The Sham Trials of Two Iranian Women Journalists, Elahe Mohammadi and Niloofar Hamedi
New Age
Islam News Bureau
30 May 2023
• The Sham Trials of Two Iranian Women
Journalists, Elahe Mohammadi and Niloofar Hamedi
• Honour Killing: Young Girl Burnt Alive
In Pakistan’s Punjab Province By Father And Brothers
• I Had No Idea How Hard It Would Be To
Navigate Breastfeeding As A Muslim Woman
• Iranian Women Reveal Degrading Tactics
Employed By Security Authorities
• Chinese Woman Beats Pakistani Woman In
Broad Daylight, No One Dares To Stop Her
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/iranian-journalists-elahe-niloofar/d/129886
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The Sham Trials of Two Iranian Women Journalists, Elahe Mohammadi and Niloofar Hamedi
Elahe
Mohammadi and Niloofar Hamedi
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MAY 29, 2023
The Iranian judiciary has announced that
the trials of Elahe Mohammadi and Niloofar Hamedi, two women journalists who
are being prosecuted for covering the events surrounding Mahsa Amini’s death in
police custody, will start on May 29 and 30, respectively.
These two journalists have been behind
bars for more than eight months. According to sources close to them, their
court appointed lawyers did not meet the two until May 28 and were not allowed
to study their cases.
The judiciary announced the charges
against the journalists and the dates of the trials before informing their
lawyers. The two are scheduled to be tried behind closed doors at Branch 15 of
the Revolutionary Court, presided by Judge Abolghasem Salavati, one of the most
notorious Revolutionary Court judges.
In the past days, many organizations
both inside and outside Iran, including the International Federation of
Journalists (IFJ) and its Iranian affiliate, the Tehran Province Journalists
Association (TPJA), have demanded that the trial of Mohammadi and Hamedi be
held in an open court.
To find out more about these two cases,
Iran Wire spoke with Saleh Nikbakht, the lawyer representing Mahsa Amini’s
family.
***
Elahe Mohammadi and Niloofar Hamedi have
been under temporary detention for eight months. Under the law, can temporary
detentions last so long?
Temporary arrest warrants are categorized
by the type of offense. The law states that a temporary arrest warrant for
offenses involving murder is valid for two months, can be renewed for another
two months. After that, the warrant must be changed to a permanent detention
warrant [subject to whether the judge allows bail or not]. In the case of other
offenses, the maximum arrest warrant lasts one month and can be renewed for
another month.
These two journalists have now been
under arrest for more than eight months, whereas the investigation of their
cases was concluded after two months and they were transferred from solitary
confinement to the common ward. It is not clear why and on what grounds these
two journalists have been kept in prison with a temporary arrest warrant. To
all appearances, their detention is illegal.
The charges brought against these two
journalists include collaborating with “belligerent governments,” and the name
of the United States was mentioned. Is America a “belligerent” government?
According to what Iranian newspapers and
especially news agencies affiliated with the intelligence and security agencies
have published, one of the charges against these two journalists is
“collaboration with belligerent states,” meaning the US.
But, for the following reasons, we and
the United States are not in a state of belligerency. Two countries are in a
state of belligerency if they are at war or had been at war and have agreed on
a temporary cease-fire without achieving peace. We have never been at war with
America and we are not at war with the US either. What is more, there is a
treaty of friendship between Iran and the US that was signed in 1955. Iran has
cited this treaty in international institutions. Based on this treaty, Iran
[partially] won its case at [the International Court of Justice] in Hague
against the US. Therefore, Iran cannot claim that it has a friendship agreement
with the US and, at the same time, say that the two countries are
belligerents.”
Iran, the US and most other countries in
the world have signed the Geneva Conventions of 1949. According to these
conventions, as I explained before, countries are considered belligerents only
if they are at war or have agreed to a cease-fire.
Besides, only the Supreme Leader decides
whether Iran is at war or at peace with other countries, and the courts, the
intelligence and security agencies or others cannot decide whether we are in a
state of belligerency with another country or not.
Another charge brought against the two
journalists is “assembly and collusion against national security.” Hamedi and
Mohammadi worked at two separate newspapers, Shargh and Ham-Mihan. Can
“assembly and collusion” apply to them?
The charge of “assembly and collusion
against national security” that has been brought against these two journalists
has been used over the past quarter of a century to convict many. But Article
610 of the Islamic Penal Code defining this crime states that when two or more
individuals collude and conspire to commit crimes against the national or
foreign security of the country…shall be sentenced to two to five years’
imprisonment.
These two journalists have two separate
cases that would be handled in two separate trials; therefore, you cannot
charge them with “assembly and collusion.” Also, the charge of “collusion with
a belligerent government” is not valid either for reasons that I explained
earlier. Besides, they were doing their jobs as professional journalists when
they wrote reports about Mahsa Amini’s condition and the ceremonies [after her
death]. Writing such reports is not a crime, and it is the journalists’
professional duty.
Even if these journalists have used
illegal words, phrases or topics in their reports, it does not fall under the
charge of “assembly and collusion.” In other words, even if these journalists
have used such phrases, they can be charged with “spreading lies” or libel. The
crime of “spreading lies to agitate the public” does not fall under the
jurisdiction of the Revolutionary Courts and must be handled by general
courts.”
In such cases, the managing editors of
the newspapers should attend the trials as well?
“The trials for spreading lies start
with the trial of the managing editors of the newspapers that published the
articles. The trial must be held in the presence of a jury, and if the jury
finds the managing editors guilty, then the reporters can be put on trial as
well. But, in violation of these laws, the cases of these two journalists have
been sent to Branch 15 of the Revolutionary Court where Mr. Salavati is the
judge. And, based on what we know about Mr. Salavati, he would bring back the
head if he is asked for the hat.
According to the families of Hamedi and
Mohammadi, the lawyers did not meet with their clients until May 28. Doesn’t
this adversely affect their defence?
A lawyer must be able to read the case
of his client in every detail, and, if necessary, meet his client in person in
order to come up with a strategy of defense. If these colleagues were able to
study the cases thoroughly, then they must ask the court to postpone the trial,
as the law requires them to do. Also, their lawyers must demand the immediate
release of these two journalists because, as I said, the investigations are
finished and these two ladies have been kept illegally in temporary detention.
Furthermore, holding this trial behind
closed doors is not legal and the right thing to do is to hold an open trial in
the presence of journalists and other members of the public, especially
lawyers. In the past week, a number of lawyers requested to be present at this
trial as observers so that they can inform the public through the media if they
see problems arising.
You are the Amini family’s lawyer and
these two journalists were arrested after they reported about this young
woman’s death. Do you know what the Amini family thinks about their cases?
Amini’s family is very well-informed,
and they are aware of laws and regulations. They have asked me several times to
call, on behalf of the family, for the release of these two journalists. The
Amini family condemns their eight-month detention. They also believe that,
neither in their
interviews with the family or in the
reports that they published, they stated anything illegal about Mahsa, and that
they do not deserve to be arrested and put on trial.
Source: iranwire.com
https://iranwire.com/en/journalism-is-not-a-crime/117026-the-sham-trials-of-two-iranian-women-journalists/
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Honour Killing: Young Girl Burnt Alive
In Pakistan’s Punjab Province By Father And Brothers
A
20-year-old woman was burnt alive in the name of 'honour' in Pakistan's Punjab
province. (Representational photo via Unsplash)
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The officer said the arrested suspects
offered no remorse for their act saying the girl had disgraced the family's
honour and deserved this fate.
May 29, 2023
In a gruesome incident, a 20-year-old
woman was burnt alive in the name of ‘honour’ in Pakistan’s Punjab province,
police said on Sunday.
The incident took place in Garh
Maharaja, Jhang district, some 200 KMs from Lahore, on Friday.
Investigation officer Muhammad Azam told
PTI on Sunday that Rajab Ali, along with his sons Jabbar and Aamir and some
other family members severely tortured his young daughter before setting her
ablaze at their house on May 26.
The police officer said that the woman
wanted to marry a man of her choice. “A day before, she had left the home and
reportedly spent some time with him before returning,” he said. Upon her
return, her father, two brother and some family women tied her with a rope and
severely tortured the woman before setting her on fire, Azam said.
The victim was shifted to hospital where
she succumbed to her burns. “Before her death, she told police about those who
set her on fire,” he said.
Police have arrested the father, two
brothers and a sister of the victim. A murder case has been registered against
the suspects.
The officer said the arrested suspects
offered no remorse for their act saying the girl had disgraced the family’s
honour and deserved this fate.
Hundreds of women are killed every year
in different parts of Pakistan in the name of honour. The Human Rights
Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has reported an average of 650 honour killings
annually over the past decade. But since most go unreported, the real number is
likely to be much higher.
Source: indianexpress.com
https://indianexpress.com/article/pakistan/pakistan-honour-killing-woman-burnt-alive-punjab-province-8634146/#:~:text=Investigation%20officer%20Muhammad%20Azam%20told,a%20man%20of%20her%20choice.
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I Had No Idea How Hard It Would Be To
Navigate Breastfeeding As A Muslim Woman
30/05/2023
When I was pregnant with my son, I
already knew all about cluster feeding, mastitis and tongue ties.
I could reel off the benefits of
colostrum from the top of my head and I’d watched enough mummy blog videos
about the optimum positions for breastfeeding to do the ‘rugby ball’ in my
sleep.
But it was only once I’d given birth
that it hit me. The one thing I hadn’t factored in, because there was so little
information available about it, was how on earth to navigate breastfeeding as a
Muslim, hijab-wearing woman.
All new mothers have a lot to contend
with in the early weeks. It’s no small thing to see your entire world shift and
suddenly have this tiny, ravenous, needy person attached to you 24/7.
But as a Muslim woman, this was
compounded by the misogyny and racism that rules my every day.
Not only was I wading through all the
emotional and physical changes of postpartum life, but also extra layers of
cultural expectations, societal stereotypes and the sheer practicalities of it
too – like what to do when my baby screams so much for milk that he chokes on
his own saliva (hint: whipping out a breast in the middle of Tesco is not
exactly an option as a hijabi).
Or how to tell whether that man watching
me is being a creep or about to call me a “Paki” (answer: both).
Muslim women and breastfeeding actually
have a lot in common. We are misunderstood and stereotyped in equal measure –
politicised, criticised and objectified all at once.
But that can mean, at times, that
breastfeeding as a Muslim woman in public has felt like the odds are stacked
against me. And I’m not alone.
Tamanna*, 31, is a mother-of-three who
has exclusively breastfed each of her children. Even when using an extra large
scarf to cover herself, she found that strangers were too surprised by the
notion of a hijabi woman breastfeeding to afford her any real privacy.
“I ended up mostly feeding in toilets or
changing rooms because it was just too problematic for strangers to be staring
at me so much,” she explains.
Farah*, 25, has experienced this too: “I
thought I found the most secluded place I could in the park, but an old white
lady actually came and sat next to me, watching really intently before asking
very innocently if I needed my husband’s permission to breastfeed my child.”
But it’s not all mere harmless intrigue.
Tamanna* recalls how the hypersexualised way Muslim women are viewed turns
breastfeeding into an opportunity for voyeurism for some. “I was once feeding
(whilst covered) on a plane and I realised the man behind me was peering
through the seat gaps to get a closer look, which obviously made me very uncomfortable,”
she recalls.
In the UK, breastfeeding in public is
protected under law, but in my experience, this legal protection is far from
inclusive of women like me. After all, it’s great that nobody can be prevented
from breastfeeding out in the open, but the same focus is not given to those
who prefer a private space to feed – for personal or religious reasons.
I’ve lost count of the amount of times
I’ve breastfed my son in a dirty toilet or on a changing room floor because of
a lack of proper facilities. And there’s nothing like inhaling the smell of
someone else’s urine whilst your child cluster feeds for an hour straight to
really cement the fact that your very existence no longer seems welcome in
public.
For Bushra, 38, a lack of spaces to feed
in private made her “a prisoner indoors” for the first three months of her
son’s life. At the time, she wore a niqab (full face veil) and in her words,
the “traditional” views of her husband meant he thought it was inappropriate to
breastfeed in public – even if nothing was on show.
“I remember seeing a woman effortlessly
pushing a trolley with a baby latched to her breast in a supermarket one day
and feeling jealous that she could be so unbothered and confident,” she says.
“But I had just never seen a Muslim woman feed in public so it just didn’t seem
like something that was an option for me.”
But when new mothers remain trapped
inside because of a lack of public facilities catered to us, this has an
inevitable impact on mental health, which is already precarious in the
postpartum stage.
“Within four months, I realised I was
sinking into postnatal depression and I just had to get out,” says Bushra. “I
started breastfeeding in the car during outings instead.”
Bushra is like many Muslim women I know
who see their cars as the key to having some semblance of a life as a new
mother, whilst maintaining their own religious standards of modesty when
breastfeeding.
I too have spent plenty of time pulled
up at the side of the road soothing my inconsolable child (I can attest there’s
nothing like stumbling upon a breastfeeding woman to send a traffic warden
running) or trying to get to the nearest drive-thru to at least spend the next
hour feeding with a frappuccino in hand.
Likewise, women like Ayan*, 29, have
been driven to use formula sooner than they would have liked to because of how
hard it is to feed in public. “I wanted to breastfeed for two years, like our
faith recommends, but I just found it so isolating to have to constantly find
somewhere private to feed,” she explains.
“If everywhere in the UK had feeding
rooms it would be different but for now, formula gives me the option to live a
normal life as a mum. Otherwise, I’d go out and spend the whole time looking
for somewhere to feed.”
British Muslims are some of the most
disproportionately impacted by poverty meaning cars and formula are simply
unaffordable for many – not least because of the ever-soaring cost of formula.
But what does this say about how
inclusive our public spaces are, and which mothers can – and cannot – access
them freely?
As of today, I am 18 months into my
motherhood and breastfeeding journey. In that time, I’ve had it all: the
dramatically averted gazes and all-too-long lingering stares. The tutting
uncles who think any hint of the existence of a breast underneath multiple
layers of cloth is indecent and the aunties telling me I must have eaten
something wrong to make my baby so fussy.
Luckily these days, my son can mostly be
placated with blueberries and crackers and the odd bribe in the form of
chocolate, but whenever I see a new mum feeding in public – especially a hijabi
(and particularly one whose baby is viewing her cover as an invitation to play
peek-a-boo) – I make sure to offer a smile in solidarity, because I know all
too well how it feels to be doing the seemingly impossible.
Source: huffingtonpost.co.uk
https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/what-its-like-to-breastfeed-as-a-muslim-woman_uk_646cce22e4b0ab2b97ea607e
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Iranian Women Reveal Degrading Tactics
Employed By Security Authorities
May 29, 2023
Several female Iranian activists are
following the lead of women's rights leader MojganKeshavarz by speaking out
about degrading and dehumanizing methods -- including sexual harassment --
being employed by staff at the country's prisons.
Keshavarz revealed on social media on
May 28 that she had been forced to undress completely after being arrested in
2019 and forced to spread her legs and sit and stand at the direction of guards
under the pretense of ensuring she had not concealed a mobile phone inside her
body. During the ordeal, she said she was photographed.
Keshavarz's narrative was echoed soon
afterward on social media by other women who said they had been subjected to
similar acts.
Zeynab Zaman, a civil activist who was
recently detained, disclosed that she was forced to completely undress twice --
once at the detention center and once at the court -- to supposedly ensure she
wasn't smuggling anything.
"The most ridiculous, illogical,
and stupid reason for normalizing the suffering of others, is to say that it is
the same everywhere! Wherever suffering is imposed on a human being, it's
wrong, it's inhumane, it's filthy, it's a crime," she wrote of her
experience.
Several political and civil prisoners
have repeatedly reported inhumane and illegal behavior toward prisoners in Iran
and have called for institutions and international organizations to devote
attention to the situation in Iranian prisons.
The number of females detained in Iran
has grown since the death of Mahsa Amini in September while in police custody
for an alleged head scarf offense.
Women have been at the forefront of the
unrest that Amini's death unlocked in Iran, posing one of the biggest
challenges to authorities since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Gender equality activist NasibehShamsaei
described similar experiences, saying security officials forced her to undress
at a time when she was menstruating, describing the tactics as
"humiliation" and "psychological torture."
Prominent Iranian actress MahnazAfshar
said the tactics are not new.
Afshar said that several years ago, she
was summoned to an intelligence office following the release of a video
featuring a "naked" girl, falsely identified as her. A female agent
at the office forced Afshar to strip completely for photographs to prove it
wasn't her. Afshar described the ordeal as a "violation of my spirit and
psyche."
She added that she fears others will be
like her, hiding the experience while feeling "shame" and being
gripped by the fear that the pictures of her would be misused.
Source: rferl.org
https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-women-prisoners-degrading-treatment/32433014.html
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Chinese Woman Beats Pakistani Woman In
Broad Daylight, No One Dares To Stop Her
May 30, 2023
A video has surfaced in which a Chinese
woman can be seen openly beating a Pakistani woman in the streets in broad
daylight. Several passersby can be seen walking past and filming the incident
but no one dared to interfere and help the woman.
Evidence of modern-day colonialism
In the video, the Chinese woman can be
repeatedly seen pulling the Pakistani woman's hair and kicking her on her
stomach. People can be seen raising objections but the woman was left helpless
and at the mercy of the Chinese national.
It appears to be a case of robbery, as a
Twitter user pointed out, and that the Chinese woman simply said to the
Pakistani woman to simply give her back her things after which she would be let
go. Towards the end of the video, the latter can be seen handing over what
looks like a wallet after which the Chinese national seems to back away.
Several netizens called the brutal
incident evidence of 21st-century colonialism and how the "Pakistani
public has accepted Chinese sovereignty over them". Many people have also
called out the friendship between China and Pakistan which has often been
described as being 'higher than the mountains and deeper than the oceans.'
Chinese businesses shuttered by
Pakistani police
Earlier in April 2023, the Karachi
Police, in an effort to stop terrorist acts that could jeopardise Islamabad's
strategic ties with Beijing, have resorted to temporarily closing various shops
run and frequented by Chinese nationals in the city.
The Chinese Embassy in Pakistan said
that China 'temporarily' closed the consular department of its embassy in
Islamabad days after warning its residents to exercise caution due to the
'deteriorating security situation' in Pakistan.
It appears that Pakistani authorities
have exhibited a lax approach towards protecting the lives of Chinese nationals
living in Pakistan despite several pleas and warnings from Beijing. It's
interesting to note that some reports contend Islamabad is subtly urging
Beijing to forgive Beijing's sizable loan from China or extend deadlines in order
to prevent the approaching default.
Targets of various terrorist
organisations based in Pakistan continue to include Chinese people and
CPEC-related projects.
Source: freepressjournal.in
https://www.freepressjournal.in/world/chinese-woman-beats-pakistani-woman-in-broad-daylight-no-one-dares-to-stop-her-watch-viral-video
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URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/iranian-journalists-elahe-niloofar/d/129886