The Criminal “Chastity and Hijab” Law: A New Wave of Crackdown on Iranian Women and Girls
New Age Islam News Bureau
2 December 2024
· The Criminal “Chastity and Hijab” Law: A New Wave of Crackdown on Iranian Women and Girls
· Ex-MP Safia Khatun Arrested In Dhaka In Connection With The Killing Of A Youth During The July-August Movement
· No Change In Migrant Status Of Kashmiri Pandit Women Marrying Non-Migrants: J&K High Court
· Iran Ready For 2024 Asian Women's Handball Championship
· Taliban Publicly Flog Five, Including Woman, In Khost
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/criminal-crackdown-iranian-women-girls/d/133897
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The Criminal “Chastity and Hijab” Law: A New Wave of Crackdown on Iranian Women and Girls
December 1, 2024
The new criminal and inhuman law must be opposed with the slogan, “Woman, Resistance, Freedom”
After months of being passed back and forth between the regime’s Parliament and the Guardian Council, and a year and a half after it was drafted by the regime’s judiciary, the so-called “Chastity and Hijab” law was finally published on November 30, 2024. The law consists of 74 articles across five chapters. Originally titled “Support for the Culture of Chastity and Hijab,” the draft was prepared following the 2022 uprising and submitted to the Majlis by Ebrahim Raisi.
On November 27, 2024, Mohammad BagherGhalibaf, the Speaker of Majlis, announced in a press conference that the Majlis-approved “Chastity and Hijab” law would be implemented starting December 13, 2024. He claimed that the law does not involve “morality patrols or imprisonment.” However, the law’s actual text, divided into five chapters, assigns oppressive responsibilities to various government institutions, including the Ministry of Culture and Guidance, the state broadcaster (IRIB), the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Health, municipalities, the Ministry of Science, and other government bodies.
For example, Chapter Three of this law flagrantly violates the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, international conventions such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and conventions related to women’s rights. It compels numerous ministries, organizations, and municipalities to go beyond morality patrols in cracking down on improper hijab or its removal.
Clause 8 of Article 16 specifically mandates municipalities and village councils across the country, in collaboration with organizations such as the regime’s Propaganda Organization, the Ministry of Culture and Guidance, the Ministry of Sports and Youth, IRIB, and the Headquarters for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, to “maintain ongoing supervision of public spaces under their management, such as parks, cultural centers, historical sites, and urban public transport. They are required to take the necessary steps to promote conditions for chastity and hijab, ensure the active presence of virtue promoters, and provide support for their actions in these spaces.”
In addition to targeting women under the guise of enforcing hijab rules, this law imposes severe penalties on government employees, business owners, and others who refuse to cooperate with the regime’s enforcement measures. Those who fail to report or act against individuals opposing mandatory hijab, or who refuse to enforce the law, face punishments including five to six years of suspension from public service, fines equivalent to two to six months’ worth of business income, or other significant financial penalties.
To suppress protests and prevent the spread of dissent among women and the broader society, the law also assigns the Ministry of Intelligence, the police intelligence unit (FARAJA), and the IRGC Intelligence Organization to enforce measures against noncompliance with hijab rules.
The Women’s Committee of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), echoing Mrs. Maryam Rajavi’s statement, views this “criminal and inhumane” law as a new phase in the regime’s efforts to crack down on Iranian women and girls, aimed at stifling uprisings. The NCRI Women’s Committee calls on all international organizations and relevant bodies to condemn this law.
The NCRI Women’s Committee urges all freedom-loving Iranian women to resist this oppressive and inhumane law under the banner of “Woman, Resistance, Freedom.”
Source: wncri.org
https://wncri.org/2024/12/01/chastity-and-hijab-law-crackdown-iran/
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Ex-MP Safia Khatun Arrested In Dhaka In Connection With The Killing Of A Youth During The July-August Movement
Dec 2, 2024
Safia Khatun
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Safia Khatun, a former MP from Cox's Bazar's Chakaria-Pekuaupazila, was arrested in Dhaka's Pallabi area on Saturday night in connection with the killing of a youth during the July-August movement.
The 70-year-old, who previously served as vice-president of Mahila Awami League, was detained around 10:10 pm in Balughat, according to Talebur Rahman, DC (Media) of the DMP.
Police identified her through CCTV footage, intelligence, and technological assistance. On July 19, Akram Khan Rabbi was shot dead in front of Abul Taleb School in Mirpur-10. His father, Faruk Khan, filed a case with Pallabi Police on August 25. The investigation into the killing is ongoing.
Source: thedailystar.net
https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/politics/news/ex-mp-safia-khatun-arrested-3766121
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No Change In Migrant Status Of Kashmiri Pandit Women Marrying Non-Migrants: J&K High Court
01.12.24
Representational image.
Shutterstock picture.
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The High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh has observed that there will be no change in the migrant status of Kashmiri Pandit women even if they marry non-migrants, upholding a Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) order in favour of two women selected under PM employment package.
The two women -- Seema Koul and VishalniKoul -- had moved the high court in 2018 after their provisional selection to the post of legal assistant in the department of disaster management relief, rehabilitation and re-construction under the PM package for Kashmiri migrants in December 1, 2017 forfeited on the ground that they have lost their migrant status having married non-migrant persons.
“One question of public important that arises before this court is whether a woman who has been given a migrant status on account of the suffering endured by her and her family on account of which they were forced to leave their home and hearth in the Kashmir Valley..., could be discriminated and would stand to lose the said status only on account of fact that she had got married to a non-migrant? “Holding this would be going against the nature of human beings. Respondents herein, who are ladies and on account of no fault of theirs, had to leave their place of original residence in Kashmir Valley, cannot be expected to remain unmarried only to secure a job in the Kashmir Valley as a migrant,” a division bench of Justices Atul Sreedharan and Mohammad Yousuf Wani said in a seven-page order last month.
It is also reasonable to presume that because of the exodus, not every migrant woman would be in a position to find a match who himself was a migrant, it said.
The court said in such a situation, to hold that the woman would lose her status as a migrant only because she, out of the natural urge of forming a family, had to marry a non-migrant on account of existing circumstances, would be grossly “discriminatory and militates” against the very concept of justice.
“This discrimination becomes even more brazen where a male migrant continues to remain a migrant notwithstanding the fact that he has married a non-migrant. Such a situation has arisen only on account of patriarchy that prevails in the human race. However, in matters relating to employment under the State/UT, such discrimination cannot be countenanced,” the court said, dismissing a writ petition filed by the Union Territory against the May 16 CAT order.
Nearly 4,000 Kashmiri migrant pandits are working in different departments in Kashmir after their selection under PM employment package, announced in 2008, having two major components – one pertaining to the provision of 6,000 jobs for the community youth and another pertaining to the provision of 6,000 accommodation units for the recruited employees.
Describing the tribunal order as “just and proper”, the court said the contention put forth by counsel for the appellant that there was non-disclosure of the fact that the respondents were married, is of no consequence.
“Undisputedly, the advertisement notice does not provide for cancellation of the candidature on account of non-disclosure or improper disclosure of facts/marital status. Further, the appellants have not been able to show how material injustice has taken place to those who could not get selected otherwise on account of such non-disclosure. Therefore, this argument is also rejected,” the bench said.
Source: telegraphindia.com
https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/no-change-in-migrant-status-of-kashmiri-pandit-women-marrying-non-migrants-jammu-and-kashmir-high-court/cid/2067414
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Iran ready for 2024 Asian Women's Handball Championship
December 2, 2024
The competition will take place in New Delhi from Dec. 3 to 10 at the Gandhi Arena and Iran are drawn in Group B along hosts India, Japan and Hong Kong.
The event, organized by the Asian Handball Federation and presented by the World Handball League, marks a significant milestone as it's the first time the tournament is being held in South Asia.
The tournament will feature eight teams divided into two groups of four. Group A includes reigning champions South Korea, Kazakhstan, China, and Singapore.
The top two teams from each group will advance to the semi-finals.
NashminShafeian, head coach of Iran women's handball team, is optimistic about her team’s success in the competition.
The event acts as the Asian qualifying tournament for the 2025 World Women's Handball Championship, with the top four teams qualifying.
“We have previously qualified for the world championship twice and are determined to book our place in the competition once again. We know that there is a difficult task ahead of us but it’s not impossible,” Shafeian said.
“Team Melli will start the tournament with a match against Japan and they are the team to beat but we are not an underdog. The match against India will be difficult because they will be supported by their home fans. Hong Kong also play fast and we are well aware of the importance of that match,” she added.
“I think we can win a berth in the world championship but you cannot guarantee anything in the sport. We will do everything possible to make it happen,” Shafeian concluded.
Source: tehrantimes.com
https://tehrantimes.com/news/507004/Iran-ready-for-2024-Asian-Women-s-Handball-Championship
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Taliban publicly flog five, including woman, in Khost
By Mujeeb Rahman AwrangStanikzai
December 2, 2024
KHOST, Afghanistan — The Taliban publicly flogged five individuals, including a woman, in Khost province on Sunday, according to a statement from the Taliban’s Supreme Court.
Two of the individuals, including the woman, were punished for “immoral relations,” while three others were accused of adultery.
The court reported that one person was sentenced to a year in prison and another to 18 months, with both receiving 39 lashes. The remaining three individuals also received 39 lashes each and were sentenced to four years in prison.
This follows a series of public floggings across Afghanistan in recent days. Earlier this week, eight men and two women were publicly flogged in the provinces of Khost, Ghor, and Balkh.
Over the past month, the Taliban have flogged 116 people, including 18 women, on charges ranging from theft to so-called moral offenses. The provinces of Jawzjan and Khost have seen the highest number of such incidents, with 22 and 19 cases of public flogging reported, respectively.
Since seizing power in August 2021, the Taliban have increasingly reverted to the harsh policies of their 1990s regime, including the use of corporal punishment. Public lashings and other severe measures have drawn widespread criticism from human rights groups.
International Condemnation
Richard Bennett, the United Nations Special Rapporteur for Afghanistan, condemned the Taliban’s use of corporal punishment, calling for its immediate cessation.
“Public floggings are a clear violation of international human rights standards,” Mr. Bennett said. Advocacy organizations have similarly decried the punishments, warning that the Taliban’s actions further erode fundamental freedoms and human rights in the country.
The Taliban’s justice system has faced mounting scrutiny for its lack of due process and heavy reliance on public punishments, underscoring the deepening isolation of Afghanistan under their rule.
Source: amu.tv
https://amu.tv/140825/
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URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/criminal-crackdown-iranian-women-girls/d/133897