percent of the country's near 1.4
billion people, it is neither banned nor is it restricted in public places.
In
fact, women wearing hijab are a common sight in India, and for many of them, it
symbolises religious identity and is a matter of personal choice.
Because
the debate involves alleged bias over a religious item worn to cover hair and
maintain modesty, some rights activists have voiced concerns that the decree
risks raising anti-Muslim hate.
Violence
and hate speech against Muslims have increased under Modi's nationalist party.
The
protests have drawn public condemnation, with the hashtag #HijabIsOurRight
circulating widely on social media, but also led to a rather unexpected
pushback.
For
the last week, some Hindu students in the state have started wearing
Saffron-colored shawls, a symbol of Hindu nationalist groups.
They
have also chanted praises to Hindu gods, while protesting against the Muslim
girls' choice of headgear, signifying India's growing religious faultlines and
bitter tensions between the country's Hindu majority and its Muslim minority.
Source:
Trt World
--------
Nigerian
Constitution Supports Wearing Of Hijab By Muslim Women – Buhari Government
FEB
07, 2022
The
Nigerian government says the country’s constitution allows Muslim women to wear
hijab in line with the teachings of their faith.
Minister
of Education, Adamu Adamu disclosed this at the National Mosque, Abuja on
Sunday during a public lecture organised by the Coalition of Nigerian Muslim
Women as part of activities marking this year’s World Hijab Day.
Adamu
noted that all citizens are allowed to practise their religions as long as no
harm or inconvenience is caused to other people.
The
minister, represented by Hajiya Sidikat Shomope of the Social Mobilisation
Department, Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), said it was unfortunate
that the controversy over the wearing of hijab in the country had gone down to
the school level and generated needless clashes.
There
was violence on Thursday at the Baptist High School, Ijagbo in Oyun Local
Government of Kwara State, leading to the killing of Habeeb Idris, a Muslim
student of the school, when a rally by the Muslim students was reportedly
disrupted by hoodlums and security agents.
The
minister said, “The wearing of hijab by Muslim women is a Sunna as recommended
in the Holy Qur’an (Q 33 V 59).”
According
to him, there is a lot the country can gain by dialoguing on matters of
religious differences rather than resorting to violence.
“Our
children will remain citizens of Nigeria irrespective of their faith. They will
live and interact in the world outside school where no boundary exists between
the religions.
“We
should understand that the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
guarantees freedom of religion to all citizens. This, by implication, means
that all citizens are allowed to practise their religions according to the
teachings of their faith as long as no harm or inconvenience is caused to other
people.”
He
appealed to all traditional, religions and community leaders to use their
offices to douse tension so that Nigerians could all live in peace, harmony and
tolerance.
Source:
Sahara Reporters
--------
Pakistani
woman had nail hammered into head to ‘guarantee’ baby boy
February
09, 2022
PESHAWAR:
A pregnant Pakistani woman had a nail hammered into her head by a faith healer
who said it would guarantee she gave birth to a boy, a doctor said Wednesday.
Exploitative
faith healers, whose practices are rooted in mystic Sufi lore, are common
across Muslim-majority Pakistan despite the disapproval of some schools of Islam.
In
South Asia, a son is often believed to offer better financial security to
parents than daughters.
The
woman arrived at a hospital in the northwestern city of Peshawar after trying
to extract the nail herself with pliers, doctor Haider Khan told AFP.
“She
was fully conscious, but was in immense pain,” said Khan, who removed the
spike.
The
mother of three daughters said she was pregnant with another girl, the doctor
added.
An
X-ray showed the five-centimeter (two-inch) nail had pierced the top of the
woman’s forehead but missed her brain.
Khan
said a hammer or other heavy object was used to knock it in.
The
woman initially told hospital staff she had hammered the nail into her head
herself on the advice of the faith healer, before later saying he had carried
out the act.
Peshawar
police are trying to track down the woman in order to question him.
“We
have collected the CCTV footage from the hospital and hope to reach the woman
soon,” city police chief Abbas Ahsan told AFP.
“We
will soon lay our hands on the sorcerer,” he said.
Source:
Arab News
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2021291/offbeat
--------
4
Saudi women on Forbes list of most influential businesswomen in MENA region
February
09, 2022
By
Hanouf Aldouqi
JEDDAH
— Four Saudi women are among MENA region’s most influential and successful
businesswomen listed by Forbes this year. The list featured representatives of
19 different nationalities and 17 sectors.
Saudi
women on the list are: Sarah Al-Suhaimi, Hutham Olayan, Lubna Olayan and Basma
Al-Maiman.
Ranked
4th on the list is Sarah Al-Suhaimi who is the first Saudi woman to chair the
Saudi Arabian Stock Exchange (Tadawul), which is the largest stock market in
the Middle East.
In
April 2021, the Saudi Stock Exchange was transformed into a holding company
with four subsidiaries, including the stock exchange. The Saudi Tadawul Group
was listed on the Saudi Stock Exchange in December 2021.
Al-Suhaimi
is also a board member of the Saudi Telecom Company, the Saudi Arabian Airlines
Public Agency, and the Cultural Development Fund. She is a trustee of the
International Financial Reporting Standards Foundation.
Ranked
in the 6th place is Hutham Olayan, chairwoman of the Olayan Group. Founded by
Suleiman Olayan 75 years ago as a contracting and trading company in Saudi
Arabia, the group today has a diversified commercial, industrial and investment
portfolio.
The
family owns 4.9% of Credit Suisse, which amounted to $1.3 billion as of January
2022, and 20.3% of the Saudi British Bank (SABB) worth $4.1 billion.
The
group’s real estate assets include 550 Madison Avenue in New York,
Knightsbridge Estate in London and Hotel Ritz in Madrid. In Saudi Arabia it
bottles Coca-Cola, operates Burger King restaurants, and manufactures cans and
paper. In January 2021, Olayan was appointed to the Board of Directors of
Brookfield Asset Management Inc.
Ranked
in the 11th place is Lubna Olayan. After serving as CEO of Olayan Finance for
more than 33 years, Olayan announced her retirement in 2019. She became chair
of SABB's board in June 2019. The bank generated $1.5 billion in total
operating income in the first nine months of 2021.
She
also chaired the Board of Directors of Alawwal Bank, which merged with SABB
last March. Olayan was the first woman to join the board of directors of a
company listed in Saudi Arabia.
She
sits on the boards of Olayan Finance, Schlumberger and Ma'aden, and sits on the
international advisory boards of Akbank, Allianz SE, McKinsey & Co, and
Bank of America Merrill Lynch. She is also a trustee of King Abdullah
University of Science and Technology (KAUST), the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology (MIT), and the Asian Business Council.
Finally,
ranked 15th on the Forbes list is Basma Al-Maiman who assumed her current
position in 2018, becoming the first GCC national to serve a leadership
position in the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), and the first woman to
spreadhead the region in the organization's history.
UNWTO
opened its first Middle East regional office in Riyadh in 2021. She was
recognized by the World Bank as one of the youngest CEOs in the MENA region in
2020.
Forbes
reported that it compiled the list according to revenues, assets, AUM, market
capitalization, and number of employees, accomplishments achieved over the last
year by the businesswomen, designation, overall work experience, CSR and other
initiatives led by the businesswomen
According
to Forbes Middle East, more than 25% of women on this year's list led regional
offices and divisions of multinational companies in the region, such as: Saeeda
Jaffar of Visa, Derya Matras of Meta, Sophie Doireau of Cartier, in addition to
Rima Assi of McKinsey & Company.
Source:
Saudi Gazette
--------
Actress
Sharifah Sakinah Shows Proof Hubby Embraced Islam
09
Feb 2022
SHARIFAH
Sakinah was upset after being accused of being an apostate (Murtad) for not
showing proof that her husband Michael Hansen has embraced Islam before
marrying her recently, Berita Harian reported.
Addressing
the issue on her Instagram account after an individual questioned her, the
33-year-old actress explained that she did not share her husband’s conversion
status out of respect for her in-laws.
“Since
you want proof, swipe next. Thank you for causing such a ruckus. I have already
given my explanation, so there is no need to question it anymore,” she said.
On
her Instagram, Sakinah shared her husband’s conversion card from the Selangor
Islamic Religious Council and the screenshot of a religious message by an
unnamed individual.
Sakinah,
who is the sister of Suria FM radio presenter Sharifah Shahirah, had announced
her marriage to Hansen last Friday.
>
Firefighters managed to stop a 27-year-old man from jumping from the 18th floor
of an apartment block in Taman TTDI, Shah Alam, Kosmo! reported.
The
man is said to be have been depressed over a relationship issue.
Selangor
Fire and Rescue Department director Norazam Khamis said eight men from the Kota
Anggerik station were deployed to the scene as soon as the call came at 3.30am
yesterday.
He
said the officers arrived within five minutes and began their rescue operation
by preparing an inflatable mattress.
“Based
on the information gathered, the man failed to contact his girlfriend,” he
said, adding that the man was recently divorced.
Norazam
added that they took four hours to persuade the man not to do it, with the help
of his sibling and ex-wife.
Those
suffering from mental health issues or contemplating suicide can reach out to
the Mental Health Psychosocial Support Service (03-2935 9935 or 014-322 3392);
Talian Kasih (15999 or 019-261 5999 on WhatsApp); Jakim’s (Department of
Islamic Development Malaysia) family, social and community care centre
(011-1959 8214 on WhatsApp); and Befrienders Kuala Lumpur (03-7627 2929) or go
to befrienders.org.my/centre-in-malaysia for a full list of numbers nationwide
and operating hours.
Source:
The Star
https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2022/02/09/sakinah-shows-proof-hubby-embraced-islam
--------
‘Horrifying’:
Malala asks Indian leaders to let girls go to school in hijab
Feb
08, 2022
Malala
Yousafzai, the Nobel Peace laureate and women’s rights activist, on Tuesday
took to Twitter to share her horror over the ongoing hijab controversy raging
in Karnataka where Muslim girls wearing the headscarves are being barred from
attending classes.
Yousafzai
said refusing to let girls go to school in their hijab is horrifying, adding
objectification of women continued in one way or the other – for wearing less
or more. The Nobel laureate, who had taken bullets from the Taliban in Pakistan
in 2012 for speaking up about the rights of girls and their education, urged
Indian leaders to stop marginalisation of Muslim women.
“College
is forcing us to choose between studies and the hijab”.
Refusing
to let girls go to school in their hijabs is horrifying. Objectification of
women persists — for wearing less or more. Indian leaders must stop the
marginalisation of Muslim women. https://t.co/UGfuLWAR8I
—
Malala (@Malala) February 8, 2022
Quoting
a report where a Muslim student said that they were being forced to choose
between studies and the hijab, Malala said, “Refusing to let girls go to school
in their hijabs is horrifying. Objectification of women persists — for wearing
less or more. Indian leaders must stop the marginalisation of Muslim women.”
Earlier
in the day, the Basavaraj Bommai-led government in Karnataka ordered the
closure of schools for three days as protests spread across the state over the
issue.
Campuses
witnessed 'conflict-like' situations marked by stone-pelting, use of force by
police and Muslim girls standing their ground for wearing the headscarves,
prompting calls for peace and calm both by the government and the high court,
that is hearing a plea from the students over their right to wear the hijab.
Hijab
controversy: A Political power play ahead of Karnataka assembly polls
Bommai,
who is in New Delhi, said, "I appeal to all the students, teachers and
management of schools and colleges as well as people of Karnataka to maintain
peace and harmony."
Source:
Hindustan Times
--------
Karnataka
hijab row: Child rights panel says Darul Uloom told Muslim women to not wear
uniform
Amit
Bhardwaj
February
9, 2022
The
National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) chief Priyank
Kanoongo reacted to the ongoing hijab row in Karnataka. He alleged that Darul
Uloom, an Islamic seminary in India, was asking Muslim women not to wear
uniforms and that they were responsible for promoting this culture.
Invoking
Mahatma Gandhi in his statement, he said, “Gandhi must be in pain seeing these
visuals.” He added, “Gandhi was against the Parda pratha. He considered the
parda a hindrance to the educational progress of Muslim women.”
“Those
trying to manipulate students on this issue are against the nation’s progress,”
said the child rights panel chief. “In order to stop incidents like these, we
have issued a notice to Darul Uloom Deoband.”
Darul
Uloom asked Muslim women to not wear uniforms, to stay away from co-ed schools
and from schools where male teachers are part of the faculty, alleged the NCPCR
chief.
The
ongoing hijab row in Karnataka took a violent turn on Tuesday, February 8. Stones
were pelted during the protest in Karnataka's Bagalkot district and the police
responded with lathi charge.
Due
to the unstable climate in the state, Karnataka CM Bommai ordered schools and
colleges to be closed for the next three days.
NCPCR'S
POSITION ON HIJAB
Responding
to whether the NCPCR is against hijabs in educational institutions, he said,
“uniform ends disparity. We are against anything beyond a uniform — whether it
is Hijab or saffron scarf. We can’t promote anarchy amongst students.”
The
NCPCR chief stated that the panel was keeping an eye on the situation, and they
would take all necessary steps. He stated that there should not be any
intervention from outsiders in this matter.
Source:
India Today
--------
As
Karnataka hijab row escalates, a look at laws on face coverings across the
world
February
09, 2022
The
Karnataka hijab row has captured the entire country’s attention with people
from all walks of life expressing their opinions. While many agree with the
students demanding that they be allowed to wear hijabs in classrooms, others
say a uniform should be adhered to.
The
issue has snowballed into a major controversy with the Karnataka High Court now
hearing the case against the ban.
However,
this is far from the first time that the issue of face coverings — the burqa,
niqab and hijab — has created controversy. Here's a look at how other countries
have dealt with the face coverings: which allow it and which don't.
Turkey
Mustafa
Kemal Ataturk introduced the secularisation of Turkey in its Constitution of
1924. While Ataturk never forbade the headscarf, he actively discouraged its
use in public venues. His efforts saw an almost disappearance of hijab and
burqa in Turkey.
In
2013, Turkey lifted its decades-old ban on headscarves in the civil service.
Then Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan hailed the move as a "step toward
normalisation".
Critics
had accuse Erdogan of lifting the ban to force his Islamic values on the
majority Muslim but staunchly secular nation.
France
France
was the first European country to put a ban on wearing a burqa or niqab in
public.
The
legislation has been in force since April 2011.
In
order to quell allegations of discrimination, the wording of the law deliberately
avoids mentioning religious veils, stating instead in general terms: "In
the public sphere, no-one must wear an item of clothing that serves to cover
the face."
In
addition, wearing any kind of religious clothing (including head scarves) in
schools has been banned since 2004.
The
ban is estimated to affect only some 2,000 Muslim women. This is because it is
believed that only this small number of women opt for the veils in a population
of five million Muslims.
While
introducing the ban, President Nicolas Sarkozy had said that the veils oppress
women and were 'not welcome' in France.
As
per the law, wearing a full veil attracts a €150 fine and instruction in
citizenship. Anyone found forcing a woman to cover her face risks a €30,000
fine.
In
2016, the European giant took it one step further and also banned burkinis,
women's full-body swimsuits. The Prime Minister Manuel Valls had called the
swimsuits "the affirmation of political Islam in the public space".
It
was later lifted in seaside resorts after France's top administrative court
overruled the law.
Switzerland
Switzerland
joined the list of European nations banning the niqab in 2021. In March, over
51 per cent of Swiss voters cast their ballot in favour of the initiative to
ban people from covering their face completely on the street, in shops and
restaurants.
According
to the law, full facial veils will still be allowed to be worn inside places of
prayer and for “native customs”, such as carnival.
The
ban came after the Italian-speaking region of Ticino voted in favour of a ban
on face veils in public areas by any group in September 2013.
Discussions
on banning face veils in Switzerland cropped up in 2009 when Justice Minister
Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf said a face-veil ban should be considered if more
Muslim women begin wearing them, adding that the veils made her feel
“uncomfortable”.
Denmark
In
2018, Denmark became another European nation to introduce a ban on face
coverings in public places. Offenders can incur fines of up to €134 ($157).
Repeat offenses are punishable by up to 10 times that amount.
The
wording of the legislation does not specifically mention Muslim women but says
that "anyone who wears a garment that hides the face in public will be
punished with a fine".
Belgium
A
law banning the full-face veil came into effect in Belgium in July 2011. The
law bans any clothing that obscures the identity of the wearer in places like
parks and on the street. Anyone who breaks the law risks a fine or up to seven
days in jail.
Support
for the legislation crossed the ideological spectrum, with supporters calling
it an effort to promote gender equality.
"I
think we have to defend our fundamental principles of the Enlightenment. Man
and women are equal in all aspects," Peter Dedecker, a lawmaker from the
center-right New Flemish Alliance, was quoted as saying.
The
Netherlands
If
you cover your face with a veil in the Netherlands, you face a fine of at least
€150. The ban not only applies to burqas and other veils, but also full-face
helmets and balaclavas.
The
Netherlands introduced the ban after 14 years of debate. In 2005, the Dutch
parliament surprisingly voted in favour of a proposal for a complete ban on
burqas that had been introduced by right-wing lawmaker Geert Wilders. The
parliament passed a milder version of the proposal in 2016.
Italy
A
1975 law aimed at protecting public order makes it illegal to cover the face in
public but courts have systematically thrown out local moves to use the ban to
outlaw the full-face veil.
Two
regions held by the anti-immigrant Northern League — Lombardy and Venetia —
have banned the burqa and full-face veil in hospitals and public places.
Austria
The
ruling coalition agreed in January 2017 to prohibit full-face veils (niqab and
burka) in public spaces such as courts and schools, with the law coming in to
force in October the same year. Known as the Law against Wearing Face Veils, it
requires people to show their facial features from chin to hairline. If that
area is not visible, they face a fine of up to €150.
Bulgaria
Like
the Netherlands, Bulgaria introduced a burqa ban in 2016. Wearers face a fine
of up to €750 if they break it. There are some exceptions for people playing
sport, at work or in a house of prayer.
Sri
Lanka
In
April 2021, Sri Lanka’s cabinet approved a proposed ban on wearing full-face
veils including Muslim burqas in public, citing national security grounds,
despite a United Nations expert’s comment that it would violate international
law.
Public
Security Minister Sarath Weerasekera has called burqas, a garment that covers
the body and face worn by some Muslim women, a “sign of religious extremism”
and said a ban would improve national security.
The
wearing of burqas was temporarily banned in 2019 after Easter Sunday suicide
bomb attacks killed more than 260 people.
Russia
Russia's
Stavropol region has a ban on hijabs: the first of its kind imposed by a region
in the Russian federation. The ruling was upheld by Russia's Supreme Court in
July 2013.
UK
There
is no ban on Islamic dress in the United Kingdom, but schools are allowed to
decide their own dress code after a 2007 directive.
In
January 2010, then Schools Secretary Ed Balls said it was "not
British" to tell people what to wear. A 2016 poll had found that 57 per
cent of the British public supports a burqa ban.
Source:
Firstpost
--------
Sports
minister Sajadi hails potential of Iranian women athletes
February
8, 2022
Ahmadi
will represent Iran in the Alpine skiing in Beijing. Sajadi lauded the woman,
saying the sports officials are well aware of the potential of the Iranian
female athletes.
“Atefeh
Ahmadi carried Iran’s flag in the opening ceremony. Ahmadi had dream of bearing
Iran’s flag when she was 17 and her dream came true in the 2022 Winter
Olympics,” Sajadi said in an interview with Beijing Daily.
“I
am very happy since Atefeh could bear our country’s flag in Beijing as a young
woman athlete. We are proud of her and I think she has a bright future ahead. I
also hope the other two male skiers can get good results in the Games,” he
added.
“We
have Deputy Minister of women's development in our country’s sports. Every Iranian
federation has a women vice president. This is included in the Statutes of the
federations,” he added.
“In
Iran, we have 52 sports federations and more than 100 associations and a woman
vice president works in each federation.
“In
Iran’s National Olympic Committee (NOC) we also have a woman deputy because we
believe in potential of our country’s women,” the former athlete added.
“We
will meet Director of China's General Administration of Sport Gou Zhongwen
tomorrow and I hope we could strengthen our cooperation in the sports,” Sajadi
concluded.
Source:
Tehran Times
--------
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/honour-killing-iranian-mona-heidari/d/126336