DrAafia Siddiqui Still Being Subjected To 'Sexual Assault' In US Prison, Says Her Lawyer
New Age Islam News Bureau
04 Jun 2024
· DrAafia Siddiqui Still Being Subjected To 'Sexual Assault' In US Prison, Says Her Lawyer
· IRGC Forces Arrest Kurdish Woman, AfsanehShahi, in Armed Raid
· Health Fears for NasrinRooshan, Woman Jailed In Iran after Meeting Farah Pahlavi, Widow of the Last Shah
· Bekasi Police Launch Investigation into Suspected Ritual Killing of 9-Year-Old Girl
· Minister FadhlinaSidek Sends Good Luck Wishes To Malaysian ASEAN Schools Games Contingent
· Nigerian Female Artists are Taking Over 2024 — and Beyond
Compiled by
New Age Islam News Bureau
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DrAafia Siddiqui Still Being Subjected To 'Sexual Assault' In US Prison, Says Her Lawyer
June 04, 2024
Dr Aafia, a Pakistani neuroscientist
imprisoned in a Texas jail. — Geo News File
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DALLAS: DrAafia Siddiqui's attorney in the United States, Clive Stafford Smith, has said that she is still being subjected to sexual assaults continuously at the Fort Worth jail in Texas. He added that a security guard “punished” her two weeks ago by raping her.
DrAafia, a Pakistani neuroscientist, was indicted by a New York federal district court in September 2008 on charges of attempted murder and assault, stemming from an incident during an interview with the US authorities in Ghazni, Afghanistan — charges that she denied.
After 18 months in detention, she was tried and convicted in early 2010 and sentenced to 86 years in prison. She has since been imprisoned in the US.
"Sexual abuse of DrAafia has not stopped so far," he disclosed while talking to Geo News on the phone after he met her.
"She is being consistently subjected to physical harassment."
The lawyer said that he talked to DrAafia on the phone through a glass wall when he met her on Thursday and Friday. He added that the phone was not working properly, hence, they had to shout to communicate. He complained to the jail authorities, and another phone was provided after two days.
DrAafia's attorney further said that when her sister DrFowzia visited her on Sunday, Aafia was crying. The prison authorities took her away but her sister remained locked in another room for one-and-a-half hours as the jail officials forgot about her, he said.
Replying to a question regarding the case, Clive Stafford Smith expressed optimism about the release of DrAafia. He said, "Currently, I am in New York. I am leaving for Washington tomorrow where I will meet some people who will brief the White House about the case."
He declined to share the names of officials he would meet. However, he said that there had been a lot of progress in the case and that they were moving in the right direction.
Source: thenews.com.pk
https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1196613-dr-aafia-still-being-subjected-to-sexual-assault-in-us-prison-says-lawyer
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IRGC Forces Arrest Kurdish Woman, AfsanehShahi, in Armed Raid
JUNE 3, 2024
Intelligence force of the Islamic
Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) have violenty arrested Afsaneh Shahi, a
32-year-old Woman in Bukan
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Intelligence forces of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) have violently arrested AfsanehShahi, a 32-year-old woman in Bukan.
The arrest, which took place on May 30, was reported by the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights.
According to Hengaw, AfsanehShahi was apprehended during an armed raid at her private residence.
Eyewitnesses confirmed that IRGC forces entered Shahi's home without presenting a legal warrant.
The armed officers reportedly pointed weapons at her family and their guests, creating an atmosphere of terror and intimidation.
Following the arrest, Shahi was transferred to an undisclosed location.
No information has been made available regarding her physical well-being, the charges against her, or her current status.
Source: iranwire.com
https://iranwire.com/en/women/130159-irgc-forces-arrest-woman-in-armed-raid/
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Health Fears for NasrinRooshan, Woman Jailed In Iran after Meeting Farah Pahlavi, Widow of the Last Shah
Jun 03, 2024
The husband of a British-Iranian woman detained in Iran for meeting Farah Pahlavi, the widow of the last shah, fears for his wife's health.
NasrinRooshan has been jailed for three years after meeting Ms Pahlavi, 85, and taking part in the Woman, Life, Freedom protests against the Iranian government in London.
London resident MsRooshan, 60, was arrested at an airport in Iran in November after a visit to a terminally ill aunt, her husband ArashAsiabi told The National.
She has developed a heart condition while in prison, and MrAsiabi fears she will not get the medical treatment she needs.
“Recently, they notified us that one of her valves is failing,” he said. “It’s hard enough to get to a GP in Iran – in prison it’s even worse.”
MsRooshan also suffers from knee pain and was scheduled for an operation in the UK.
She was taken to hospital in Iran and given an injection a couple of weeks ago after “lots of pressure” from her family, who supplied the medication.
London taxi driver MrAsiabi decided to speak out on MsRooshan’s behalf this week after months of silence around her detention.
He said his wife was subjected to weeks of “white torture” – a form of solitary confinement common in Iranian prisons.
Annual commemoration
Every year, Ms Pahlavi hosts a public event marking the death of her husband, Shah Reza Pahlavi in Cairo, where he is buried.
A patron of the arts and founder of the Shiraz Arts Festival in the ruins of Persepolis, the then Queen Farah fled Iran with her husband after his US-backed regime was overthrown by the Islamic Revolution in 1979.
MsRooshan attended the event for the first time in November with her cousin, Sara Tabrizi, who was also detained.
During questioning by the Iranian authorities, MsRooshan was shown social media posts she had written promoting the rallies in London. She was also shown photographs of her with Ms Pahlavi in Egypt in 2023.
MrAsiabi said they had not posted the photos of the event in Egypt online, and he did not know how the Iranian authorities had acquired them.
MsRooshan’s home in Tehran was raided by the police. “They destroyed the house. They were looking for something, we don’t know what,” he said.
After seven weeks of questioning and solitary confinement, she was transferred to Evin Prison in Tehran.
Her cousin MsTabrizi died of unknown causes at home in March, three days after her release. She was 21 years old.
“Nobody knows how she died. Under interrogation she experienced so much stress and anxiety,” MrAsiabi said adding that MsTabrizi had been planning to travel to the UK before her death.
“She was the same age as my daughter.”
MsRooshan was initially given a four-year sentence, which she accepted. This was cut to three years. A couple of days after her cousin’s death, MsRooshan's relatives received a letter saying her sentence had been reduced to 13 months.
At that point, MrAsiabi and his family decided not speak out against her arrest, in the hope that silence would help with the reduced sentence.
“We stayed quiet. We played the game they wanted us to play,” he said.
But when MrsRooshan’s lawyers request for a pardon was denied, they were also informed that the notice of the reduced sentence had been an error, MrAsiabi said.
Now he has changed tack. He is seeking legal advice in the UK before contacting his MP and the UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron.
Although MrAsiabi does not expect this effort will lead to the release of his wife, it could help to ensure she receives better care in prison.
“It could reduce the pressure [they put on my wife] and reduce the harm,” he said.
The Iranian government, he said, remains indifferent to international condemnation over its foreign prisoners, many of whom are dual nationals of Iranian origin.
“The government of Iran loves to take hostages – they don’t care,” he said. “This government just wants to keep people quiet.”
He is fearful of the repercussions of speaking out, recalling how former prime minister Boris Johnson botched comments about another British-Iranian, NazaninZaghari-Ratcliffe, coinciding with her prolonged prison sentence in Iran.
“In our experience, with so many different people, you can see how things can go wrong,” MrAsiabi said.
Last year, the UK government was criticised for its handling of the imprisonment of MoradTahbaz, a dual American and British citizen whose release was won by the US when a $6 billion deal with Tehran was struck.
MsRooshan had been a citizen of the UK for 25 years. “My expectation is that like any decent government, the [UK] looks after its citizens. My expectations are no different to any other citizen,” MrAsiabi said.
Living in agony
He becomes tearful when discussing his daughter, a university student in London who needs therapy to cope with the stress of her mother's imprisonment.
“It’s very hard for me to see her like this,” he said.
MsRooshan is allowed to call her family for about 15 minutes five days a week, and this is organised in a conference call through a relative in Tehran.
“She cannot talk about everything over the phone; sometimes we ask a question and the phone line is cut off,” MrAsiabi said.
He feared she may be under duress to conceal details of her day-to-day reality.
“All we hear is ‘I’m fine, everything is OK, no one has raped me, this doesn’t happen here any more,’” he said. “But what is happening behind the curtain, we have no idea.”
He hopes that speaking out will also send a message to other Iranians overseas, that even participating in protests “thousands of miles away” could mean danger if they go back to Iran.
Source: thenationalnews.com
https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/mena/2024/06/03/iran-rooshan-widow-shah/
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Bekasi Police Launch Investigation into Suspected Ritual Killing of 9-Year-Old Girl
June 3, 2024
Bekasi. The Criminal Investigation Unit of Bekasi City Police revisited the residence of DS in CiketingUdik Village, Bantargebang District, Bekasi City on Sunday, following the discovery of the body of a 9-year-old girl identified as GH inside a sack.
The police's visit aimed to ascertain if there were any other victims besides GH at DS's residence.
"From our observations, it is suspected that there is one spot where the cement appears to be relatively new. However, after digging to a depth of 1 meter, the officers did not find any other victims at that spot," said Muhammad Firdaus, the Head of the Criminal Investigation Unit of Bekasi City Police.
The police have not yet disclosed the motive of the perpetrator, but local residents suspect the murder might be related to a ritualistic offering.
A local resident and witness, Sarminah, said that DS resisted and even attempted to stab the police with a knife when arrested.
The police found several items at DS's house, such as dolls, a pickaxe, and a crowbar. "There are many photos of children inside a jug, like some sort of ritualistic offering," Sarminah added.
Initially, the victim, GH, was reported missing on Friday. Suspicion fell on the house inhabited by DS. During a search of DS's house, police found a freshly dug hole.
Subsequently, with the suspicion of the locals, the police accompanied them to DS's residence on Sunday. The perpetrator's house was thoroughly searched, leading to the discovery of GH's body inside a sack in a hole next to the water pump well.
Firdaus explained that the police arrested DS and evacuated the victim from a hole approximately 2.5 meters deep.
"Right behind the house, in a pit about 2.5 meters deep, precisely in the hole where the water pump machine is located. She was found wrapped in a 50 kg sack," he clarified.
According to Ahmad, a local resident, DS was known to be reclusive. Despite living in the area for the past 4 years, DS rarely interacted with neighbors.
"He lived alone every day. He's a closed-off person. We don't know his profession; some people came here, it seemed like for medical treatment," Ahmad shared.
Source: jakartaglobe.id
https://jakartaglobe.id/news/bekasi-police-launch-investigation-into-suspected-ritual-killing-of-9yearold-girl
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Minister FadhlinaSidek Sends Good Luck Wishes To Malaysian ASEAN Schools Games Contingent
04-06- 2024
KUALA LUMPUR: Education Minister FadhlinaSidek wished the Malaysian contingent the best of luck at the 2024 ASEAN Schools Games (ASG) which is currently taking place in Da Nang City, Vietnam until June 9.
According to her, a total of 118 athletes and 37 officials are participating in the championship which entered its 13th year.
“The Malaysian team is already there and is fighting with a high spirit of sportsmanship to honour our beloved country.
“May Team Malaysia succeed! I’m sure you can!” she said in a post on her X page today.
For the record, since the organisation of this game in 2009, Malaysia has managed to become the overall champion three times.
Source: thesun.my
https://thesun.my/local-news/fadhlina-sends-good-luck-wishes-to-malaysian-asg-contingent-EF12531885
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Nigerian Female Artists are Taking Over 2024 — and Beyond
JUNE 03, 2024
For a significant part of the last weekend, Ayra Starr’s new album, The Year I Turned 21, was a prevailing topic on the Nigerian side of X (formerly Twitter). Leading up to the drop last Friday, it felt like Starr’s sophomore LP would be appointment listening for any and everyone tuned in to Nigerian music, thanks to a build-up that was extensive and meticulous. So, while the widespread chatter on social media wasn’t exactly surprising, it felt invigorating, if not gratifying.
That Starr controls conversations every time she drops is guaranteed, she’s signed to the biggest label in Nigerian music, Mavin Records, which got even more powerful recently. Her eponymous debut EP and debut album, 19 & Dangerous, were masterclasses in label execution and the music was good, too. This time around, while the machinery is still very important, the uncontested center of the chatter is Starr’s blistering brilliance as an artist and testament that the new album is her best work yet.
Past Biases Against Nigerian Female Musicians
In Nigerian music, it’s not a frequent occurrence that women are primarily judged on the merits of the music they make. There’s always something else to focus on, whether it’s their looks or how they’ve chosen to promote their music or their fashion style, and several other concerns that lessen the critical value of the music. The bias to ascribe more importance than necessary to these extras is implicit, evident in the plain fact that it doesn’t apply to male artists to nearly the same degree.
It affects even the biggest Nigerian female artists, sometimes in what should’ve been a big moment. When Tiwa Savage released her most personal and arguably best album with 2020’s Celia, all many people wanted to talk about was that the promotions for the album were mishandled. For some people, the album didn’t spark show-stopping conversations, and that meant it didn’t deserve their ears. This for an artist who had dropped dozens of hits and several formidable albums in the decade prior.
Recently, Savage delivered her most ambitious project yet, the film Water &Garri, along with an attendant soundtrack. While the film itself hasn’t been greeted with favorable audience reviews, the music clearly comprises some of the singer’s most inspired work. There are hit-ready songs like the Ayra Starr-featuring “Gara” and “Commona” with Olamide, as well as unique cuts like the glitzy folk-pop of “Lost Times,” the rustic charm on the soulful Asacollab, “Emotions,” and the title track is a humorous rendition of popular childish chant.
The soundtrack for Water &Garri, while not drawing raucous acclaim, is a marquee release for Tiwa Savage in how it combines moments of general appeal and those that indulge her artistic autonomy. In a wider context, it’s representative of how female artists in Nigerian music are operating these days. From Ayra Starr and Tems to Bloody Civilian and Qing Madi, women are clearly prioritizing their individual artistic visions.
Women Are Defining Nigerian Music in 2024
If you’ve been observing, even if only casually, Nigerian music in 2024 is shaping up to be a year largely defined by women. Almost midway through the year, the level of activity by Nigerian women has been extensive and consistently excellent. Obviously, it didn’t just start happening. In fact, it’s been brewing for a few years at least, and this fertile period is even more conspicuous for the time it took.
In addition to Ayra Starr and Tiwa Savage, Tems’ debut album is a few days away and Simi’s fifth LP is in a fortnight — both have dropped singles to that effect. Qing Madi and Bloody Civilian have each followed up their well-received debut EPs from last year with new singles, the former dropping a remix of the silky single, “Vision,” with American R&B star Chloë, and the latter shouting down her enemies on the delightfully screeching “Head Start.”
Alté stalwart Lady Donli recently put out a pack of electronic/dance remixes to songs from last year’s sophomore album, Pan African Rockstar, shortly after wrapping up a North American tour as an indie artist. Versatile rap artist SGaWD recently dropped her second EP, ThaGawd - Side A, a sterling collection of confident, slick bangers that underline why her base of listeners is growing.
Compared to the mid-2010s, where it felt like the situation was one-woman-at-a-time, multiple female artists are in the mainstream’s spotlight, while more are carving out their own spaces and expanding their reach.
In the fairly recent past, there was only space for one “queen” amongst the many male superstars. That allocation, for lack of a better word, meant that female artists were constantly placed in deleterious competition with each other. For male artists, competition is the sort of spectacle that can even boost popularity; for female artists, it was about supremacy for who could hang with the men. Thankfully, that has given way to a multiplicity of artists, which in turn represents a myriad of personas and perspectives that reflect the experiences of Nigerian women.
Authenticity (or No Photocopies)
A common thread that’s evident through increasing female representation, and subtle domination even, is authenticity. There’s clear distinctions between the artistic candor of the dozens of Nigerian female artists, from the mainstream to the niche, soon-to-breakout corners. There are no photocopies anywhere, which is not something that can be confidently said for Nigerian male artists who notoriously hop on trends.
“I think everything I make is 100 percent authentic whether I’m rapping or singing because it’s a sound or feeling that I’m trying to capture and bring to life,” SGaWD tells OkayAfrica. “I don’t feel pressured to conform at all. Music and trends move so fast now that if you’re trying to follow whatever’s ‘hot’ you’re going to end up looking dumb. I’m trying to make music that is going to stand the test of time and sound good if you’re playing it now or in 20 years.”
The quest to standout gives each artist their own artist identity, but it also culminates in a wide variety of musical choices and thematic concerns. Where an artist like Bloody Civilian sings of self-determination by deploying angst with masterful tact, Kold AF does the same with an aspirational outlook that works in the fear of being young and trying to figure it out.
“In almost everything I do, I’m being myself,” Kold, who collaborated with singer Aema on a two-song release earlier this year, tells OkayAfrica. “In terms of style, how I speak, sound and so many other aspects, I’m being true to who I am, what I like and what I’m also trying to be, not anyone’s vision for me.”
Two of Kold’s biggest performances yet were at Femme Fest and Hertitude, two Lagos-based, annual festivals that center and champion women by, amongst other things, putting together an all-women’s lineup for their live shows. While Femme Fest welcomes everyone to attend but primarily caters to women, Hertitude is strictly for women alone. These are two in a growing line of events where inclusivity is fostered for women and conformity is deemphasized.
Steps That Still Need to Be Taken
Amidst the importance of more female artists taking up space, strides still need to be taken to ensure an equal playing field. An easy example is record labels signing women as token “first ladies” amidst a roster packed with guys, mainly due to the widely accepted narrative that female artists are more expensive to usher into mainstream success.
Perhaps it would be less expensive if the general listening audience becomes even more receptive to Nigerian female artists than it already is, and the industry weeds out the cursory lack of respect women are often afforded. “The industry is quite cut-throat and understandably so, as it’s a business to many,” Kold says, adding that the support of a small team is important to her resilience as an independent artist with limited resources.
“When I first started, people told me that rapping wouldn’t work, or that I should stick to singing and Afrobeats,” SGaWD tells OkayAfrica. “I’m grateful that I had a few people that did believe in me and what I was trying to do. I’m 100 percent independent with a very small team and that’s challenging in Nigeria just because of how the industry operates, but I’ve also been able to learn a lot, make strides, get my name out there and develop a genuine fanbase that connects with the music I make.”
Source: okayafrica.com
https://www.okayafrica.com/nigerian-female-artists/
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