Iran Cuts off Mobile Services of Women Opposing Hijab
New Age Islam News Bureau
22 April 2024
·
Iran
Cuts Off Mobile Services of Women Opposing Hijab
·
University
Students in Iran Protest Hijab Enforcement, Boycott Classes
·
How
Muslim Girl UPSC Aspirants, Wardah Khan, Nazia Parween and Saima Seraj, Turned
Setbacks into Stepping Stones
·
Iranian
Court Summons 15 Baha'i Women Over 'Propaganda', Other Charges
·
Women
In Iran Uniting Against Gender and Political Oppression
·
Terrorists
Disguised as Muslim Women Kill 4 In North West Nigeria
·
Arab
League Signs ‘Action Plan’ Deal with UN Women
·
National
Women's Conference in Bali Focuses on Equality, Inclusivity: Minister
Compiled by New Age Islam News
Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/iran-mobile-hijab/d/132181
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Iran
Cuts Off Mobile Services of Women Opposing Hijab
Photo: Mehr News
-----
APRIL
22, 2024
Authorities
of the Islamic Republic have been disconnecting mobile services of women who
speak against the mandatory hijab online, IranWire reports.
Twelve
women from Tehran, Karaj, Arak, and Tabriz reported to IranWire that their
mobile phone service was disconnected just hours after posting criticism of the
Morality Police or mandatory hijab on social media.
One
woman, following up on the disconnection, discovered that the order came from
the Organization for Regulation of Communications.
Disconnecting
phones for social media posts appears to be a new extralegal punishment used by
the Iranian government.
Iran's
"Chastity and Hijab Bill" includes "deprivation of government
services" as a potential punishment. However, this bill has not been
approved by the Guardian Council and does not explicitly mention cutting off
mobile access.
Since
April 13, Iran's law enforcement agencies have intensified the enforcement of
hijab regulations under the national action plan "Nour."
Incidents
of arrests and the use of force against women perceived to be in violation of
dress codes have been reported from across the country.
Users
across social networks are participating in a spontaneous campaign using the
hashtag "war against women" to document their experiences and
observations regarding the government's crackdown on the opponents of mandatory
hijab.
Reports
have surfaced detailing the application of repressive tactics, particularly on
female students in various universities.
Moreover,
pressure on civil activists, political dissenters, women political prisoners,
and cultural figures has also been mounting.
Source:
iranwire.com
https://iranwire.com/en/women/127904-iran-cuts-off-mobile-services-of-women-opposing-hijab/
-----
University
Students in Iran Protest Hijab Enforcement, Boycott Classes
Photo: Mehr News
-----
APRIL
22, 2024
Many
students at Amir Amirkabir University of Technology in Tehran embarked on a
strike on Sunday, after morality police banned over 200 students from entering
the campus.
The
protest was announced through the university students' independent newsletter
on Telegram. It serves as a stand against suppression and in solidarity with
peers denied entry to the university for non-compliance with mandatory hijab
regulations.
A
few months after nationwide protests in 2022-2023, the Iranian government led
by religious hardliners resumed harsh enforcement of mandatory hijab. The
protests were triggered by the death of a young woman, Mahsa Amini, in morality
police custody after she was arrested for "improper hijab."
Issued
by student groups, the strike call underscores the imperative of safeguarding
students' fundamental rights. It underscores the university's failure to
acknowledge these rights, particularly regarding hijab policies, with students
contending that the institution's identity hinges on the presence and liberty
of its student body.
Reports
from Iran International on Saturday documented incidents where security
personnel at Amir Kabir University obstructed both male and female students
from entering based on their attire. Female students were reportedly compelled
to wear chadors (long black veils), while male students faced restrictions on
donning T-shirts, short-sleeved garments, or sports attire.
Images
circulating on social media depicted students gathered outside Rasht Gate, the
university's northern entrance. The students' newsletter referenced the images,
reporting that at least 20 students were barred from entry due to insufficient
hijab compliance at Rasht Gate, with similar incidents reported at other
entrances.
In
their announcement, students held the University's executive board and Hafez
Shahbazi, head of Amir Kabir University's security, directly accountable for
the crackdown referring to him as a "mercenary”. Students from diverse
faculties, including computer engineering, energy engineering, and industrial
engineering, rallied behind the call to boycott classes, with reports
indicating low attendance on Sunday.
This
protest forms part of a broader movement against mandatory hijab enforcement in
Iran. Since the introduction of Project Noor to enforce mandatory hijab laws on
Saturday, 13 April, there has been a conspicuous escalation in the presence of
police forces, Basij, and plainclothes officers tasked with enforcing hijab
regulations.
Furthermore,
in a bid to enforce hijab regulations, certain universities such as Alzahra
University in Tehran have equipped gates with facial recognition technology,
with entry denied if their appearance fails to adhere to intensified hijab
laws.
Additionally,
similar crackdowns on students have been reported in recent days at the
University of Kurdistan, the largest university in Kurdistan province in Iran,
located in Sanandaj. According to the human rights organization Hengaw,
security officers at this university have warned of disciplinary action against
students with student cards being confiscations as a result of having an
“improper” hijab.
Despite
authorities' efforts to quell civil disobedience, and security pressure on
students many women persist in challenging the mandate, often enduring violence
and intimidation. The students' strike at Amir Kabir University represents a
growing discontent with the restrictive policies imposed by the Iranian
government.
Source:
iranintl.com
https://www.iranintl.com/en/202404217940
---
How
Muslim Girl UPSC Aspirants, Wardah Khan, Nazia Parween and Saima Seraj, Turned
Setbacks into Stepping Stones
April
22, 2024
Kolkata:
Wardah Khan, Nazia Parween and Saima Seraj share not only the accomplishment of
clearing India’s toughest exam, the UPSC 2023, but also their background.
Traditionally, Muslim families are viewed as conservative societies.
Wardah
Khan quit her cushy corporate job in 2021 to follow what her heart said. She
failed in her first attempt. But made it to the top 20 in her second attempt.
Wardah,
a rank 18 holder, has opted for Indian Foreign Services as her first option, as
she wants to use her skills to make her country proud.
Much
like her is the tale of Giridih’s Nazia Parween. She also quit her corporate
job to pursue her childhood dream of becoming a public servant and serving the
nation.
Speaking
to eNewsroom, she mentioned, “I quit my corporate job to pursue my dream.” She
paused and added, “One year in the private sector made me realise that this was
not what I ever wanted to do. This stint made me realise that I would never be
happy if I failed to fulfil my childhood dream of being a public servant.”
Failure
makes you strong
After
resigning, Parveen got herself enrolled with the Residential Coaching Academy
of Jamia Millia Islamia. But her dream didn’t come true, till she tasted
failure not once but three times. It was on her fourth attempt that she could
crack the UPSC exam.
“There
is no substitute for hard work and perseverance,” said Parveen, who scored rank
670 in the UPSC 2023 exam.
Her
journey from her hometown, Giridih to becoming a civil servant has been
magical.
Daughter
of a small-time transporter, residing in the town’s most densely populated
Muslim area – Bhandaridih, Parveen feels her father played a key role in making
her achieve her dream.
“My
father is into the transport business. Often he would talk about bureaucrats he
made and how positive changes can be brought into the society. I was deeply
inspired by those talks to crack the UPSC exam.”
On
being asked how many attempts she made to crack the exam, She said, “This was
my fourth attempt.” So, was she depressed when she failed earlier, she claimed,
“Failure, if analysed well can be turned into stepping stones for success.”
Stories
of success make it to the headlines. What often doesn’t get told are tales of
resilience and determination that often help you wade through the dark tunnel
of failure towards the shining bright light of success.
So,
if the number of attempts made by the UPSC aspirants to clear the exam is
analyzed, it will reveal the fascinating journey from despair to success
stories.
“This
was my fourth attempt and I cleared it,” said Kolkata’s Khan Saima Seraj Ahmed,
who secured AIR 165.
“Remember
if you don’t make it this time then there is always a next time. Some clear it
in the first attempt, some need to taste failure a few more times to get what
they are aspiring for,” she said.
Talking
about the success-failure ratio in the UPSC exam, she said, “Failures can be
depressing but we can always fight it back with optimism. Remember to be a
bureaucrat, we need to be mentally strong. These failures build our mental
strength.”
Muslim
girls crack UPSC
And
what does Saima have to say about Muslim girls cracking India’s biggest civil
service exam? She pointed out, “There are issues in Muslim societies but it is
not like what media and in films it gets portrayed. Our parents face economic
issues and in terms of girls have security concerns, so most Muslim girls opt
out of higher education or could not prepare for exams like UPSC.”
“But
now it’s heartening to see the rise in minority representation in the list of
candidates clearing the UPSC exam. Perhaps women from the community have
realised that this is their chance to take the lead,” she added.
This
year, several Muslim girls like Nausheen, Wardah Khan, Arfa Usmani, Khan Saima
Seraj Ahmed, Farheen Zahid, Areeba Saghir, Fathima Shimna Paravath, Shahida
Begum S, Areeba Nomaan, Alifa Khan, Zohra Banu, Seerat Baji, Nazia Parween,
Sophia Siddiqui, and Najma A Salam managed to.
52
clear UPSC: Is this enough?
But
then, in a community that constitutes as much as 15 percent of the country’s
population, is a handful of successful candidates enough to start celebrating?
Mohammad
Reyaz, Assistant Professor, at Aliah University, said, “It has become a norm
for Muslims to celebrate the small victories of these youngsters. A rally was
held in Khidderpore to celebrate Saima’s success. People see them as icons for
the youngsters. However, the community needs to understand that the net
percentage of Muslims cracking the UPSC remains approximately the same. So,
there is a lot more that needs to be done. We need more academies like Jamia’s
RCA to mentor the economically weaker aspirants.”
He
also mentioned, “I am a bit sceptical about such success stories as many such
civil servants end up as ‘Sarkari Musalmans’. Nevertheless, it is nice to see
youngsters emerging successful in such exams. We need more such achievers in
the community.”
Source:
enewsroom.in
https://enewsroom.in/muslim-women-cracking-upsc-results-muslims-girls/
---
Iranian
Court Summons 15 Baha'i Women Over 'Propaganda', Other Charges
APRIL
22, 2024
Fifteen
Baha'i women living in Iran's central Isfahan have received summonses to appear
before the city's Revolutionary Court on May 1.
The
women will face charges of "propaganda against the Islamic Republic"
and "participating in deviant preaching and educational activities
contrary to Islamic law."
They
have been identified as Mojgan Pourshafi, Nasreen Khademi, Azita Rezvanikhah,
Shole Ashuri, Mojdeh Bahamin, Bushra Motahar, Sara Shakib, Samira Shakib, Roya
Azadkhosh, Noushin Hemmat, Shorangzis Bahamin, Sanaz Rasteh, Maryam Khorsandi,
Firouzeh Rastinejad, and FarkhundehRezvan.
According
to the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), 11 of these women were
previously arrested in 2021 and later released on bail.
The
government has intensified its crackdown on members of the Baha'i faith,
imprisoning dozens of them on spurious charges over the past year, denying them
access to higher education and livelihoods, and confiscating or destroying
their personal properties.
Source:
iranwire.com
https://iranwire.com/en/bahais-of-iran/127901-iranian-court-summons-15-bahai-women-over-propaganda-other-charges/
---
Women
In Iran Uniting Against Gender And Political Oppression
April
21, 2024
Majid
Mohammadi
As
Iranian women continue to defy the Islamic government in Tehran by shunning the
hijab in ever-greater numbers, officials cling to the theory of foreign
conspiracies to justify their crackdown.
“Foreign
meddling” seeks to bring about a change of the political system in Iran by
using “women as a tool within the framework of a so-called opposition,” Hossein
Amir-Abdollahian, the Islamist regime’s foreign minister said in an interview
with CNN in response to a question about increasing pressure on Iranian women
to impose the hijab.
Iran's
ruler, Ali Khamenei has repeatedly denounced women opposing the imposition of
Islamic practices on their chosen way of life, even branding them as enemies:
"Removing the hijab is by sharia and politically forbidden... however...
the enemy entered this business with a roadmap and a plan; we must also enter
with a roadmap and a plan."
Do
Iranian women possess the potential to be a viable opposition? How does
Khamenei perceive “the enemy's” strategy? What strategy do women employ when
confronting a government that views them as adversaries?
The
potential for women to become an opposition force
Iranian
women have a high capacity to spearhead the opposition to the Islamist regime.
Although more than half of the university student population are women, their
share in the Iranian labor market is about 14%. The share of Iranian women in
the country's top management is less than 6%.
In
terms of rights violations, women face the most structural and legal
infringements after the Baha'i religious community. These violations span from
family and education to employment and public service, encompassing human
rights abuses and denying equal opportunities. Hence, there's no necessity for
"foreign enemies" to provoke women into opposition; their
circumstances and oppressions necessitate it.
The
women's movement against the violation of their fundamental rights stands as
the most active anti-government social movement today. In contrast, other
movements like labor, retirees, and teachers’ movements, while significant, are
less directly targeted at the government, Shia Islamism, and Shia clergy.
“Enemy’s
plan”
When
Ali Khamenei talks about the enemy's plan, he means any action that challenges
the regime, including not observing the hijab. He believes any challenge is
organized and directed by foreign enemies. This attitude also has a practical
aspect: when the opposition is rooted abroad, its suppression with coercive
forces becomes legitimate, and women who commit civil disobedience should be
treated as foreign agents.
In
April 2024, the government launched a new hybrid war against women. The
following methods are used in this war:
1.
Deploying shockers to incapacitate women who protest verbally and behaviorally
or resist arrest;
2.
Throwing blankets over women’s heads during their arrest for hijab violation;
3.
Deploying plainclothes agents next to the special police units to prevent the
protest of passers-by;
4.
Insulting and verbally humiliating women and sexually harassing them during
detention;
5.
Deploying formidable agents with obscured faces to enhance intimidation; and
6.
Displaying street banners that equate hijab with morality and religiosity.
In
this operation, women are arrested with minimal resistance. The latest
crackdown on women is no longer carried out by regular morality police or
patrols; it involves a special police unit.
Protesting
women's plan
Today,
the Iranian women's movement against Islamist totalitarianism, which has
persisted through fluctuations over the past 45 years, exhibits three key
characteristics:
A.
Nationwide networking. Iranian women activists are connected in a nationwide
network. This network includes three social groups: 1) Former and current women
prisoners who have been persecuted simply because of their beliefs or
expressing their opinions. Their number has risen to thousands in the last
decade, 2) Bereaved wives, mothers, and sisters whose children, brothers and
husbands were killed or executed by the government and who themselves spent a
period in prison for demanding justice; and 3) women who have been active in
labor, student, teacher, environmental and retirees’ movements. They gather
outside prisons and cemeteries to protest. The nodes of these networks are
constantly under pressure from the intelligence agencies; those who have the power
to organize and mobilize have been kept in prison for years, such as Sepideh
Qolian, Bahareh Hedayat, and Fatemeh Sepehri.
B.
Social Networks. Politically active Iranian women have a relatively loud voice
on social. Many bereaved mothers such as Camelia Sajjadian, Leily Mahdavi,
Gohar Eshqi, Mojgan Eftekhari (Masa Amini’s mother), and Nasrin Shahkarami, and
others are active on Instagram and call others to protest. Leily Mahdavi, Gohar
Eshqi, Nasrin Shahkarami, and Camelia Sajjadian's Instagram pages have about
83k, 36k, 171k, and 89k followers respectively.
C.
Protest meetings. The mothers of those killed in the 1988 prison massacre, who
congregated at the unofficial Khavaran cemetery, and the mothers of victims
from the Green Movement, who assembled in Tehran's Laleh Park, gradually gained
recognition as prominent groups. Following movements such as those in December
2017, November 2019, and the Mahsa Movement, bereaved mothers, sisters, and
wives continued to convene at cemeteries, overwhelming the government's
capacity to station security forces at every gravesite to prevent their
gatherings. These ongoing meetings have fostered networks and actions that
unsettle the government.
While
the issues of hijab and the killing of protesters serve as rallying points for
women and the mothers of victims, worsening economic conditions in Iran provide
further motivation for women's protests.
Source:
iranintl.com
https://www.iranintl.com/en/202404219101
-----
Terrorists
Disguised As Muslim Women Kill 4 In North West Nigeria
April
22, 2024
Abdullahi Abubakar
Terrorists
clad in niqab, a loose garment worn by Muslim women, attacked residents in
different parts of Tsafe, a community in Zamfara, North West Nigeria.
The
attack occurred on a market day, around 11:45 a.m. on Sunday, April 21. The criminal gang raided two
neighbourhoods in Tsafe, including TasharZaurawa and Bayan INEC, about 600
metres from the central market square.
Three
residents, including Shamsu Abdullahi, Mikaliu Abubakar, Dan-Amadu Maikaji and
Nura Kuli, a member of the Community Protection Guards, locally known as
Askarawa, were killed instantly during the raid.
Nine
people were moved to the Federal Medical Centre in Gusau, the state capital,
due to severe gunshot wounds, while 10 others sustained minor injuries during
the attack, eyewitnesses said.
“It
was terrible and the worst I ever saw for myself here in Tsafe market. I saw
how people sustained various injuries due to extreme fear, and everyone was
running for their life as the bandits advanced to the market square, shooting
sporadically,” Nafiu Labaran, a resident of the community, narrated to
HumAngle.
Sagir
Musa, a student from Abdu Gusau Polytechnic who was in Tsafe for the weekend,
said soldiers captured three of the invaders after they ran out of ammunition
during the attack. Another resident claimed those arrested were people from the
town spotted with local guns at the scene of the attack.
It
is not clear why the terrorists dressed as women.
“I
was together with Dan-Amadu Maikaji bargaining for chickens at the market when
we saw about 20 women wearing their veil (hijab) coming from the outskirts to
the market square. We all thought they were women, only to discover that they
were terrorists carrying guns covered in hijabs,” Ummar Bature, another Tsafe
resident, told HumAngle.
“We
all screamed and started to run for our lives. Unfortunately, the armed gang
began to shoot their guns sporadically. Dan-Amadu, my business friend who could
not escape, was eventually killed,” he added.
Residents
lamented that the armed group had been targeting Tsafe town since early March.
They usually launch attacks from Munhaye, Titin-Jirgi, Gidan-Diye, and
GabaccinTsafe forest areas.
Yazid
Abubakar, the Police Public Relations Officer of the Zamfara State Police
Command, confirmed the incident, saying, “Already, the security operatives in
Tsafe were prompted into action after receiving some distress calls from the
residents and made an arrest of some key suspects of the attack.”
Source:
humanglemedia.com
https://humanglemedia.com/terrorists-disguised-as-muslim-women-kill-4-in-north-west-nigeria/
---
Arab
League signs ‘Action Plan’ deal with UN Women
April
21, 2024
CAIRO:
The Arab League’s Social Affairs Sector, specifically the Women’s Department,
signed a cooperation agreement with the United Nations Women Regional Office
for the implementation of collaboration programs outlined in the Action Plan
2024. The agreement was signed by both the Assistant Secretary General of the
League, Head of the Social Affairs Sector, Ambassador Haifa Abu Ghazaleh, and
the Regional Director of the UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment
of Women for the Arab States, Dr. Susanne Mikhail, the League said in a
statement.
Abu
Ghazaleh commended the League and UN collaboration, noting its focus on the
Action Plan, which originated from a 2016 memorandum of understanding (MoU).
The collaboration between both sides encompasses various programs stemming from
the inception of cooperation with UN Women, notably the successful Women,
Peace, and Security program, which has contributed to formulating strategies
for Arab women’s security and peace, as well as producing biennial reports on
Arab countries’ advancements in this domain, she added.
She
noted additional areas of cooperation with UN Women, including efforts against
gender-based violence and political collaboration, with plans to initiate
economic cooperation. She expressed joy at Dr. Sima Bahouth, an Arab woman and
former assistant secretary general of the Arab League, leading UN Women. Abu
Ghazaleh emphasized the prioritization of Palestinian women by the League
across all sectors, including social affairs, mentioning upcoming meetings to
address the war on Gaza’s impact on Arab women.
She
highlighted the League’s focus on women’s issues in conflict zones,
collaborating with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to develop
an anti-violence strategy. On her side, Dr. Mikhail expressed reverence for the
League collaboration, initiated in 2016 and deepened over the years. She
pointed out the suffering of women in conflict zones in the region, especially
in Gaza, where 10,000 women, including 6,000 mothers, have been killed.
Dr.
Mikhail thanked Abu Ghazaleh for supporting women’s issues in the Arab region,
citing great achievements in women’s affairs between the UN and the League,
such as peace mediator networks, emergency committees, and expanding
cooperation in women’s economic empowerment. — KUNA
Source:
kuwaittimes.com
https://kuwaittimes.com/article/13374/kuwait/other-news/arab-league-signs-action-plan-deal-with-un-women/
---
National
Women's Conference in BaliFocuses On Equality, Inclusivity: Minister
April 20, 2024
Badung
(ANTARA) - The 2nd National Women's Conference in Bali on Saturday aimed to
ensure the strengthening of the principles of equality and inclusive women's
participation, Minister of Women's Empowerment and Child Protection, Bintang
Puspayoga, said.
In
a statement issued by her ministry, Bintang said that the activity was a form
of the government's commitment to empower women, people living with
disabilities, and marginalized groups.
"We
ensure no one is left behind based on the principles of equality and inclusive
participation. We all continue to strive so that women are not just objects but
can be subjects in development activities," she said.
The
participants of the conference included civil society organizations and
Women-Friendly and Child-Caring Villages (DRPPAs) assisted by the ministry.
The
partners of the Indonesia-Australia Partnership Towards an Inclusive Society
(INKLUSI) program and community organizations that focus on women, children,
disabled people, and marginalized groups also took part in the event.
Bintang
said that the INKLUSI program is inseparable from the commitment of local
governments, which are paying great attention to issues affecting women and
children.
"I
salute the great change in the groups of women who are now seen as part of the
development actors, have their opinions heard, have the courage to deliver
programs and solutions from the village to the central level, and are
financially independent," she said.
2nd
National Women's Conference series kicked off online on March 26 and resulted
in proposals and recommendations on nine issues, supported by quantitative and
qualitative data.
The
activity covered 477 villages, 163 districts, and 35 provinces and involved
more than 4,000 participants.
Source:
antaranews.com
https://en.antaranews.com/news/311292/national-womens-conference-focuses-on-equality-inclusivity-minister
---
URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/iran-mobile-hijab/d/132181