Saudi Woman Activist Loujain al-Hathloul, Freed after Nearly Three Years in Jail Is Barred from Leaving Saudi Arabia
New
Age Islam News Bureau
11
February 2021
• Ibtisam Hamid aka Basma al-Kuwaiti, the Muslim Kuwaiti Singer Announces She Plans to Convert To Judaism
•
Two Female Arab Filmmakers Have Been Shortlisted For An Oscar
•
Saudi Arabia Women In Sports: Miles Ahead Five Years On But Still A Lot More
Ground To Cover
•
Meet the All-Female Team at This Dubai School's Science Department
•
Puck Dreams: Iran's Women Hockey Stars Plan To Make Their Mark On Ice
•
Further Violations against Women In Egypt's Al-Qanater Prison
Compiled
by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/saudi-woman-activist-loujain-al/d/124279
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Saudi
Woman Activist Loujain al-Hathloul, Freed after Nearly Three Years in Jail Is
Barred from Leaving Saudi Arabia
Loujain
al-Hathloul Saudi Woman Activist
------
February
11, 2021
Saudi
authorities on Wednesday released prominent women's rights activist Loujain
al-Hathloul after nearly three years in detention, her family said, as the
kingdom comes under renewed US pressure over its human rights record.
Hathloul,
31, was arrested in May 2018 with about a dozen other women activists’ just
weeks before the historic lifting of a decades-long ban on female drivers, a
reform they had long campaigned for, triggering a torrent of international
criticism.
The
release of the activist, who is still under probation and is barred from
leaving Saudi Arabia, sparked euphoria among her siblings who had launched a
vigorous campaign overseas for her freedom in a major embarrassment for the
kingdom's rulers.
"Loujain
is at home!!!!!!!" her sister Lina al-Hathloul wrote on Twitter.
"At
home after 1001 days in prison," she added, along with a picture of the
smiling activist with streaks of grey hair.
US
President Joe Biden, who has pledged to intensify scrutiny of Crown Prince
Mohammed bin Salman's human rights record, welcomed the decision to release
her, saying it was "the right thing to do".
The
US State Department said she should never have been jailed.
"Promoting
and advocating for women's rights and other human rights should never be
criminalised," said State Department spokesman Ned Price.
French
President Emmanuel Macron, who strongly called for Hathloul's release last
year, welcomed the news, tweeting that he "shared the relief of her
family".
In
late December, a Saudi court handed Hathloul a prison term of five years and
eight months for terrorism-related crimes, but her family said a partially
suspended sentence paved the way for her early release.
The
women's rights activist was convicted of inciting regime change and seeking to
disrupt public order, in what her family denounced as a "sham" trial.
They also alleged she experienced sexual harassment and torture in detention,
claims dismissed by the court.
The
verdict, however, was a "face-saving exit strategy" for the Saudi
government after it came under severe international pressure to free her, a
source close to Hathloul's family told AFP at the time.
Still,
the court has imposed a five-year travel ban on Hathloul, her relatives said.
"Loujain
is at home, but she is not free. The fight is not over," Lina said.
Biden's
'impact'
Saudi
authorities have not officially commented on her detention, trial or release.
"Loujain
al-Hathloul's release after a harrowing ordeal in prison in Saudi Arabia --
lasting nearly three years -- is an incredible relief, but long overdue,"
said Amnesty International's Lynn Maalouf.
"Nothing
can make up for the cruel treatment she has suffered, nor the injustice of her
imprisonment."
After
the kingdom largely got a free pass under previous president Donald Trump,
Biden is expected to push it to free dual US-Saudi citizens, activists and
royal family members, many of whom are detained without any formal charges.
"Elections
matter. The arrival of a Biden administration that has put human rights and
values at the top of its Saudi agenda is having an impact," Kristin Diwan,
of the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington, told AFP.
"More
needs to be done before this could be seen as progress in terms of human
rights. Saudi Arabia has not credibly investigated the torture allegations, and
has not dismissed charges against Loujain."
After
being tried in Riyadh's criminal court, Hathloul's case was transferred in
November to the anti-terrorism court, which campaigners say is used to silence
critical voices under the cover of fighting terrorism.
Foreign
Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan subsequently told AFP that Hathloul was
accused of contacting "unfriendly" states and providing classified
information, but her family said no evidence to support the allegations had
been put forward.
While
some women activists detained along with Hathloul have been provisionally
released, many others remain imprisoned on what rights groups describe as
opaque charges.
The
detentions have cast a spotlight on the human rights record of the kingdom, an
absolute monarchy which has also faced intense criticism over the 2018 murder
of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in its Istanbul consulate.
https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/saudi-woman-activist-loujain-al-hathloul-freed-after-nearly-3-years-in-jail-2367931
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Ibtisam
Hamid aka Basma al-Kuwaiti, the Muslim Kuwaiti Singer Announces She Plans to
Convert To Judaism
Kuwaiti singer announces she plans to
convert to Judaism
------
By
Neta Bar
02-10-2021
Kuwaiti
singer and actress Ibtisam Hamid, known by her stage name Basma al-Kuwaiti,
sent shockwaves through the Arab world when she announced Wednesday her
intention to renounce Islam and convert to Judaism.
In
a video she posted on Twitter, Hamid said that her decision stemmed from the
fact that Islam violates women's rights and does not treat them with dignity.
The
singer also spoke out against the ruling family of Kuwait, saying "I want
to declare my opposition to the Al Sabah family, who reject normalization with
Israel, stands against religious freedom in the country and against freedom of
speech."
The
media immediately deemed her words as "heresy." Some, however, found
justifications for her words.
"This
is a sad day for Islam, and it is not her fault," one person commented.
"When
one does know true Islam, but judges it based on the behavior of some Muslims,
it is easy to reject it and leave it. May Allah help people see the true
Islam," another follower wrote.
Hamid's
announcement comes less than a month after Kuwaiti presenter Mohammad Al-Momen
announced that he would be leaving Islam and converting to Christianity, also
drawing criticism, even death threats, from the public.
https://www.israelhayom.com/2021/02/10/kuwaiti-singer-announces-she-plans-to-convert-to-judaism/
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Two
Female Arab Filmmakers Have Been Shortlisted For An Oscar
A still from Farah Nabulsi's short film “The Present.” Supplied
-----
February
10, 2021
DUBAI:
Two films directed by Arab women have been shortlisted for the 93rd Oscars, it
was revealed on Wednesday. Palestinian-British filmmaker Farah Nabulsi's short
film “The Present” and “The Man Who Sold His Skin” by Tunisian director
Kaouther Ben Hania both have a chance of scooping up an Academy Award at the
ceremony in April.
Nabulsi’s
short film has been shortlisted in the Live Action Short category alongside
Karishma Dev Dube’s “Bittu,” “Da Yie,” the Doug Rolland-directed “Feeling
Through” and “The Human Voice” from filmmaker
Pedro Almodóvar among others.
Meanwhile,
Ben Hania’s critically-acclaimed feature has been shortlisted for the
International Feature Film award among 14 other films, which include Chilean
director Maite Alberdi’s “The Mole Agent,” Czech biographical drama directed by
Agnieszka Holland “Charlatan” and Danish director Thomas Vinterberg’s “Another
Round.”
“The
Man Who Sold His Skin,” stars Yahya Mahayni as a Syrian refugee who allows his
own body to be turned into a work of art. Part love story, part art-world
satire, the film is a complex study of a refugee’s struggle with borders and
residency permits.
Inspired
by the story of a Swiss national who was tattooed by the Belgian artist Wim
Delvoye, the film already won Mahayni the Orizzonti Award for Best Actor at the
Venice Film Festival.
“The
Present” is a short film that tells the story about a man named Yusef and his
daughter who set out in the West Bank to buy his wife a gift.
The
official nominations will be announced on March 15, ahead of the Oscars
ceremony, which is taking place on April 25.
https://www.arabnews.com/node/1807021/lifestyle
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Saudi
Arabia Women In Sports: Miles Ahead Five Years On But Still A Lot More Ground
To Cover
BY
HEBA HASHEM
11
FEB 2021
Sameera
Aziz walks outdoors an hour a day, just like many of her friends. She sometimes
takes advantage of the dedicated walking tracks, built especially for families,
around Jeddah where she lives. “I am more comfortable and relaxed [exercising
outdoors] than ever before. Life has become easier. I can now breathe,” the
businessperson told Salaam Gateway.
The
simple act of exercising outdoors was unimaginable a few years ago for women in
Saudi Arabia. Today, they’re not just walking, cycling and jogging out in the
open, women in the Kingdom are competing in national and international
championships, and leading sports organizations.
Almost
five years after the April 2016 launch of Vision 2030—Saudi Arabia’s big reform
masterplan to move its economy away from its dependence on hydrocarbons—women
have been thrust into socio-economic life across arenas, sports included.
“The
sporting environment has changed so much,” Cheryl Sewsunker, a sports and
fitness professional told Salaam Gateway.
South
African-born Sewsunker has lived in Saudi Arabia for eight years and has
witnessed the large-scale changes that have happened over this period. In 2020,
she set up DM Sports Evolution in Jeddah with the goal of developing and
promoting homegrown female talent.
“We
now see women out cycling and they want to be part of cycling clubs. We see
women running in groups, and coaching courses are widely available. In the
past, you would find one or two courses, and only the more athletic women would
join. Now, women want to get involved; they want to improve their health and
fitness,” she said.
The
sands have shifted. Sameera Aziz noted that Saudi Arabia used to have one of
the highest levels of physical inactivity among women in the world, a point
supported by various studies. The reforms outlined in Vision 2030, she added,
recognized that opportunities for women to participate in regular sports
practice were limited and presented a roadmap for economic and developmental
growth.
As
well, Sewsunker’s new company falls in line with Vision 2030’s goal of a bigger
private sector to contribute 65% of GDP by 2030 from around 40% currently. Her
sports-focused business is one of many that have emerged following changes to
create a more open society. Since authorities started licensing women’s gyms in
2017, many such facilities have opened, attracting investments and creating
thousands of jobs for women.
One
of the newest is a 3,000 sqm women’s fitness centre opened by Saudi fitness
company Leejam in Jeddah in September last year. In the same month, U.S.-based
Xponential, a curator of boutique fitness brands, debuted female-only fitness
studios in Riyadh as part of a plan to open in at least 50 locations in the
kingdom. But these private gyms come at a cost for members, a reminder that
universal access to sports may still be wanting.
“I
personally have joined a ladies’ gym,” said Sameera Aziz. “I feel that the
membership should be less costly but it’s private and that’s why it costs a
lot.” She suggests government-supported gyms with high-quality services across
Saudi cities.
While
private businesses pick up speed on the ground, the Saudi government is also
reforming its infrastructure to include women, and installing them in positions
of power. One of the government’s biggest moves was appointing Princess Reema
bint Bandar as the first female president of the Saudi Federation for Community
Sports in 2017. Princess Reema, who was appointed to the International Olympic
Committee in 2018, is currently serving as Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to the
United States.
While
the reform blueprint that launched in 2016 started the ball rolling for gender
inclusion in sports, it wasn’t until August 2019 that women in Saudi Arabia
were truly able to take their socio-economic participation to the next
level—with the loosening of “guardianship laws” that was extended to the
workplace and home, allowing women in the Kingdom, among other things, to apply
for passports and travel independently.
WHAT
NOW?
Female
participation in sports increased by nearly 150% since 2015, according to Saudi
Arabia’s Ministry of Sports. 12 Saudi women were elected as members of
international sports organizations, and 30 of the 64 sports federations under
the umbrella of the Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee (SAOC) have at least one
female board member, according to Adwa Alarifi, deputy of planning and
development at the Ministry of Sports and board member at SAOC.
With
a lot of the reform groundwork in place, what needs to happen next is a public
awareness drive, according to Dania Akeel, the first woman in the Kingdom to
get a motorcycle racing licence from the Saudi Arabian Motorsport Federation.
“We
are at the knowledge-building level. Some people are exposed and understand
this industry, and there are people who have never even considered going to a
gym. It’s going to be an interesting developmental stage and discovery process
for that demographic,” she told Salaam Gateway.
Akeel,
along with Mashael Alobaidan, who recently obtained a sports driving license
and is a certified scuba diver, aim to make history together as the first
female athletes from the kingdom to participate in the 2022 Dakar Rally.
The
annual event is one of the most challenging desert championships in the world,
where drivers race across sand, rocks, and dirt, covering hundreds of
kilometres each day. To prepare for this tough competition, the two-member team
plan to compete in six Cross-Country and Baja Championship rounds in Saudi
Arabia this year, followed by the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge in November.
Saudi
Arabia has become a playground for high-quality rally experiences as it has
miles of untouched terrain, which makes it a perfect place for such events,
according to Akeel.
“My
background is in circuit training but in Saudi Arabia, they still don’t have a
circuit that’s suitable for motorcycle racing, so my attention has shifted to
the rally scene here. The country has high standards for cross-country rallies,
and they have a local championship that attracts racers from all over the
world. I plan to participate in these rallies as training for the Dakar 2022.”
‘HOLISTIC’
PACKAGE
The
greater inclusion of women in sports has come so far in the last five years
that the industry’s professionals have scaled to a position from where they are
able to observe that the development of adjacent and supporting ecosystems is
lagging.
While
athletes like Akeel wait for further growth of the local infrastructure, Sewsunker
points out that a lot of competitions are coming to Saudi Arabia, that would
hopefully drive the development of the sports ecosystem.
Riyadh
was recently awarded the 2034 Asian Games, in a first for Saudi Arabia. The
22nd edition of the Games is expected to provide many opportunities for women,
and force the country to develop the needed ecosystem.
“The
infrastructure in Saudi Arabia is on its way up. This is one of the things we
saw in the bid that Riyadh put forward. We have the facilities, the finance and
the people’s interest. Yes, it’s a long road ahead, but we are moving in the
right direction,” said Sewsunker.
Last
month the Kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund announced it plans to pump in at
least $40 billion a year into domestic projects and investments. Entertainment,
leisure and sports is one sector in its core domestic strategy.
The
growth of sporting events is also stimulating economic activity by attracting
large numbers of participants who bring their services to the host country.
This goes hand-in-hand with the kingdom’s efforts to promote tourism.
For
example, the Dakkar Rally 2021 involved 3,000 people over two weeks, and they
travelled a total distance of 7,646 km.
“There
was a huge benefit to the logistics and shipping industry, as the teams had to
ship all their equipment and parts. They also needed hotel stays and flights,
and they had to stop at gas stations, supermarkets, pharmacies, and cafes.
That’s just from one event, so multiply that across different sports events,”
said Akeel.
“Even
for national events, people fly in from neighboring GCC countries, so no matter
how small, you’re still going to get on a plane and stay in a hotel,” she
added.
While
the infrastructure between cities is reliable and petrol stations are available
everywhere, accommodating the knowledgeable tourist, especially when it comes
to restaurants, coffee shops, and small grocers, will require upgrades,
according to Akeel. There is also room for souvenir shops and self-service
kitchens that cater to road travellers, she said.
“It’s
a holistic package, and because it’s a new domain, you have to build every
layer. Right now, these facilities are at a bare minimum that is reserved for
shipping trucks and cargo; they are not tourist friendly. The infrastructure
needs to improve, and rural and inter-city tourism needs some upgrades,” said
Akeel.
“I
think it’s a lucrative opportunity; maybe now there aren’t many customers [due
to COVID-19 restrictions], but it’s matter of time, especially when the tourism
industry in Saudi Arabia is based on hiking trips, coastal adventures, and
nature-oriented activities.”
The
professional speedster is not alone with her forward-looking mindset.
Newly-empowered, women in Saudi Arabia are impatient to move ahead.
“Women
are being ignited and they’re saying: ‘if she can do it, I want to do it’.
Sports promotes your freedom, it’s liberating. We’re not right there yet, but
we’re flying. It’s time to set the bar for the younger generation,” said Cheryl
Sewsunker.
https://www.salaamgateway.com/story/saudi-arabia-women-in-sports-miles-ahead-five-years-on-but-still-a-lot-more-ground-to-cover
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Meet
the All-Female Team at This Dubai School's Science Department
February
11, 2021 11:36
Faisal
Masudi
Dubai:
A Dubai school has plenty to celebrate this International Day of Women and
Girls in Science today. Its science department comprises an all-female teaching
staff.
Many
people may expect greying men in lab coats tinkering around in the science
department, but at GEMS International School (GIS), the science team is made up
of women teachers and instructors only. They are led by head-of-the-department
Tanja Kolarov, who specialises in biology and integrated sciences.
‘I
fell in love with science’
“As
a small child, I used to sit on the white desks of my grandfather’s
pharmaceutical lab and watch him make creams and shampoos for my sister and
myself. This is where I fell in love with science. My background is in
biochemistry, with a deep interest in genetics. Genetics and the ability to change
genetic information fascinate me,” said Kolarov, who has been at GIS for four
years.
She
added that science has “always been a male-dominated profession”. Women
scientists have been around, Kolarov said, but had to work really hard to get
acknowledged. “Women have to empower other women. My mother always said that if
you set your mind to it, you can do anything. With STEM [science, technology,
engineering, maths] being an equal-opportunities field, more and more women are
joining the science profession and wanting to teach science to promote it
amongst girls.”
The
UAE’s Minister of State for Advanced Technology is a young woman, Sarah Al
Amiri. Still in her early 30s, Al Amiri is also the chairperson of the UAE
Space Agency and credited with leading the country’s Mars mission, which on
Tuesday achieved the rare success by inserting the Hope Probe into Martian
orbit to study the Red Planet’s atmosphere in unprecedented detail.
Paradigm
shift
At
GIS, chemistry teacher Hiba El Majzoub has witnessed “an exponential increase”
in girls’ participation in STEM in recent times. “We need to have a paradigm
shift as there is a misconception around this career being a mostly male domain
of work. Yet, throughout history, numerous female scientists have had valuable
contributions to science and to the industry as well,” she said.
Once
such scientist, her favourite, is Marie Curie, the only woman to win Nobel
prizes in two sciences (chemistry and physics). El Majzoub’s favourite subject,
of course, is chemistry. She said: “Chemistry is a central and pivotal
experimental science that supports our deeper understanding of our biological
systems as well as our physical environment. This is why chemistry is the
foundation for many disciplines such as medicine, biological and environmental
sciences, engineering, and materials.”
‘Quite
debatable’
GIS
science teacher Hoda Alawady said the lack of female representation in STEM
occupations is “quite debatable”. She explains: “Although science is one of the
fields that is dominated by males, this is currently changing dramatically.
More female students are choosing to study science for many reasons. Young
girls are now exposed to STEM subjects and are encouraged to study science in
schools and higher education. Teachers strive to create environments that are
equally appealing to females and males. With more women in the field, young
girls are able to recognise the career opportunities open to them. This
encourages girls to earn more college and graduate degrees and pursue a science
career.”
Welcome
dividend
Fellow
science teacher Sangita Thakrar teaches chemistry, biology and physics up to
grade 10. She said women have to work hard to fit into all-male or
majority-male departments. This extra effort has led to a dividend. “Many
female scientists have to blaze their own trail and become pioneers in their
own field. This does, however, allow for more creativity,” said Thakrar. She is
currently following the work of Tiera Guinn Fletcher, 22-year-old MIT graduate
working for Nasa as a rocket structural analyst. “She is a relatable
inspiration to all the young aspiring scientists, especially girls,” added
Thakrar.
The
GIS science team also includes physics teacher Priti Suresh. Reacting to a
query on whether more and more girl students were opting for science studies
and also whether more and more women were opting to teach science, Priti said:
"It is encouraging to see more women as science educators in recent times.
However, a lot of young girls are still reticent to pursue a career in science owing
to decades of gender-biased conditioning that a profession in the sciences
requires longer work-hours and tougher working conditions. On a positive note,
the last few years have seen substantial encouragement from educators across
curricula from primary school through high school, in addition to a host of
universities offering scholarships and waivers to further the role of women in
science."
https://gulfnews.com/uae/education/meet-the-all-female-team-at-this-dubai-schools-science-department-1.77099936
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Puck
Dreams: Iran's Women Hockey Stars Plan To Make Their Mark On Ice
By
Mohammad Hashemi
11
February 2021
On
a chilly day in early January, two dozen female ice hockey players train at
Iran’s only standard-sized ice rink, in Tehran’s northwestern outskirts.
A
team of judges, including assistant coach Azam Sanaei, watch attentively as
players perform on the rink, competing for a spot in the first Iranian women's
national ice hockey squad.
The
hopefuls are in their twenties and thirties and count among their number some
of the country’s best athletes on ice.
Nevertheless,
the standards they must meet are stringent, with physical fitness tests
designed to filter out all but the elite.
“We’ve
never seen everyone so filled with passion and enthusiasm during training
before,” says Sanaei, 31, who also serves as the captain of the team. On offer
is a spot in the squad that will compete in the International Ice Hockey
Federation (IIHF) Challenge Cup of Asia, which was scheduled to be held in the
Philippines in May but has been postponed indefinitely because of the
coronavirus pandemic.
Onlookers
watch on as hopefuls shuttle up and down the 60-metre-long rink, trying to make
the required six lengths within a standard time, some crashing into the billboards
enclosing the rink in exhaustion. Teammates on the sides shout and bang their
hockey sticks on the ice in support.
The
squad will eventually be made up of 20 players, of whom six have already been
chosen. In competitive matches, six players from the team take to the rink,
including a goaltender, two defensive players and three forwards.
For
those who make the cut, the struggle has just begun. For all their efforts on
the ice, women’s ice hockey remains a sport that has yet to make an impact
among everyday Iranians and sponsors, whether the state or private backers, are
in short supply.
Iran
only joined the International Ice Hockey Federation as an associate member in
2019, more than a century after the sporting body was established, and only
after the opening of Tehran’s privately owned ice rink.
According
to the IIHF, there are 103 female ice hockey players in Iran, just slightly
more than the 100 male players on its books.
Transitioning
from inline hockey
Many
on the women’s team first cut their teeth in Iran’s inline hockey scene,
including their captain Sanaei, who transitioned to ice hockey after starting
in competitive inline hockey in 2005. She says that despite this change in
environment, the team is showing glimmers of hope on ice.
“The
pace of improvement in our training is very promising in light of the fact that
ice hockey is totally new to us,” says Sanaei, who is also studying for an MBA
at Tehran University.
Inline
hockey, unlike ice hockey, is played on hard surfaces instead of an ice rink,
and ice skates are replaced by inline skates. The two sports are otherwise
similar, with minor differences in regulations.
The
players come from across Iran and have different class backgrounds, but most
face a shared struggle in trying to win recognition from their families and
wider society.
A
case in point is 26-year-old Negar Arjmand, who joined Iran’s women inline
hockey national team in 2015, later participating in tournaments in South Korea
and Italy as a defensive player.
A
physical education graduate, Arjmand teaches skating to make ends meet and fund
her hockey career. She has even set her eyes on emulating her hero, Russian NHL
star Alexander Ovechkin, by attracting the attention of foreign clubs.
Arjmand’s
parents, both accomplished artists, suffer from polio, and her father
especially was opposed to her choice of sport. He saw little in the way of
financial remuneration and, perhaps due to his own physical condition, feared
hockey would result in permanent injury for his daughter. There was also the
issue of marriage and the concern that the sport would distract Arjmand from
starting a family.
It
was her performances, and a third-place finish in inline hockey at the 2018
Asian Games in South Korea in particular, that calmed the tensions and earned
her family’s approval, as well that of the rest of the country, eventually.
“My
parents were not in favour of this sport. Still, they didn’t want to prevent me
from pursuing my interests,” Arjmand says.
“I
think in their heart they saw me as an active person who could do extraordinary
things. I believe that gave me the strength to continue.”
Asian
Roller Championships
Maral
Rasekhi, the team’s most senior player, says the team’s performances in South
Korea in 2018 were a turning point.
The
team went in as rank underdogs, but came out with a reputation as
giant-killers, ending the tournament with a bronze medal.
“Our
third game was against South Korea, the host nation, and a team we thought were
invincible,” Rasekhi says. “They had come to the rink with the sole purpose of
thrashing us but we beat them four goals to two.”
She
calls the moment “an extraordinary feat that became an over-the-moon moment”.
Rasekhi
began skating at the age of seven and overcame personal tragedy in the form of
her father’s death when she was 10 to become a professional inline hockey
player aged 19, making history as the first Iranian woman to play for a foreign
club, in Hong Kong.
She
credits her mother's and sister’s support for her success, as well as the
mentorship of Kaveh Sedghi, the head coach of both the male and female national
inline hockey teams - someone the players credit with doing more for the sport
in Iran than any other person.
The
culmination of those efforts was the 2018 Asian Games, where as well as the
women's bronze medal, the Iranian men’s team took home the gold.
‘National
pride’
The
response in Iran on the team’s return following the performance was modest.
Heads only began to turn after the release of a documentary two years later
about the squad's exploits in South Korea by filmmaker Sam Kalantari, called No
Place for Angels.
Following
the release, Iran’s female hockey stars became a source of pride for the country,
drawing celebrity endorsements, including from actors such as Niki Karimi, Roya
Nonahali and Behnaz Jafari, in addition to exuberant local media coverage.
Kalantari
follows the players and their coaching staff, including their much-loved French
coach Marina Fagoaga Jalinier, as they attempt to raise enough money to get to
the tournament, and their eventual run to the semi-finals.
Captain
Azam Sanaei says: “The main message of this documentary for women is to not
give up hope in the face of obstacles.”
In
one scene, Sanaei talks about how hockey has become a symbol of independence
for the women on the squad.
“From
early childhood, it was really important for me that no one would tell me that
I could not do something because I was a girl,” she says.
“I
don’t need somebody to stand behind me to be successful. Instead, I believe not
only in not relying on anybody else but also in lending my support to other
people, allowing them to rely on me.”
Continuing
struggle
Neither
the film nor the team’s performance in 2018 changed the fact that major
obstacles remain when it comes to women’s participation in sport in Iran.
Of
153 countries on the Global Gender Gap Index for 2020, Iran ranks 148th. The
state has barred female spectators from watching live sports in stadiums for
around four decades, competitors must cover their hair during sporting events
even outside of Iran and TV channels do not broadcast sports featuring female
participants. Additionally, issues such as women riding bicycles continue to
court controversy, and athletes are among other personalities defecting from
the country over its dress requirements, as well as other policies.
Nevertheless,
Sanaei is keen to caution against painting a bleak picture of the situation
when it comes to hockey.
“I
believe our problems have nothing to do with our gender, at least in our field
of sport. Others in different countries might have the same problems,” she
says.
“In
my opinion, if we are determined to reach our goals we could remove any
barrier. Where there's a will, there's a way.”
Neither
can responsibility for all the obstacles Iran’s athletes face be placed at the
feet of the Iranian authorities.
Sanctions
reinstated on Iran by the Trump administration have led to a devaluation of the
Iranian rial against foreign currencies, such as the dollar and euro, meaning
the price of hockey equipment, made up mostly of foreign brands, has risen
drastically.
For
example, a single ice hockey stick may cost up to $350 (about 77m rials) - the
equivalent of two months' salary for an ordinary Iranian. Around three years
ago, the price was 15m rials. Hockey skates can sell for anything between $500
and $1,200 a pair.
The
financial situation also means that what funding authorities may have provided
is being diverted towards more pressing needs.
In
the past year, the Covid-19 pandemic has also created physical barriers, which
have made it difficult for the team to practice - leaving coach Fagoaga, who is
currently in France, to relay long-distance orders to Sanaei.
All
of that does little to dull Sanaei's or her teammates' optimism for the future
of hockey in Iran.
“I
think today there are roughly between 300 and 400 people who play hockey in
Iran and I believe this field, especially ice hockey, will have a very bright
future for women,” Sanaei says.
https://www.middleeasteye.net/discover/iran-women-hockey-stars-want-replicate-past-success-ice
--------
Further
Violations against Women In Egypt's Al-Qanater Prison
February
10, 2021
Violations
are continuing against women in Al-Qanater prison, reports rights organisation
We Record, since Amr Hisham took charge as chief of investigations at the
prison on 4 February.
Earlier
this month Hisham forcibly moved detainees Maha, Aya, Riman, Dawlat, and Lua'ya
by force from the wing housing political prisoners to the one where criminal
convicts are detained.
This
brings the total number of women forcibly moved inside the prison by Hisham to
11, all of whom are political detainees.
The
news comes shortly after journalist Solafa Magdy described being repeatedly
sexually assaulted in Al-Qanater Prison.
Solafa
was hit until she suffered heavy vaginal bleeding and stripped of all her
clothes and dragged along the floor.
Solafa
and her husband were arrested in November 2019 as part of a far-reaching
crackdown to curb the September protests called for by whistleblower Mohammed
Ali.
In
November last year, We Record documented several unprecedented violations
inside Al-Qanater women's prison, including the chief inspector beating and
assaulting the detainees.
At
this time five other detainees were also transferred to the criminal ward and
their clothes, medication, food, and drinks confiscated.
The
prison administration has imposed visitor restrictions on them.
The
Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor reported that the prison does not abide
by "minimum standards of human life" or "meet the minimum
conditions for the treatment of prisoners."
In
January it was reported that political prisoner Abeer Najad's health was
deteriorating from suspected coronavirus, the first case recorded in Al-Qanater
women's prison.
It
was Chief of Investigations Amr Hisham who transferred her to the wing holding
people pending drug trafficking cases and her clothes were taken away from her.
Abeer's
family said that when they visited her, her face was swollen, she was short of
breath, had lost her sense of taste and smell, and was feeling lethargic.
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20210210-further-violations-against-women-in-egypts-al-qanater-prison/
--------
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/saudi-woman-activist-loujain-al/d/124279
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