Iran allegedly hangs woman to appease victim’s family despite her death by heart attack before execution
New
Age Islam News Bureau
24
February 2021
The
execution of Zahra Ismaili, which was carried out in the infamous Rajai Shahr
prison, above, has been condemned by human rights activists and analysts.
(Wikimedia Commons)
-----------
• Muslim
women have always enjoyed prominent position in Islam, says MWL chief
• Lawmakers
vow to strengthen pro-women laws implementation
• French
female Daesh members begin hunger strike in Syria, demand return
• Yemen:
'Militarizing women impacts social cohesion'
• Saudi
Arabia moves up global women inclusion rankings: World Bank
• SC
to hear appeal against HC verdict barring female marriage registrars on April 4
• INTERVIEW:
Female Saudi driver feels right at home at Diriyah E-Prix
• World
Bank: Saudi Arabia maintains strong reform momentum in women legal reforms
• UAE
tops MENA rankings in World Bank’s ‘Women, Business and the Law’ 2021 report
• Philippines:
Nine women arrested over bomb plots
Compiled
by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/iran-allegedly-hangs-woman-appease/d/124386
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Iran
allegedly hangs woman to appease victim’s family despite her death by heart
attack before execution
February
23, 2021
The
execution of Zahra Ismaili, which was carried out in the infamous Rajai Shahr
prison, above, has been condemned by human rights activists and analysts.
(Wikimedia Commons)
-----------
LONDON:
The lawyer of an Iranian woman who died of a heart attack moments before she
was hanged said the execution was carried out anyway to appease her alleged
victim’s family.
Zahra
Ismaili was convicted of murdering her husband AlirezaZamani, but her lawyer
OmidMoradi said she was defending herself against violence.
Moradi,
who said Zamani was an official in the Intelligence Ministry, posted online a
depiction of his client’s ordeal.
He
said Ismaili was in a line of people preparing for execution, behind 16 men,
and while watching them being hanged ahead of her, she had a heart attack and
died.
According
to Moradi, the execution still went ahead so that Zamani’s mother could carry
out the act of kicking the chair beneath her.
The
execution, which was carried out in the infamous RajaiShahr prison, has been
condemned by human rights activists and analysts.
Kylie
Moore-Gilbert, a British-Australian academic who was recently released from prison
in Iran, described the execution as “gruesome.”
KasraAarabi,
an analyst at the Tony Blair Institute, said the killing was “truly barbaric.
World leaders must speak out.”
JavaidRehman,
the UN rapporteur on human rights in Iran, said in a recent report that 233
people were executed in the country in 2020, including three prisoners who were
children at the time of their alleged offenses.
https://www.arabnews.com/node/1814431/middle-east
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Muslim
women have always enjoyed prominent position in Islam, says MWL chief
February
24, 2021
MWL
chief Mohammed bin Abdul Karim Al-Issa speaks at on online seminar organized by
the Los Angeles World Affairs Council and Town Hall. (SPA)
------------
The
secretary-general of the Muslim World League, Mohammed bin Abdul Karim Al-Issa,
on Tuesday said the Muslim women always enjoyed a prominent position since the
beginning of Islam and any violation of their rights are against the basic
teachings of the religion.
He
was speaking at an online seminar organized by the Los Angeles World Affairs
Council and Town Hall.
Al-Issa
said it is important to fight the wrong ideas about women propagated by
extremist elements. He said armed struggle against terrorism and the deviant
ideology is not enough. Al-Issa stressed the need to combat the extremist
narrative using intellectual means to root it out from the world.
He
stressed the need to promote dialogue between the East and the West to bridge
the gap between different communities, cultures and civilizations.
The
MWL chief blamed the trust deficit between different communities for violence.
He explained the Islamic concept of moderation and its importance to promote
global peace and harmony.
Al-Issa
highlighted the efforts of the MWL in forging ties with several religious
organizations around the world to spread its message of peace and coexistence.
Kim
McCleary Blue, president of the World Affairs Council, praised the efforts of
the MWL in promoting a culture of dialogue and cooperation between followers of
different religions and cultures.
https://www.arabnews.com/node/1814736/saudi-arabia
--------
Lawmakers
vow to strengthen pro-women laws implementation
February
24, 2021
PESHAWAR:
The KP Assembly lawmakers here on Tuesday vowed to strengthen the
implementation and oversight of the pro-women laws including those on domestic
violence and reproductive health.
They
were speaking at a consultation jointly hosted by Blue Veins and Awaz-Centre
for Development Services (CDS) Pakistan, non-governmental organizations.
The
event was arranged in collaboration with the Women Parliamentary Caucus (WPC)
of the KP Assembly and Social Welfare and Women Empowerment Department. KP
Assembly Deputy Speaker Mehmood Jan, MPAs, WPC members, officials from the Law,
Population Welfare and Social Welfare departments and civil society
organisations.
The
speakers said the woman legislators in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly are playing
an efficient role in taking forward the issues, particularly those related to
women, girls, children and transgender persons.
KP
Assembly Deputy Speaker Khyber Mehmood Jan said: “The pro-women legislation in
the past few years have shown the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s government strong commitments
to the issues.”
He
said collective efforts and actions are a focus of the KP Assembly to ensure
that vulnerable communities are better protected and benefit from the laws and
their implementation.
Member
Provincial Assembly and WPC Vice-President MadihaNisar said: “The WPC is always
ready to join hands with the civil society for implementing the pro-women
legislation to strengthen the protection of the rights of women and eliminate
violence against women.
MPA
and Parliamentary Secretary for Higher Education Aisha Bano said: “The Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa government has done two significant legislation on domestic
violence and reproductive health for the province. If improvement and
compliance are desired, the relevant institutions and enforcement bodies need
to be strengthened. Strong coordination among the departments should be
ensured”.
A
law-maker from Jamaat-e-IslamiHumairaKhatoon, WPC Joint Secretary, dispelled
the impression that religio-political parties are against pro-women
legislation. She stressed that all laws in the country should as per
injunctions of Islam.
Zia-ur-Rehman,
Executive Director, Awaz CDS Pakistan, said: “According to the recent results
of Sustainable Development Goals Citizens’ Scorecard, around 67 per cent of
women do not have access to medico-legal facilities in KP in case of violence
and torture. Less than 39 per cent of women complain against harassment in the
public sphere that hinders their mobility”.
He
said over 50 per cent of respondents have claimed that there are cases of
child, early and forced marriages in their areas. “Therefore, there is a dire
need for legislation against child marriages in the province,” Zia-ur-Rehman
added.
The
speaker demanded formulation of rules of business for the recently passed
domestic violence act at the earliest.
Appreciating
the legislation on domestic violence and reproductive healthcare rights,
QamarNaseem Programme, Coordinator, Blue Veins, called for monitoring,
oversight, resource and budget allocation, support, coordination and the empowerment
of enforcement bodies to achieve the objectives.
https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/794691-lawmakers-vow-to-strengthen-pro-women-laws-implementation
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French
female Daesh members begin hunger strike in Syria, demand return
February
23, 2021
Ten
French women who joined Daesh and are now being held in Syria, began a hunger
strike to protest France's refusal to repatriate them or their children, their
lawyers said.
Marie
Dosé and LudovicRivière, the women's lawyers, said in a joint statement that
the women should be tried in France, and that "for more than two
years" they "have been waiting to pay for what they have done".
"After
years of waiting and no possibility [of] a trial (…) [the women] feel that they
have no other choice but to abstain from eating," the statement added.
In
audio messages sent to their families, the lawyers added, the women said they
can no longer bear watching their children suffer, and that they want to assume
their responsibility and to be tried in France.
Nearly
80 foreign women who joined Daesh, along with their 200 children, are being
held in camps in Syria run by US-backed Kurdish forces.
The
International Committee of the Red Cross, which works in the Al-Hawl and Rouge
camps in north-eastern Syria, says children there suffer from malnutrition and
severe respiratory diseases during the winter season.
Last
November, the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child warned of the
"immediate" danger to the lives of these children, who are being held
in "inhumane sanitary conditions" and who are deprived of "the
most basic foodstuffs".
For
years, Paris has adopted a case-by-case policy regarding the return of these
children. So far, only 35 have been repatriated, most of them orphans.
The
two lawyers said, abandoning these women in these camps is completely
irresponsible and inhuman.
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20210223-french-female-daesh-members-begin-hunger-strike-in-syria-demand-return/
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Yemen:
'Militarizing women impacts social cohesion'
Mohammed
Alragawi
24.02.2021
Earlier
this month, authorities in the northeasternMarib province of war-ravaged Yemen
claimed having busted a spy cell by arresting eight women.
They
have been accused of working for the Iran-backed Houthi rebels, who currently
control the capital Sanaa and a large part of northern Yemen.
On
the other side, three civil rights groups recently documented the case of Asma
al-Omaisi, 22, a mother of two children, sentenced to death by Houthi rebels.
They have also accused her of spying for government forces.
Speaking
to Anadolu Agency, KawkabAlthaibani, director of an NGO, Women for Yemen
Network, described it as a new phenomenon, where women are allegedly recruited
to work in intelligence networks.
A
former prison inmate, Fawzia al-Mahwiti, said that Houthi rebels had forced her
to spy on fellow prisoners.
She
was earlier working as a prison official, but she submitted a resignation
protesting against the treatment of women by Houthis when they took over Sanaa.
But
they imprisoned her and asked her to snoop on prisoners as a condition to
accept her resignation.
“I
was threatened. They lodged me with prisoners for three weeks and asked me to
spy on them. They threatened to harm my children. When I was released, they
asked me to train other female guards before they accept my resignation,” she
added.
“Six
days later after my release, they sent some military personnel to arrest me
again. But with the help of colleagues, I managed to escape with kids to Aden.
Since then I have not returned to Sanaa,” she said.
A
report by the UN Group of Eminent International and Regional Experts on Yemen
last September found children being recruited by the warring armed groups.
The
report cited that 34 girls aged 13-17 were recruited by the Houthi rebels in
five years from 2015-2020 to work as spies, guards, medics, and members of the
Zainabiyat -- a women's military group established by Houthis.
Government
forces recruit women
“Girls
from Houthi-affiliated or socio-economically disadvantaged families, or those
in detention, were especially targeted for recruitment. As many as 12 girls
allegedly survived sexual violence or were forced to marry, which was also
directly linked to their recruitment,” said the report.
The
Panel of Experts on Yemen in their report to the UN Security Council in January
2020 also documented multiple violations perpetrated by Zainabiyat that
included arbitrary arrest and detention of women, sexual assault, beatings,
torture, and facilitating rape in secret detention centers.
Media
reports suggested that in Taiz, a city in southwestern Yemen, the groups
aligned to government forces have also recruited women. Besides being used to
undertake medical and relief work, they are also asked to carry out raids on
suspected houses.
Speaking
to Anadolu Agency, HooriaMashhour, a former minister of human rights, said
while she favors women taking over the highest positions in the Defense
Ministry, using them as combatants should be completely rejected.
“This
is because they are going to be used to arrest, detain, imprison and torture
other women,“ she said.
In
October 2015, Taiz witnessed a graduation ceremony of the first batch of female
police officers where they demonstrated some of their combat skills.
Another
batch of 86 female soldiers joined the 35th Armored Brigade under the name of
the Hope Batch.
Althaibani
said while the involvement of women in any armed groups is problematic, but the
situation in Taiz was a reaction unlike in the north where rebels are
systematically using women.
Zainabiyat
military parade shock for Yemenis
Three
years ago, media displayed pictures of Zainabiyat female forces participating
in a military parade in Sanaa, carrying machine guns and Kalashnikovs.
Observers
said that the scenes angered the conservative Yemeni people, who used to keep
women away from any politically driven conflicts or anything that is associated
with violence or causes harm and danger.
“Houthis
use women as a tactic to appeal to social norms. So, many people would not
disagree with this act because Houthis always claim that this act comes in
respect to society and its tradition as female security groups are formed to
protect other women,” Althaibani said.
She
said that the militarization of women has impacted social cohesion in Yemen.
“Families
within the same neighborhood feel insecure when female militants live in the
same neighborhood. This will install further fear among people and social
cohesion is going to get more destroyed,” she said.
Mashhour
said this phenomenon needs to be addressed once the war ends. She called for
the demobilization and rehabilitation of female soldiers.
But
many observers say that it is the lure of salary and perks as well since the
warning parties prioritize paying to combatants rather than using the money for
public services.
However,
Tawfiq al-Humeidi, head of SAM Organization for Rights and Liberties, said that
the issue was not connected to the economic situation. He blamed Houthis for
militarizing the society by raising Zainabiyat's force. Describing recruitment
of girls as combatants as a negative sign of the war, he said action further
contributed to the violations of human rights, especially attacks against
women.
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/yemen-militarizing-women-impacts-social-cohesion/2155177
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Saudi
Arabia moves up global women inclusion rankings: World Bank
ReemKrimly
24
February ,2021
Saudi
Arabia has made progress for the second year in a row in the “Women, Business
and Law 2021” report issued by the World Bank, scoring 80 points out of 100, the
Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported on Wednesday.
The
report is “a series of annual studies measuring the laws and regulations that
affect women’s economic opportunity in 190 economies,” according to the World
Bank website.
Last
year, the Kingdom scored 70.6 out of 100. This year’s score of 80 raised Saudi
Arabia’s ranking to become one of the leading countries of the report in the
Middle East and North Africa region.
According
to the World Bank report, this achievement by the Kingdom is “an affirmation of
the strength and continued momentum of legislative reforms in laws and
regulations related to women, as the Kingdom has achieved gender equality in
all areas of employment, to meet the needs of the labor market,” SPA said.
The
Kingdom has achieved a full score of 100 in five main indicators out of eight
measured by the World Bank report: mobility, pension, entrepreneurship,
workplace, and pay.
Dr.
Majid bin Abdullah al-Qasabi, the Minister of Commerce and Chairman of the
Board of Directors of the National Competitiveness Center, said that this
achievement comes as a result of Saudi Arabia’s King Salman and Crown Prince
Mohammed bin Salman’s keenness to implementing reforms in the Kingdom,
according to SPA.
The
minister expressed his appreciation to the government agencies that have
contributed to the implementation of legislative reforms aimed at enhancing the
role of women in economic development and raising the Kingdom’s competitiveness
regionally and globally.
He
added that the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 has “contributed to supporting the
implementation of these reforms.”
Saudi
Arabia’s Vision 2030 program aims to raise the participation of women in the
labor market from 22 percent to 30 percent.
https://english.alarabiya.net/News/gulf/2021/02/24/Vision-2030-Saudi-Arabia-moves-up-global-women-inclusion-rankings-World-Bank
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SC
to hear appeal against HC verdict barring female marriage registrars on April 4
February
23, 2021
A
full bench of the Supreme Court will hold a hearing on April 4 on an appeal
challenging the High Court verdict that barred women from becoming Nikah
(Muslim marriage) registrars in the country.
Chamber
judge of the Appellate Division of the SC Justice HasanFoez Siddique today sent
the appeal to its full bench and fixed April 4 for hearing the matter.
The
apex court chamber judge passed the order after a brief hearing on the leave to
appeal petition against the HC verdict filed by rights organisation Foundation
for Law and Development.
The
HC in a verdict on February 26 last year ruled that women could not become
Nikah registrars due to certain "physical conditions" and social as
well as practical situations of the country.
"It
has to be borne in mind that due to certain physical conditions a lady cannot
enter the mosque during a certain time of the month. She is even excused from
performing the mandatory daily prayers during this particular time. This
disqualification does not allow her to conduct the religious task. We are
mindful of the fact that Muslim marriage is a religious ceremony and has to be
guided by the terms and dictates of Islam," the HC bench of Justice
Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury and KaziZinatHoque observed.
The
judges came up with the observation in a full text of a verdict which was
released after they signed it recently.
The
HC bench delivered the verdict after rejecting a writ petition filed by a
marriage registrar candidate, Ayesha Siddiqua, from Dinajpur challenging a
government decision not to recruit her as a Nikah register.
https://www.thedailystar.net/law-our-rights/law-news/news/sc-hear-appeal-against-hc-verdict-barring-female-marriage-registrars-april-4-2049917
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INTERVIEW:
Female Saudi driver feels right at home at Diriyah E-Prix
February
21, 2021
RIYADH:
Ahead of the 2021 Diriyah E-Prix double-header on Friday, Arab News caught up
with Reema Al-Juffali, one of Saudi Arabia’s rising stars in motorsports.
Al-Juffali, 29, talked about Formula E, sustainability and her dream race.
Q:
You made history in Diriyah by becoming the first female racer to drive
competitively in the Kingdom during the Jaguar I-Pace. What did that moment
mean to you?
That
was a day of many firsts for me and one I will cherish for the rest of my life.
It was my first time racing in an electric car and my first time racing in an
international event on home soil, so it was truly a historic moment for me and
my country. I was so fortunate to have the opportunity to race in front of home
fans and it was the highlight of my career so far. Hopefully, there will be
many more opportunities like this in the future.
Q:
The Diriyah Circuit has become one of the more iconic circuits in Formula E.
What do you think makes it so special?
The
circuit has been hailed by many drivers as a very unique and challenging track
to drive. I think part of this is because we have the world’s most modern
motorsport taking place on a site that honors the Kingdom’s past. It is a very
special combination. Racing in the heart of Diriyah gives you a very strong
feeling of connection to our Kingdom’s history. For me, having never raced on a
street circuit before, I had to adjust to being closer to the walls while
driving an electric car but it is something I love and will never forget.
Q:
Now in its third year, we have seen Saudis become more engaged with the Diriyah
E-Prix. Can you tell us about the excitement you are sensing ahead of this
year’s race?
The
passion for motorsport in the Kingdom runs deep. Bringing events like Formula E
to Saudi is very exciting for racing fans who are not familiar with street
racing. I am also very proud of the first Formula E night race to take place at
the circuit on home soil, which will be an incredible moment for the country
and the sport. It is fantastic to see the organizers making the most of the
global spotlight that motorsport brings. It will showcase some of the beauty of
our land and our capacity to put on brilliant, world-class events.
Q:
Formula E stretches beyond just sports, it also aims to promote a sustainable
and clean future, which is in line with the Saudi government’s initiatives. How
important is it for a sport to promote the sustainability message in the
Kingdom and beyond?
Our
country is on a journey toward sustainability. Formula E’s message for
promoting a clean future complements the aspirations of Saudi Arabia’s Vision
2030. As a driver, I feel a responsibility to spread awareness regarding the
need for a more sustainable approach to everyday life. I am honored to be a
part of this journey towards a more environmentally conscious future.
Q:
You are currently competing in Formula 4. What are your aspirations for the
future?
One
of my ultimate goals in life is to race Le Mans with some of the best drivers
in the world. But more than anything I just want to excel in my field,
regardless of the category or the event. I want to feel proud of my
performance. The sky is the limit.
https://www.arabnews.com/node/1812921/sport
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World
Bank: Saudi Arabia maintains strong reform momentum in women legal reforms
February
24, 2021
RIYADH
— For two years in a row, Saudi Arabia has achieved notable progress in the
“Women, Business and the Law (WBL) Report”, a global measure of women legal
reforms published by the World Bank Group.
On
a scale of 1 to 100, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia scored 80 in WBL 2021, up from
70.6 in WBL 2020. Its performance is most remarkable in five indicators on
which it scored at the top of the scale: mobility, workplace, pay,
entrepreneurship, and pension.
These
scores put Saudi Arabia on a par with many advanced economies with long
traditions of women legal reforms.
The
Kingdom’s strong performance comes as a result of a raft of reforms that it
implemented last year to further expand women’s participation in the economy.
Saudi
Arabia equalized women’s access to all types of jobs in the labor market,
lifted restrictions on their employment in sectors previously considered
unsafe, and eliminated the ban on women’s night work.
Commenting
on the results, Dr.Majed Al-Qasabi, minister of commerce and chairman of the
board of the National Competitiveness Center, indicated that the Kingdom’s
performance reflects King Salman’s commitment to enabling Saudi women to fully
participate in the social and economic development of their country.
They
also reflect the unwavering attention that Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman has
dedicated to ensuring an effective whole-of-government approach to implementing
women legal reforms.
Saudi
Arabia’s new reforms build on a succession of similar reforms that it has
implemented since the launch of Vision 2030 in 2016, including lifting
restrictions on women’s mobility, equalizing access to public services,
guaranteeing equal benefits in the labor market, and instituting protections
against harassment in the workplace and in public spaces, among other reforms.
Women,
Business and Law report, a yearly publication of the World Bank group, assesses
and reports on women legal reforms in 190 countries around the globe, using an
index with eight indicators: mobility, pay, parenthood, assets, workplace,
marriage, entrepreneurship, and pension. — SPA
https://saudigazette.com.sa/article/603810
--------
World
Bank: Saudi Arabia maintains strong reform momentum in women legal reforms
February
24, 2021
RIYADH
— For two years in a row, Saudi Arabia has achieved notable progress in the
“Women, Business and the Law (WBL) Report”, a global measure of women legal
reforms published by the World Bank Group.
On
a scale of 1 to 100, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia scored 80 in WBL 2021, up from
70.6 in WBL 2020. Its performance is most remarkable in five indicators on
which it scored at the top of the scale: mobility, workplace, pay,
entrepreneurship, and pension.
These
scores put Saudi Arabia on a par with many advanced economies with long
traditions of women legal reforms.
The
Kingdom’s strong performance comes as a result of a raft of reforms that it
implemented last year to further expand women’s participation in the economy.
Saudi
Arabia equalized women’s access to all types of jobs in the labor market,
lifted restrictions on their employment in sectors previously considered
unsafe, and eliminated the ban on women’s night work.
Commenting
on the results, Dr.Majed Al-Qasabi, minister of commerce and chairman of the
board of the National Competitiveness Center, indicated that the Kingdom’s
performance reflects King Salman’s commitment to enabling Saudi women to fully
participate in the social and economic development of their country.
They
also reflect the unwavering attention that Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman has
dedicated to ensuring an effective whole-of-government approach to implementing
women legal reforms.
Saudi
Arabia’s new reforms build on a succession of similar reforms that it has
implemented since the launch of Vision 2030 in 2016, including lifting
restrictions on women’s mobility, equalizing access to public services,
guaranteeing equal benefits in the labor market, and instituting protections
against harassment in the workplace and in public spaces, among other reforms.
Women,
Business and Law report, a yearly publication of the World Bank group, assesses
and reports on women legal reforms in 190 countries around the globe, using an
index with eight indicators: mobility, pay, parenthood, assets, workplace,
marriage, entrepreneurship, and pension. — SPA
https://saudigazette.com.sa/article/603810
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Philippines:
Nine women arrested over bomb plots
February
23, 2021
Security
forces seized bomb-making equipment during raids.
Nine
women suspected of plotting to blow up military targets in the restive southern
Philippines have been arrested, the army said on Tuesday.
Security
forces detained the women and seized bomb-making equipment during raids on
Friday of several homes on Joloisland, a stronghold of the Abu Sayyaf group.
Most
of the women were the daughters or widows of slain Abu Sayyaf fighters and
included several “potential suicide bombers”, Major General William Gonzales
said in a statement.
“This
is how desperate the remaining terrorists are, willing to sacrifice their
families just to get back at government forces,” Gonzales said.
The
women had been monitored giving “financial or logistical support to their
relatives” in Abu Sayyaf, First Lieutenant Jerrica Manongdo told AFP.
They
allegedly planned to attack soldiers with improvised explosive devices.
https://www.khaleejtimes.com/world/rest-of-asia/philippines-nine-women-arrested-over-bomb-plots
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