Student Rights Activist Fahimeh Soltani Arrested After Being Summoned by IRGC in Isfahan
New Age Islam News Bureau
08 April 2024
·
Student Rights Activist Fahimeh Soltani
Arrested After Being Summoned by IRGC in Isfahan
·
Iranian University Threatens Female
Students Over Graduation Dance Video
·
Samara, A Teen From Montpellier
In France Brutalized For Wearing Western Clothing by A Group Of Young Teens
·
Riyadh Air Onboards 27 Saudi
Female Trainee Aircraft Engineers
·
Yara Shahidi Flaunts Lebanese
Label In Los Angeles
·
‘Israeli Forces Deliberately
Target Palestinian Women In Gaza’
·
Iran Releases Cheetah Conservationist
Niloufar BayaniFrom Prison After Six Years
Compiled by New Age Islam News
Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/rights-activist-fahimeh-iran-irgc/d/132104
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Student
Rights Activist Fahimeh Soltani Arrested After Being Summoned by IRGC in
Isfahan
Fahimeh Soltani, a student rights activist and law
student. Photo: IranWire
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APRIL
8, 2024
The
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) intelligence agents in central Isfahan
have arrested Fahimeh Soltani, a student rights activist and law student.
According
to the HRANA news agency, Soltani was arrested on April 7 after being summoned
to the intelligence department.
She
was then taken to an undisclosed location.
Soltani
had previously been called to the university on April 3 to discuss her case.
However,
she did not attend as the summons arrived outside business hours.
Following
this, she was called again by phone by the intelligence department and
subsequently arrested upon arrival.
This
is not Soltani's first arrest. In November 2022, security forces detained her
in Isfahan.
She
was released in February 2023 under the Iranian judiciary's "Amnesty"
decree.
Soltani,
a student activist, was also banned from studying for two semesters by the
Isfahan University Disciplinary Committee in June 2023.
In
recent months, Iranian security and judicial institutions have intensified
pressure on student protestors.
This
includes tactics like summons, arrests, prison sentences, and even depriving
students of their education in an attempt to suppress activism.
Source:
iranwire.com
https://iranwire.com/en/women/127172-student-rights-activist-fahimeh-soltani-arrested-by-irgc-in-isfahan/
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Iranian
University Threatens Female Students Over Graduation Dance Video
Photo: IranWire
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APRIL
8, 2024
A
group of female students may face prosecution after dancing at their graduation
ceremony in southern Iran, warned the university president.
A
video of female students at Al-Zahra University in Bushehr celebrating their
graduation with music and dance went viral last week.
The
university president, Zahra Hajiani, threatened legal action against the
participants and the video's creator.
Hajiani
claims the university has not held a graduation ceremony due to the lack of
funds since the pandemic.
She
asserts the video, filmed by eight students in their old graduation gowns and
featuring the university building, was "unauthorized and
uncoordinated."
According
to Hajiani, the students who produced the video have been identified and
"will be questioned with their fathers."
She
deems the celebratory video "illegal" and intends to pursue legal
action "until a result is obtained."
The
video, well-received online, showed students from the Faculty of Architecture
entering the university and celebrating their achievements.
This
incident follows a similar one at Isfahan University, where female students
faced threats for a video showing them doing similar celebratory activities.
The
university officials threatened disciplinary action against participating
students.
They
argued the students obtained graduation attire without permission and
coordinated with a private company to edit the video.
The
university emphasized the filming location was outside its jurisdiction.
Both
videos featured female students wearing hijabs. However, the issue goes beyond
mandatory headscarves.
The
Islamic Republic has a history of using repression, including prosecution and
financial penalties, to enforce its interpretation of Islamic laws.
This
persists despite many Iranian women, especially students, increasingly
advocating for personal choice in clothing and lifestyle after the 2022
nationwide protests.
Source:
iranwire.com
https://iranwire.com/en/women/127169-iranian-university-threatens-students-over-graduation-dance-video/
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Samara,
A Teen From Montpellier In France Brutalized For Wearing Western Clothing by A
Group Of Young Teens
07
April 2024
France
has been shaken by two distressing episodes of violence at schools within the
past week, with allegations that the aggression stems from the nation's Muslim
community. A group of young teens brutally assaulted Samara, a 13-year-old girl
from Montpellier in the south of France, last Tuesday. The girl narrowly
escaped death but fell into a coma, with officials stating that her survival
was miraculous.
Some
reports suggest that the severe assault on Samara might have been carried out
by other Muslim children who criticized her for "insufficiently Muslim
clothing." One of those arrested in connection with the incident is a
14-year-old girl named Mariam, who reportedly instigated the attack on Samara
due to her allegedly inappropriate attire, according to French reports.
Samara's
mother, Hasiba, was quoted saying: "Samara uses a bit of makeup, and the
girl who assaulted her is veiled. She attacked her while accusing her of being
a non-believer in Islam." She added: "My daughter dresses in a
European style, which has led to numerous insults, attacks and derogatory
labels against her. Despite being Muslims ourselves, I fail to comprehend their
interpretation of Islam."
Three
of the assailants, two boys and a girl who attend the same school as Samara,
were apprehended and admitted their involvement during the investigation. They
are now facing charges of attempted murder. The police investigation is also
considering the possibility that Samara might have dared to interact with boys
or that an argument erupted among groups of children on social networks,
escalating to extreme violence. Hasiba revealed that, for two years, other
children have been assaulting her daughter for behaving and dressing in a
"less Islamic" manner. She reported that they circulated her pictures
on social networks and issued inciting calls to rape the teen.
On
Thursday, a vicious and premeditated assault took place against a 15-year-old
boy named Shamseddin in the Parisian suburb of Viry-Châtillon. A gang of five
aggressive teenagers attacked him so savagely that he died of his injuries
after being rushed to a Paris hospital. French media suggest he might have been
targeted because he was in contact with a girl, whose brother was displeased
with their relationship and allegedly sent his friends to brutally attack him.
It is also suggested that the surge in violence could be linked to disputes, as
well as inappropriate photos and videos shared on social media platforms which
escalated into physical altercations.
In
recent times, reports of threats from students of Arab descent have been on the
rise across France, contributing to an increasingly hostile environment in
schools throughout the country. French President Emmanuel Macron, expressing
his solidarity with the attacked girl over the weekend, urged caution in
drawing conclusions about the circumstances surrounding the attack. He stressed
the need for a careful examination of the facts before reaching conclusions.
Notably, he avoided referring to "radical Islam" in relation to the
recent episodes of violence.
Source:
ynetnews.com
https://www.ynetnews.com/article/sjqnulgxc
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Riyadh
Air Onboards 27 Saudi Female Trainee Aircraft Engineers
April
07, 2024
Riyadh
Air, the new national airline of Saudi Arabia, has announced the intake of 27
women who commenced their 30-month diploma course on their path to become
certified aircraft engineering technicians. In a groundbreaking move and a first
for the Kingdom, female engineers will study under the supervision and guidance
of Aviation Australia and the International Aviation Technical College at
Riyadh Airport. This follows an MoU signed between Riyadh Air and the Colleges
of Excellence in August 2023 and is the first collaboration of many between the
organizations.
These
budding engineers are all Saudi high-school graduates with impressive GPAs and
were chosen from thousands of applicants who wished to be part of the Riyadh
Air story as it moves toward future operations. The airline is strongly
committed to inclusiveness and in a positive sign of the ongoing role of women
in the airline, Riyadh Air has specifically chosen females for its entire first
intake of trainee engineers to be placed on the apprenticeship program.
Senior
leaders from Riyadh Air including Tony Douglas, CEO; Mark Donovan, Australian
ambassador to Saudi Arabia; and Ajman Abdullah, CEO of Colleges of Excellence,
met with the trainee engineers during a visit to the facility at Riyadh
Airport. Female aircraft maintenance engineers and technicians currently
account for only 3 percent of the worldwide workforce. With a shortfall of
qualified maintenance workers expected in the coming years, Riyadh Air is
harnessing an expanding talent pool of Saudi women who are keen to enter
non-traditional roles in the industry.
Douglas
said: “Riyadh Air is an airline that will challenge perceptions while
representing the modern, dynamic Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Ensuring we are well
represented in terms of gender equality is an important pillar of our business
and introducing young women to the technical side of our airline demonstrates
that we are serious about creating an airline that meets the expectations of
Vision 2030. We are fortunate that our engineers are students at the
International Aviation Technical College under the Colleges of Excellence
banner and accredited by Aviation Australia, one of the most prestigious global
aviation schools and we fully expect these ladies to be part of the future
leadership of Riyadh Air.”
Ambassador
Donovan said: “It was great to join Colleges of Excellence and the CEO of
Riyadh Air at the International Aviation Technical College to meet the first
women who have joined the Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Program. This is a
great step, and it is fantastic to know that Australia’s world leading
education sector OSS is once again enabling women’s economic participation as
Saudi Arabia moves forward with Vision 2030.”
CEO
of Colleges of Excellence Abdullah said: “We are proud to support this
pioneering batch of female trainees in the field of aircraft maintenance
engineering in partnership with Riyadh Air, and we believe in their
capabilities to achieve excellence in this dynamic field. Colleges of Excellence
works to provide a stimulating educational and training environment for the
trainees and provide them with the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in
their professional development. We are keen to support the national female
competencies in various fields and provide them with proper job opportunities.”
Source:
arabnews.com
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2489636/corporate-news
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Yara
Shahidi Flaunts Lebanese Label In Los Angeles
April
07, 2024
DUBAI:
Yara Shahidi and Marvel star Iman Vellani attended the Hulu on Disney+ launch
event in Los Angeles over the weekend, with part-Middle Eastern actress Shahidi
opting for a look by Lebanese designer Salim Azzam.
The
fashion house is known for championing Lebanese artisanal craftsmanship at its
atelier in the Chouf region of the country. The brand includes traditional
hand-stitching techniques in its creations — and Shahidi’s ensemble showed that
off to great effect.
The
“Grown-ish” star hit the red carpet in a hand-embroidered shirt dress created
out of smocking cotton, complete with bird-and-tree motifs sewn across the
length of the outfit.
Canadian
Pakistani actress Vellani, who starred as Kamala Khan in the Marvel Cinematic
Universe miniseries “Ms. Marvel” and film “The Marvels,” attended the event in
a fitted skirt and denim jacket by Coach. The outfit hailed from the US fashion
label’s Spring/Summer 2024 ready-to-wear collection.
The
pair were on hand to celebrate the launch of Hulu on Disney+ in the US. In the
American market, Hulu has been bundled into Disney’s primary streaming service
alongside the company’s other content.
Shahidi
has had a busy start to 2024, most recently starring in a campaign alongside
K-Pop star Jisoo, Irish Oscar nominee Paul Mescal, British singer Labrinth and
Hong Kong rapper Jackson Wang for Cartier.
Shahidi,
whose father is Iranian, stars in the film and image campaign that was released
at the end of March to celebrate the Trinity jewelery collection turning 100
years old.
Shahidi
also starred in a campaign for French label Jean-Paul Gaultier in September
2023 and the 24-year-old was nominated for a NAACP Image Award earlier this
year.
The
NAACP Image Awards is an annual awards ceremony presented by the US-based
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. The awards show
honors outstanding performances in film, television, theater, music, and
literature.
Shahidi
was nominated for the outstanding actress in a motion series category for her
role in “Sitting in Bars with Cake,” a romantic comedy-drama film directed by
Trish Sie and written by Audrey Shulman.
Source:
arabnews.com
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2489406/lifestyle
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‘Israeli
forces deliberately target Palestinian women in Gaza’
07
April 2024
The
Israeli occupation forces are deliberately targeting women in their genocidal
onslaught on the besieged Gaza Strip, a Palestinian minister says.
The
comment was made in a Sunday press statement by the Ramallah-based Palestinian
government’s Minister of Women's Affairs Mona al-Khalili.
She
noted that 9,560 Palestinian women have been killed by the regime’s forces
since the beginning of the Israeli genocide in Gaza on October 7, 2023.
“Women
in the Gaza Strip are suffering from the most dangerous and harsh conditions in
decades, as a result of deteriorating health and living conditions,
displacement, and lack of shelter, in addition to the lack of food and water,”
the minister said.
Al-Khalili
stated that there are approximately 15,000 pregnant women currently in the Gaza
Strip, “95 percent of whom do not eat sufficient amounts of food, which
increases health risks to the mother and fetus.”
She
added that there are about a million forcibly displaced women who face
exacerbated risks in shelter centers, which lack basic necessities.
Al-Khalili
said approximately 37 mothers are killed every day in Gaza, leaving behind
devastated families and displaced children.
In
an exclusive interview with the Press TV website on March 26, ReemAlsalem, the
United Nations Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, said the
violence inflicted on Palestinian women and children by Israel could qualify as
acts of genocide under Article 2 of the Genocide Convention. These are acts
that relate to “imposing measures intended to prevent births within a group.”
She
added that Israel is inflicting “reproductive violence” on Palestinian women,
newborns, babies, infants and children.
“So,
in addition to the forced starvation, ethnic cleansing, torture, executions,
arbitrary detention, indiscriminate bombardment and forced displacement, they
have also been subjected to reproductive/obstetric violence, sexual violence
and targeted as mothers,” she added.
Alsalem
said Palestinian women have been persecuted for decades “for being Palestinian
and for being women," have suffered “systematic violations of their
individual and collective rights as Palestinians,” and been “targeted in a very
gendered manner because they are women.”
According
to a detailed report by the Geneva-based Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor, female
Palestinian detainees from Gaza have been subjected to sexual violence,
torture, inhumane treatment, strip searches, sexual harassment.
Source:
presstv.ir
https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2024/04/07/723273/Israeli-forces-Palestinian-women-Gaza-Mona-Al-Khalili
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Iran
releases Cheetah conservationist Niloufar Bayani from prison after six years
08
Apr 2024
Jitendra
Choubey
Iran
released Cheetah conservationist NiloufarBayani and three other
conservationists from prison after six year as they were accused and arrested
of spying. Cheetah conservation gained traction in the recent past after India
re-introduced African Cheetah species after declaring extinction in the 1950s.
Global
community of scientists and conservationists welcomed the move. Inger Andersen,
Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme welcomes
announcement of the impending release of Ms. Bayani along with TaherGhadirian,
HoumanJokar and SepidehKashani.
Niloufar
and seven other conservationists were accused of spying and arrested in January
2018 and later held guilty with sentences ranging from four to 10 years.
The
verdict was condemned across the globe by scientists and conservationists. All
they warned of mixing politics and conservation.
The
eight are all affiliated with the Persian Wildlife Heritage Foundation, a
Tehran-based conservation organization that works to save the critically
endangered Asiatic cheetah (Acinonyxjubatusvenaticus) and other species.
The
eight conservationists have been imprisoned since their arrests in January
2018. A colleague arrested at the same time died in custody.
Cheetah
conservation gained global traction after India reintroduced African Cheetah
after seven decades of its extinction.
India’s
locally extinct cheetah subspecies was known as Asiatic cheetah
(Acinonyxjubatusvenaticus). Its nearest subspecies survives only in Iran, and
sometimes it was also sighted in bordering regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Before
approaching African nations Namibia and South Africa for the re-introduction of
the cheetah to India, the Indian scientists first approached Iran to rely on
the Asian population of the carnivores.
However,
Iran refused to give cheetahs to India as their numbers are dwindling fast.
According
to a 2017 research report there were only 26 cheetahs left in Iran.
Moreover, the number further declined to
15 in 2022, says former Wildlife Institute of India Dean Dr Y V Jhala.
The
UNEP in its press statement said between 2012 and 2017, Ms. Bayani worked as a
consultant based out of UNEP’s Geneva office.
In
2017 Ms. Bayani returned to her home country to work on efforts to conserve the
Persian or Asian Cheetah, one of the most endangered large cat species in the
world.
Bayani
was arrested in Feb 2018 along with other internationally recognized experts in
the field of nature conservation, who have all dedicated their lives to the
conservation of wildlife in Iran.
Source:
newindianexpress.com
https://www.newindianexpress.com/world/2024/Apr/08/iran-releases-cheetah-conservationist-niloufar-bayani-from-prison-after-six-years
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URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/rights-activist-fahimeh-iran-irgc/d/132104