Execution of 1,050 People and Crackdown on 30,000 Women in Iran for Not Wearing the Hijab
New Age Islam News Bureau
21 March 2025
· Execution of 1,050 People and Crackdown on 30,000 Women in Iran for Not Wearing the Hijab
· AI, Hate, And Gendered Communalism: The WeaponisationOf Muslim Women’s Bodies
· Muslim Women, Others Face Rising Discrimination In Germany – Report
· Hijab rule change in schools sparks outcry in Northern Cyprus
· Afghan Women Scholars in Oman Granted Funding Extension
· Muslim woman humiliated when mugshot without hijab shared, suit says. TN county to pay
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/crackdown-women-hijab-germany-afghan/d/134941
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Execution of 1,050 People and Crackdown on 30,000 Women in Iran for Not Wearing the Hijab
By HOSHANG AMIRI
MARCH 20, 2025
FILE - A protester holds a rope as writing on her neck reads "#no to the death penalty" during a rally in support of anti-government protesters in Iran, in Istanbul, Turkey, Nov. 19, 2022. A U.N. report released June 21, 2024, criticizes the high number of executions in Iran.
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According to human rights sources, the Iranian regime executed at least 1,050 people in the Persian Calendar year 1403 (March 21, 2024 to March 21, 2025). Additionally, over 30,000 women faced punitive measures for not adhering to the regime’s mandatory hijab rules.
During this period, at least 3,702 protests and strikes took place, and a minimum of 355 Iranian citizens were shot by security forces.
The human rights website HRANA reported that the year 2024 was a tragic continuation of Iran’s ongoing human rights violations.
The report emphasized that “the provided statistics cannot fully represent the human rights situation in Iran” because the Iranian regime does not allow independent human rights organizations to operate freely or access necessary information.
Executions
According to HRANA’s report, the Iranian regime executed at least 1,050 people in 2024, including 29 women and five juvenile offenders.
The report also states that five of these executions were carried out in public.
Additionally, 189 people were sentenced to death during this period, and the Supreme Court upheld the death sentences of 55 individuals.
Issuing and enforcing the death penalty for individuals under 18 is a violation of international human rights standards, including the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which Iran has ratified.
Iran remains one of the few countries in the world that continues to execute juvenile offenders.
The sharp rise in the issuance, confirmation, and implementation of death sentences in recent months has sparked widespread protests both inside and outside Iran.
In the latest international reaction, JavaidRehman, the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Iran, expressed concern in his first report about the regime’s use of executions as a tool to suppress the population.
On March 18, a group of families of political prisoners sentenced to death gathered in Sarab Park in Sonqor, Kermanshah province, to protest the death sentences issued against their loved ones and other prisoners.
Women and Children’s Rights
In its annual report on women’s rights in Iran, HRANA stated that in 2024, the Iranian regime took punitive action against at least 30,642 women for not adhering to the mandatory hijab.
The report recorded 16,567 cases of domestic violence, 125 femicides, 33 honor killings—including the murder of 19 men—five acid attacks, and three suicides during this period.
Regarding children’s rights, HRANA documented at least 4,296 cases of child abuse, at least 27 instances of child rape and sexual assault, 43 cases of child homicide, 14 deaths, and 204 child injuries due to official negligence. The report also recorded 58 child suicides, five honor killings, three abandoned newborns, nine deaths, and 17 injuries among child laborers.
Over the past year, at least three million students dropped out of school, and approximately two million children were recorded as child laborers.
Killing of Citizens
According to HRANA’s report, a total of 355 citizens were shot by military forces throughout 2024, resulting in 156 deaths.
This includes the deaths of 31 cross-border porters (kulbars), 42 fuel porters (sookhtbars), and 83 other civilians.
Over the past year, 199 citizens were also injured due to indiscriminate shooting by Iran’s military forces, including 105 kulbars, 51 ordinary citizens, and 43 fuel porters.
HRANA also noted that 30 other kulbars suffered accidents due to harsh environmental and geographical conditions, such as hypothermia and falling from heights. Among them, 21 were injured, and nine lost their lives.
Additionally, 19 fuel smugglers were involved in accidents due to military chases, resulting in five deaths and 14 injuries.
Earlier, on February 23, the Baluch Activists Campaign, which covers news from Sistan and Baluchestan province, reported that in the past seven years, at least 1,010 fuel porters in Baluch-populated areas of Iran had been killed or injured due to military shootings or pursuits.
On February 22, the human rights organization HANA reported that in 2024, at least 41 Kurdish kulbars were killed by direct fire from Iranian border guards, and 216 others were injured.
Protest Gatherings
According to HRANA’s report, at least 2,255 protest gatherings took place in Iran in 2024.
Among these protests, 724 were labor protests, 1,187 were related to professional and trade unions, 74 were related to freedom of thought and expression, 47 were student protests, and 48 were environmental protests.
Additionally, 175 protest gatherings were organized by citizens—mainly those who had lost their savings or other individuals whose rights had been violated—across 31 provinces in the country.
In addition to protest gatherings, at least 70 professional strikes and 1,377 labor strikes were held.
These statistics indicate a sharp rise in professional and labor protests in Iran, with a total of 3,702 protests and strikes recorded over the past year.
Source:iranfocus.com
https://iranfocus.com/iran/53743-execution-of-1050-people-and-crackdown-on-30000-women-for-not-wearing-the-hijab/
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AI, Hate, And Gendered Communalism: The WeaponisationOf Muslim Women’s Bodies
By ShrishtiKumari
Mar 21, 2025
In today’s world where artificial intelligence is often seen as a tool of progress, helping us communicate and create something new, there is also a darker side emerging of this technology in India, The rise of AI has brought infront of us disturbing trends of mass production of semi pornographic image of Muslim women in hijabs or burqas in submissive position to Hindu men by pro Hindutva group reflecting the deeper communal and patriarchal ideologies.
The ease with which AI tools create these images, raise the critical question technology in perpetuating hate. Social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook have hundreds of such pages allowing such hate speech and communal propaganda to flourish. What is making it more dangerous is how these platforms which rely on user engagement have become the places of hate speech and systematic oppression.
The wide reach of these social media platforms have allowed hate speech to spread without any fear of repercussions. Violent fantasies have become normalised and accepted as a part of culture. This act is not just about individual act of hate, but this is about how technology has made this systematic oppression appear normal and okay.
When we delve deeper at this issue it’s not only about technology or random acts of harassment, but it is about how AI and social media are being used together to push a form of oppression that combines gender, religion, and power. The impact on Muslim women is devastating but the harm goes beyond them. It is affecting the society as whole. By examining understanding this problem through sociological lens, we can see that structures of power and oppression are the root cause of such violence.
The fetishisation of identity in these AI imagery
The hijab and burqa, which are markers of Muslim identity have been used to create AI generated image sexualising these religious garments hence fetishising the religious and cultural symbol. These images often show Muslim women in degrading situation with Hindu men. It’s a way for certain groups to humiliate Muslim women and assert control over the whole Muslim community.
The hijab which was a religious and personal choice for women has been turned into a tool for shame and domination. Annie Zaidi, a writer, and social commentator notes that these garments have become a code for Muslim women representing not just an individual but the whole Muslim community.
This reflects the bigger issue in society where Muslim women are reduced to a mere object of desire and control reinforcing the harmful stereotypes and making it easier to justify the violence and oppression against them. What is even more troubling is the paradox where in public, the hijab is often criticised as a symbol of oppression but in private it is fetishised as something exotic and desirable. This shows the double standards, deep prejudices and power imbalance in our society.
This issue is also connected to patriarchy and communalism where women’s bodies are seen as a symbol of the community’s honour and by targeting Muslim women these images do not only hurt women but the entire Muslim community. Scholars call this gendered communalism, where Muslim women’s bodies are used as a tool for oppression and religious conflict.
AI and social media tools amplifying hate and normalising violence.
The rise of AI generated images which has made it easy to produce hyper realistic, semi pornographic content with a target on Muslim women is alarming. What once required Photoshop edit now can be produced with AI tools making it accessible to hate groups. These images are often being shared across hundereds of pages on platforms like Instagram and Facebook normalising violence and turning the communal hatred into cultural narratives.
Social media has heightened the harm by providing the ground for hate speeches and communal propaganda. The anonymity and vast reach of these platform allow the hate groups to operate with impunity, while humour, memes and coded languages makes these hate speeches look more palatable, especially for younger audience. This normalisation of violence has widened the gap between the two communities and have undermined their equality and respect for each other, showing how technology and social media are weaponised to reinforce the existing power structures.
Power, patriarchy, and caste: the intersection of domination and communalism
The images generated by these AI tools are deeply disturbing, reflecting the fantasy of domination rooted in patriarchy, power, and communalism. Hindu men are often depicted as muscular, aggressive, and dominant, while the Muslim women are shown as submissive and intimidated. In some images multiple Hindu men surround a single Muslim woman. These images symbolise the collective domination.
Titles like “Hijabiyokashikari” and “Mulliyokamalik” leave us with no confusion that this is not about individual fantasies but about asserting communal control. The sexual possession of Muslim women symbolises the domination over the entire Muslim community. This is typically a mentality deeply tied to the patriarchal and communal ideologies.
This narrative of domination is further complicated by the intersection of caste. The glorification of upper caste identities in title like “zalimpandit” and “zalim Thakur” shows us how caste privileges is intertwined with the communalism. These images emphasise Brahmanical dominance, reflecting the historical and social power of the upper caste who see themselves as the inheritor of the authority. The exclusion of the OBC and Dalit shows us that these narratives are deeply entrenched in the hierarchies of Hindu society where only dominant caste groups are allowed to assert dominance and power.
Together these elements like patriarchy, caste and communalism create the toxic framework where Muslim women’s bodies have become the site to assert multiple layers of dominance.
Historical echoes: sexual violence as a tool of communal oppression
The use of sexual violence as a tool of communal oppression is not a new phenomenon. It is a deeply rooted strategy to humiliate and dominate marginalised communities. From the 2002 Gujarat riots to the BilkisBano case, Muslim women’s bodies has been targeted as a site of communal conflict. The language used in the leaflets during riots in Gujarat was ‘We have untied the penises that were tied till now, we have widened the tight vaginas of the Bibis‘.
These reveals a dehumanisation that reflects today’s AI generated content. This continuity shows us how sexual violence is not just an individual phenomenon but a calculated tool of communal dominance.
The shift from physical violence to digital exploitation does not lessens the impact but it increases the normalisation of hatred against the Muslim community making it reach to the wider audience. The recent acknowledgment of the men convicted in the BilkisBano case and the support for the accused in the Kathua rape case highlights that how such violence is often legitimised and even celebrated.
These patterns are rooted in patriarchal and communal ideologies where women’s bodies are symbolised as the community’s honour and their violation in any way, seems to humiliate the entire community. The transition from physical violence to digital exploitation marks the evolution of how now technology is weaponised to perpetuate the same cycle of hatred. Addressing these challenges requires us not only legal but also technological interventions and change in societal attitude towards such violence.
The rise of AI and AI generated images, hate speech and content targeting Muslim women is an alarming reminder of how technology has been weaponised to perpetuate violence and oppression.
Addressing this issue requires us to follow the multipronged approach which includes better regulation of social media platforms, with strong legal framework and efforts to promote inter community understanding. As a member of this society, we must confront this uncomfortable truth that these images are not just an individual act of harassment but systematic oppression. The fight against such hate is not just about protecting Muslim women but it is about the preserving the fabric of diverse and democratic society.
Source: feminisminindia.com
https://feminisminindia.com/2025/03/21/ai-hate-and-gendered-communalism-the-weaponisation-of-muslim-womens-bodies/
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Muslim Women, Others Face Rising Discrimination In Germany – Report
21 Mar 2025
The controversy over the use of hijab in mission schools in Kwara State has been long running
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Muslim women and Black individuals are experiencing growing racial discrimination in Germany, according to a comprehensive national study released Thursday.
The 2025 National Discrimination and Racism Monitor (NaDiRa) report found that 54% of those who faced discrimination due to their skin colour, or religion, experienced biased treatment at least once a month.
The findings showed that Muslim women (61%), Black women (63%), and Black men (62%) encounter the highest rates of subtle discrimination. Among Black individuals, skin colour was identified as the primary factor in up to 84% of discriminatory incidents while for Muslim respondents, religious bias was the main factor in up to 51% of cases.
The study identified public spaces as particular hotspots for discrimination, with 42% of Black men and 38% of Muslim women reporting regular negative encounters. Government offices also proved problematic, with 37% of Muslim women reporting unfair treatment from institutional authorities.
Police discrimination also surfaced as a significant issue, with 19% of Muslim men and 18% of Black men reporting negative interactions with law enforcement.
“The report shows that racist discrimination occurs in almost all areas of society. This highlights the structural dimensions of racism,” said Dr. CihanSinanoglu, NaDiRa’s director. (Anadolu Agency)
“As a state party to the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD), Germany is obligated to protect those affected from discrimination and to take measures to ensure equal rights.”
Source:dailytrust.com
https://dailytrust.com/muslim-women-others-face-rising-discrimination-in-germany-report/
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Hijab rule change in schools sparks outcry in Northern Cyprus
March 20, 2025
The Turkish Cypriot administration’s decision to permit headscarves in secondary schools has ignited fierce debate, with teachers’ unions and opposition figures condemning it as part of a broader push towards religious conservatism.
The move is particularly controversial given that the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus has traditionally been more secular and socially liberal than mainland Turkiye, where religious influence on politics has grown over the decades.
The new regulation, which took effect on Monday, allows students to wear headscarves for religious reasons, provided that they are plain, single-coloured and match the school uniform.
According to Hurriyet, the amendment was introduced after a female student at IrsenKucuk Secondary School in Nicosia was barred from attending class for wearing a headscarf last week. Following a complaint from her family, the Ministry of National Education took the issue to the Council of Ministers, which approved the new regulation.
Education Minister NazimCavusoglu defended the move, telling Turkish newspaper Sabah: “We did not have a problem in our high schools and middle schools. With this decision, we have overcome the headscarf ban in middle schools.”
Former Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci criticised the policy, stating, “The main thing in education is to deal with the inside of children’s heads… They make their own decisions about the outside of their heads when they reach the age at which they can act with their own free will.”
The leader of the opposition Republican Turkish Party (CTP), TufanErhurman, accused the ruling coalition in Northern Cyprus of fostering social division. “You cannot be unaware that when you make such a change, you will create a debate, even a confrontation, in society over ‘secular education’ and ‘freedoms,’” he warned.
Teachers’ unions staged protests, with the Cyprus Turkish Secondary Education Teachers’ Union (KTOEÖS) leader Selma Eylem condemning the move as an attempt at “social engineering.”
While critics see the policy as Ankara’s increasing influence, supporters, including Transport Minister ErhanArikli, argue that similar policies exist in the Republic of Cyprus, questioning the opposition’s stance on religious freedoms in a potential future federation.
Source:middleeastmonitor.com
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20250320-hijab-rule-change-in-schools-sparks-outcry-in-northern-cyprus/
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Afghan Women Scholars in Oman Granted Funding Extension
March 21, 2025
In a significant development, over 80 Afghan women studying in Oman on U.S.-funded scholarships have received a temporary reprieve from the termination of their funding. Initially set to end last month due to sweeping cuts by the Trump administration, the U.S. State Department has announced that financial support will continue until June 30, 2025. This decision comes as a relief to the students, who fled Taliban rule in Afghanistan to pursue their education abroad.
Background of the Scholarships
The Afghan women in Oman are part of the Women’s Scholarship Endowment (WSE), a program initiated by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) in 2018. This initiative aims to support women in pursuing degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Many of these students qualified for scholarships in 2021, just before the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan. They continued their studies at Afghan universities until December 2022, when the Taliban imposed a ban on higher education for women.
After enduring 18 months of uncertainty, the women fled to Pakistan in September 2023. USAID facilitated their visas to Oman, where they arrived between October and November of the same year. The abrupt announcement on February 28, 2024, that their scholarships would be terminated within two weeks left them in shock and fear of being sent back to Afghanistan, where their safety and educational opportunities would be severely compromised.
Concerns for the Future
While the funding extension has brought temporary relief, the students remain anxious about their long-term prospects. One student, speaking anonymously for fear of reprisals, expressed gratitude for the reprieve but emphasized the need for a permanent solution. “We are relieved now, but we are still deeply concerned about our future,” she stated. The looming threat of returning to a country where women face severe restrictions on education and personal freedoms weighs heavily on their minds.
The Taliban government has claimed to be working on resolving issues related to women’s education, yet it continues to enforce strict policies that restrict women’s rights. Reports indicate that women protesting for their right to education have faced violence and intimidation. Many Afghan women describe their existence under the current regime as akin to being “dead bodies moving around,” highlighting the oppressive environment they endure.
Ongoing Efforts and International Response
In light of the funding cuts, WSE staff members have been actively seeking alternative funding sources to ensure the students can continue their education. They have described the situation as “dangerous and devastating,” warning that the students could face persecution and forced marriages if returned to Afghanistan. The U.S. government has not yet provided clarity on when a final decision regarding the scholarships will be made, leaving the students in a state of uncertainty. The government of Oman has also been contacted for information on whether it is exploring alternative funding options for the Afghan scholars. As the situation develops, the international community continues to monitor the plight of these women, who are striving for education and safety in a challenging environment.
Source: observervoice.com
https://observervoice.com/afghan-women-scholars-in-oman-granted-funding-extension-104261/
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Muslim woman humiliated when mugshot without hijab shared, suit says. TN county to pay
By Natalie Demaree
March 20, 2025 4
A Tennessee county will pay a Muslim woman a settlement of $71,500 after forcing her to remove her hijab for a mugshot and publishing it online, attorneys said. Layla Soliz was arrested May 15, 2024, along with other pro-Palestinian activists during a protest on campus at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, according to a complaint which McClatchy News reported on in October. As she was being booked on a misdemeanor charge into the Knox County Detention Facility, officials took two photos of her — one with her hijab and one without — despite her objections to removing the head covering, attorneys said. An intake officer reassured Soliz the booking photo of her without her hijab would not be shared, but it was later posted on the sheriff’s office’s public website — going against the agency’s policy, according to the complaint. “This is a meaningful step toward accountability for violating Mrs. Soliz’s religious rights under state and federal law,” attorney Daniel Horwitz, who represents Soliz, said in aarch 19 news release shared with McClatchy News. McClatchy News reached out to Knox County’s attorneys March 20 but did not receive an immediate response. Removing the hijab ForSoliz, a devout Muslim woman, being forced to remove her hijab in front of male officials was “humiliating” and “degrading” — comparable to making a woman take her shirt off in public, attorneys said in the complaint. The release of her uncovered booking photo on a public website “scarred her,” attorneys said. The lawsuit sought to have the sheriff’s office delete the photo of Soliz without her hijab, but it has not done so, attorneys said. Soliz — who was released from custody following her booking — still worries daily that the wrong photo could be shared publicly or viewed in violation of her faith again, according to the suit. Although the settlement solves claims for monetary damages, Soliz’sattorneyssaid they are still working to resolve the claims asking for Knox County to delete Soliz’s booking photo and update its booking policy, citing other nearby counties that don’t require people to take their religious headwear off for booking photos. Wearing a hijab in prison The right to practice religion and wear religious attire is protected by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act. However, wearing a hijab continues to be a contention point, with some facilities prohibiting the practice while citing safety concerns. In January 2024, another Muslim woman, whom Horwitz also represented, was forced to take her hijab off for a mugshot in Rutherford County, Tennessee, McClatchy News previously reported. She was then given a settlement of $100,000 and the photos were destroyed. Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office updated its booking and jail policies as a result of the case, McClatchy News reported. Source: charlotteobserver.com
https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/nation-world/national/article302456324.html
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URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/crackdown-women-hijab-germany-afghan/d/134941