Iranian authorities accused of torture, sexual abuse, ‘systemic immunity’ from prosecution
New Age
Islam News Bureau
27 November 2023
· Afghan Women Journalists Say Unemployment Biggest Challenge
· Afghan women journalists face numerous restrictions: AWJA Report
· Niger not against use of hijab – Bago
· "She Has No Family": Sikhs In UK Town Fight Indian Woman's Deportation
· Senegal: Rural women advocate for climate justice ahead of COP28 Summit
· Mother of Iranian-Canadian Activist Esmaeilion Barred from Leaving Iran
· From Takhar to Kabul: A woman’s struggle in search of better life
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/iranian-accused-systemic-immunity/d/131193
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Iranian authorities accused of torture, sexual abuse, ‘systemic immunity’ from prosecution
NOVEMBER 27, 2023
OWEN HOLDAWAY
AN IRANIAN fan holds a jersey in memory
of Mahsa Amini, inside the stadium before a World Cup soccer match between Iran
and Wales, in Qatar, last November.
(photo credit: DYLAN MARTINEZ/REUTERS)
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[Northern Iraq] Women’s rights activists and human rights researchers report increasing use of torture and sexual violence by Iranian authorities against protesters, particularly within the prison system.
“Since JinaAmini [the Kurdish name for MahsaAmini] was murdered … we are hearing of a lot more abuse against women,” said Rubar, a commander in the Kurdish militia Parti Azadi Kurdistan (PAK), or Kurdish Freedom Party, from her base in the autonomous region of northern Iraq.
MahsaAmini, a 22-year-old woman of Kurdish descent, died in police custody in September last year after being arrested by Iran’s morality police for suspected violations of the country’s dress code for women.
Authorities claimed she died of a heart attack in custody, while witnesses alleged she was beaten to death.Amini’s death ignited a nationwide protest movement, surpassing previous waves of dissent against the Islamic Republic in scale.
PAK, a Kurdish separatist party advocating for independence in Iran’s western provinces (referred to by PAK as Rojhilat), claims to have over 1,000 active fighters, including many women. While most members are based in northern Iraq, PAK also reports having members in Iran, specifically in the Western Azerbaijan province.
Iranian authorities increasingly using sexual violence against protesters
Two women from Western Azerbaijan, Awrisha and Jilamo, now members of PAK, spoke exclusively to The Media Line, alleging that authorities are increasingly using sexual violence against protesters.
Jilamo told The Media Line that after participating in street protests post-Amini’s death, she was “identified by the religious police.” Fearing imprisonment and potential abuse, she decided to flee, informing her family of her decision.
“I also feared being sent to [Urumieh] prison; my cousin, who had been imprisoned there, burned herself to death after her release due to the shame of what she endured inside,” Jilamo added.
She further added, “I’ve heard of numerous women who died by suicide after being tortured and raped in custody, regardless of their age.”
Amnesty International, having documented numerous abuse cases within the Iranian prison system including denial of life-saving medical care, reports an increasing body of evidence indicating coordinated and top-down ordered torture and abuse of women.
“We have an ongoing investigation into the use of sexual violence within the prison system,” Nassim explains, adding, “We plan to make the determination later if we believe this is ‘systematically’ or not, but irrespective of our determination on this, one thing we are seeing and have been seeing is the ‘systemic immunity’ from prosecution for those who have carried out and order torture, be that sexual or nonsexual.”
One such detention center is Urumieh Central Prison, a facility where Amnesty has documented abuse and a place at which Awrisha and Jilamo dreaded being detained.
RebinRahmani from the Kurdistan Human Rights Network disclosed to The Media Line his “direct contacts with prisoners in facilities including Urumieh,” where authorities are reportedly employing increasingly abusive tactics.
While cases of sexual abuse weren’t documented, Rahmani notes via Telegram, “Some released detainees, particularly children, reported verbal threats of sexual abuse following their arrest.”
A common finding of the Kurdistan Human Rights Network, aligning with Awrisha and Jilamo’s accounts to the Media Line, is the increasing targeting of protesters’ family members by authorities.
“Families of detained protesters are under immense pressure from authorities and security agencies,” says Rahmani, adding, “They’re threatened against contacting international human rights organizations and media. Last month, over 30 family members of slain Kurdish protesters, who visited JinaAmini’s grave to honor her, were arrested upon returning home.”
In response to nationwide protests after JinaAmini’s death, the US and several Western countries imposed a broad spectrum of new sanctions against the regime, targeting the Iranian religious police and security forces specifically.
Although the sanctions have effectively isolated Iran and condemned its human rights abuses, PAK members claim they haven’t halted the core activities of Iran’s intelligence services and officials.
“The sanctions have suffocated people,” Jilamo explains. “Many are nearing starvation, while those in power still access food and resources.”
Awrisha echoed this sentiment: “In Rojhilate, only the regime, intelligence officers, and their families can afford food.”
Despite the Islamic Republic’s increasing use of harsh tactics, these women believe that the protests ignited by JinaAmini’s death indicate that the regime’s days are numbered.
“The Islamic Republic has definitely become weaker due to the protests. What we’ve seen since Jina’s death is a regime with an empty core,” Jilamo states, adding, “It’s only a matter of time before that core collapses.”
Source: jpost.com
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-775278
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Afghan Women Journalists Say Unemployment Biggest Challenge
November 26, 2023
The Afghanistan Women Journalist
Association (AWJA) conducted a survey about the situation of women journalists
in Afghanistan within the past two-years, in which 45 percent of the female
journalists said unemployment is one of their biggest challenges.
“45 percent of the participants said that unemployment is the biggest challenge ahead of women journalists. 5 percent of the participants are talking about the poverty of the women journalists, while 10 percent of the participants said lack of access to information is the biggest challenge for women journalists,” said Meena Habib, the head of AWJA.
Meanwhile, some of the media supporting organizations called on the Islamic Emirate to provide women journalists with all-out support.
“We call on the Islamic Emirate to help women as much as it can in the field of education, work and facilities,” said Taj Mohammad Ahmadzada, a member of the AWJA.
This comes as women journalists expressed their concerns about facing an uncertain future, saying that they are struggling with the working environment.
“In many conferences, wherever women are invited, we go there but we face double standards. The security forces do not allow women to enter the conference,” said Hajar Jafari, a journalist.
“Females are facing many challenges compared to males. Women cannot get access to proper information in the press conferences,” said Marriam Madadi, a journalist.
The Islamic Emirate has not commented on the survey of AWJA but earlier the Islamic Emirate’s officials said that they are committed to supporting the media within Sharia.
Source: tolonews.com
https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-186214
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Afghan women journalists face numerous restrictions: AWJA Report
Fidel Rahmati
November 27, 2023
A survey by the Afghanistan Women’s
Journalist Association (AWJA) revealed that female journalists in Afghanistan
deal with multiple challenges, including limited access to information.
The AWJA’s findings reveal that female journalists grapple with multiple issues, including job insecurity, financial constraints, and other significant restrictions that hinder their ability to work effectively.
Mina Habib, the head of AWJA, emphasized that the survey revealed significant issues faced by female journalists in Afghanistan, with 45% identifying unemployment and home confinement as the top concerns, while 5%, 10%, and 7% noted poverty, lack of information access, and job security as additional pressing challenges, respectively.
Female journalists in Afghanistan have voiced their frustration over the hurdles they encounter in accessing crucial information and attending specific press conferences, significantly hampering their reporting efforts. These restrictions pose significant challenges to their work in a complex environment.
On the other hand, male journalists in Afghanistan have echoed concerns regarding their access to information and have called upon the government to address this issue swiftly.
Their demand highlights the importance of open and transparent information dissemination for journalists of all genders in the country.
Following the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan, they imposed stringent restrictions on journalists and accessible media outlets, prompting a mass exodus of professionals, including journalists, seeking asylum in Western and neighbouring countries.
This exodus was driven by the absence of job opportunities, severely limited access to information, and even security threats, creating a dire situation for media professionals in the country.
Source: khaama.com
https://www.khaama.com/afghan-women-journalists-face-numerous-restrictions-awja-report/
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Niger not against use of hijab – Bago
27th November 2023
Chika Otuchikere
The Niger State Governor, Mohammed Bago, has said that the state is not against the wearing of Hijab by female Muslim adherents.
Bago was responding to a social media report claiming that the state’s Commissioner for Education, HajiyaHadiza, denounced wearing Hijab by teachers, by allegedly saying she ‘sees no reason why a female teacher will wear Hijab and be comfortable with her teaching’.
The governor, in a statement on Sunday by his Chief Press Secretary, Bologi Ibrahim, maintained that his administration was not against the wearing of Hijab as it was a religious injunction with constitutional backing.
According to Ibrahim, the Commissioner of Education was quoted out of context and being a Muslim, would never speak against the Hijab.
The governor said, “The commissioner’s statement is contextual and does not reflect the position of the state government on the use of Hijab by women in any field of endeavor.
“The commissioner’s meeting with the principals, headmasters and other stakeholders was organised to sensitise them to the strategic plans of the Bago-led administration to boost education as well as the impending screening and competency test for teachers in the state.
“The state government is not, and has never been, against the wearing of a Hijab; the commissioner’s statement must have been misconstrued.
“The wearing of a Hijab is a religious obligation and the Supreme Court had, in June last year, ruled that the constitution allows Muslim students and, by implication, teachers to wear a Hijab.
“The commissioner, as a Muslim, was not unaware of the importance of the Hijab and could not have been an impediment to its use.
“Niger State is a law-abiding state. Since the Nigeria Constitution allowed Muslim students and teachers to wear the Hijab, the state government has the responsibility to ensure that the rights of the citizens are protected.”
Source: punchng.com
https://punchng.com/niger-not-against-use-of-hijab-bago/
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"She Has No Family": Sikhs In UK Town Fight Indian Woman's Deportation
November 26, 2023
London: The case of an elderly Indian Sikh woman, which was first reported in 2019, continues to attract widespread community support in England's West Midlands as her supporters fight her deportation.
Gurmit Kaur, 78, came to the UK in 2009 and Smethwick has been home to her ever since, reads an online petition that has attracted over 65,000 signatures since it was launched in July 2020.
More recently, “We Are All Gurmit Kaur” has been running across social media platforms as the local community continues to rally around the widow.
“Gurmit Kaur has no family to turn to in the UK and no family to return to in Punjab. So the local Sikh community of Smethwick has adopted her,” reads the petition on change.org.
“Gurmit Kaur applied to stay but has been refused even though she has no family to return to in Punjab, India. Gurmit is a very kind woman, even though she has nothing she is still generous and will always give what she can, when she can. Most of her days are spent volunteering at the local gurdwara,” it read.
The UK Home Office maintains that Ms Kaur is in contact with people in her village in Punjab and that she would be able to re-adjust to life there.
Salman Mirza, an immigration advisor for the Brushstroke Community Project, who started the petition and is among those helping Ms Kaur through the visa appeals process, told BBC that her ordeal has been torture for her.
"She has a derelict house in the village, with no roof, and will have to find heating, food, and resources in a village she hasn't been to in 11 years. It's like water torture, a slow death. She's never had the right to work and provide for herself," he said.
A Home Office spokesperson said that while it cannot comment on individual cases, "all applications are carefully considered on their individual merits and on the basis of the evidence provided".
Gurmit Kaur first travelled to the UK in 2009 to attend a wedding and initially lived with her son.
After getting estranged from her family, she went on to rely on the kindness of strangers. She has widespread support within the local community where she regularly volunteers at local charities.
Source: ndtv.com
https://www.ndtv.com/indians-abroad/she-has-no-family-sikhs-of-uk-town-smethwick-fight-indian-woman-gurmit-kaur-deportation-4607571#pfrom=home-ndtvworld_topstory
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Senegal: Rural women advocate for climate justice ahead of COP28 Summit
November 26, 2023
Senegalese rural women staged a demonstration, calling for climate justice on Saturday in Dakar, asserting that they continue to endure the adverse impacts of climate change.
"Rural women are mobilizing today because the climate crisis is at a crossroads of an environmental, health, you know what I mean, the COVID-19 pandemic, social and economic crisis," said KhadyCamara, organizer of the march.
Climate change poses significant threats to agriculture in Senegal, where only 7% of cultivated land is irrigated, rendering the country's agriculture highly reliant on rainfall.
The protest precedes the upcoming COP28 summit scheduled to take place in Dubai, starting November 30th.
"Fighting climate change is very difficult, and requires human, material and financial resources that the women don't have. That's why they're here today to remind the decision-makers who will be attending the next Convention of the Parties in Dubai that last year, at COP27, they were promised a green fund to support the fight against climate change," defended MouhamadouLamineSeck, environmental lawyer.
The agricultural sector has had to undergo substantial changes, with the groundnut industry, historically a cornerstone of the Senegalese economy, experiencing a severe crisis.
This crisis prompted a shift to the cultivation of cereals like millet, rice, and corn, along with the production of fruits, vegetables, and manioc.
Notably, this marks the third demonstration organized by Senegalese women advocating for climate justice.
Source: africanews.com
https://www.africanews.com/2023/11/26/senegal-rural-women-advocate-for-climate-justice-ahead-of-cop28-summit/
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Mother of Iranian-Canadian Activist Esmaeilion Barred from Leaving Iran
NOVEMBER 27, 2023
Iranian-Canadian writer and civil activist Hamed Esmaeilion says Iran’s government has barred his mother from leaving the country in retaliation for his activism.
Esmaeilion lost his daughter and wife in the shooting down of a Ukrainian passenger plane by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) over Tehran in January 2020.
He served as president and spokesperson for the Association of Families of Flight PS752 Victims, which is fighting for truth and justice for the victims of the tragedy, until he resigned in March of this year to dedicate himself to the “revolution” taking place in Iran.
Esmaeilion said on Instagram that the Iranian authorities stopped his mother at Tehran International Airport on November 25 and confiscated her passport, saying she was not allowed to leave the country.
On the same day, officials at the passport office told her that she and her husband were prohibited from leaving Iran for six months.
Esmaeilion said that the government's dirty tactics will not stop him from continuing his activism.
"You may want to prevent me from seeing my parents, or you may not allow my 73-year-old mother to visit the grave of her daughter-in-law and nine-year-old grandchild who were killed by you, but I have no doubt that dozens of other people will do that in Toronto instead of my mother,” he wrote.
Source: iranwire.com
https://iranwire.com/en/news/122912-mother-of-iranian-canadian-activist-esmaeilion-barred-from-leaving-iran/
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From Takhar to Kabul: A woman’s struggle in search of better life
Fidel Rahmati
November 27, 2023
Recent political landscape changes have turned Afghanistan into one of the worst places for women, especially for those who are the heads of their households. They experience even deeper restrictions because they have to work and search for ways to have a better life.
Friba, a woman who had a difficult life in Takhar due to poverty and unemployment, moved to Kabul to provide a better life for her children. She now sells pens on the streets of Kabul to ensure they have bread for the night.
Friba says, “I was very young when I lost my mother, and I got married at a very early age.”
She not only became a victim of early marriage, but despite her efforts to have a shared life that she dreamt of, her husband fell victim to addiction, affecting their entire life.
After her first husband became addicted, he left home, and Friba, along with her children, waited for his return for a long time, but they never heard from him, and his whereabouts remain unknown.
In traditional Afghan society, men are considered the sole breadwinners in the family, and women, except for household chores and raising children, do not engage in other work. Illiteracy among women is also one of the reasons that forces them to depend on men, and if they do not have a husband (widows), they have no option other than marriage to support their lives.
Amidst her sobbing, Friba says, “I have lived as a widow all these years and struggled through the days. Due to poverty, I sold one of my children, a daughter, to my cousin in Mazar-e-Sharif for 50,000 Afghanis. I used the money from selling this child to meet the expenses of my other children.”
She claims to have lived a “double life” to this day. Seven years after her first husband disappeared, in order not to be left alone with the remaining children of her addicted husband, she married another man named “Yaqub,” and this marriage also resulted in two more children.
Friba’s first husband fell victim to drug addiction, and her second husband was killed in the conflicts between the security forces of the previous Afghan government and the Taliban in Kunduz.
Despite Friba’s efforts to not remain alone, she has been left with solitude as the only companion in her life in Afghanistan, a solitude shaped by war, drug addiction, the Taliban, poverty, and displacement.
She claims to have given birth to twins seven times but only five of her fourteen children are still alive. She recalls, “When my first husband became addicted, I worked in the fields outside the house from morning till late at night. One day, when I returned from work, I found my breastfeeding daughter dead in her cradle. My other son was taken by pneumonia and passed away.”
Friba is the head of her family, and they have been living in Kabul for about a year. She continues her life in a mud house without essential amenities along with her children.
She requests government officials to create job opportunities for working women. Friba says that she has been detained by government forces several times. Her information has been recorded, but she has received no assistance or job opportunities from the authorities.
Friba is busy selling pens and stationery at a crossroads in Kabul. She sells pens from 7 in the morning until 7 in the evening to make ends meet.
Source: khaama.com
https://www.khaama.com/from-takhar-to-kabul-a-womans-struggle-in-search-of-better-life/
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URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/iranian-accused-systemic-immunity/d/131193