Seven Female Singers Banned After Security Interrogation in Iran
New Age Islam News Bureau
17 April 2025
· Seven Female Singers Banned After Security Interrogation in Iran
· Jigawa State Government Mandates Hijab for Female Security Operatives
· Model and Miss Bangladesh Meghna Alam Shown Arrested In Extortion Case Involving Foreign Envoys
· Exiled Afghan Women Cricketers Welcome ICC Funding with Hope and Tears
· UK Supreme Court Rules Transgender Individuals Are Not Legally Recognized as “Women”
· French Legal Icon Dominique Attias: Iranian Women Are the Heart of Resistance
· CAIR-Ohio Calls for Hate Crime Probe into Islamophobic Threat Sent to Muslim Woman’s Home
· Prince Harry's Charity Cuts Ties to Muslim Women's Group Over Leader's Anti-Israel Comments
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/seven-female-singers-security-iran/d/135203
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Seven Female Singers Banned After Security Interrogation in Iran
APRIL 16, 2025
Female singers from southern Behbahan were summoned by Revolutionary Guard intelligence officers, interrogated, and banned from artistic activities.
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Female singers from southern Behbahan were summoned by Revolutionary Guard intelligence officers, interrogated, and banned from artistic activities.
The women - ElahehAhadi, MahsanEhterami, NeginMansouriNejad, AzardokhtTaherpour, Ramesh Seyed, MojdehNasiri, and ZolfaJamashiani - were called in for questioning on April 12.
Each singer underwent a body search by female officers before being interrogated for approximately two hours in separate rooms equipped with recording equipment, according to the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA).
During questioning, they were reportedly asked about their political views and social media content. Some had their mobile phones inspected.
The women were required to sign commitments prohibiting solo singing, attending women’s gatherings, playing musical instruments, and publishing artistic content online.
They were told they could face legal action if they did not comply.
Source: iranwire.com
https://iranwire.com/en/women/140407-seven-female-singers-banned-after-security-interrogation-in-iran/
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Jigawa State Government Mandates Hijab for Female Security Operatives
17th April 2025
Jigawa State Governor, Umar Namadi
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The Jigawa State Government has mandated that female security operatives employed by private firms in the state be allowed to wear the hijab while on duty.
The directive was announced on Tuesday by the Commissioner for Information, Sagir Musa, following the State Executive Council meeting held at the Government House Press Gallery in Dutse, the state capital.
According to Musa, the decision aligns with the government’s broader commitment to fostering an inclusive and supportive environment for all citizens, especially women.
“By allowing female security operatives to wear hijabs, the government is empowering them to practice their religious and cultural beliefs without restriction. This decision is expected to boost their morale and confidence,” he said.
The directive follows recommendations from the Council Committee on Schools, Hospitals, and Court Security.
It affects three private security companies operating in the state, whose workforce includes a significant number of female operatives.
“These companies are to allow female personnel among the 9,969 youths recently recruited to wear hijabs while on duty, as a matter of religious and cultural accommodation,” Musa explained.
He emphasised that the move reflects the administration’s support for workplace policies that promote modesty, inclusion, and dignity.
In addition to the hijab directive, the council also approved several other key initiatives aimed at human capital development.
Notably, the council sanctioned the release of N516.1m for the purchase of 184 return tickets and one-way tickets for 185 Jigawa State students currently studying medical and allied health courses at Near East University in Cyprus.
“This intervention underscores the government’s unwavering commitment to supporting the education and welfare of Jigawa’s students abroad, particularly in critical sectors like medicine and healthcare,” Musa stated.
Furthermore, the State Executive Council approved the inauguration of the Jigawa State Creativity and Innovation Week, set to commence in 2025.
The event is envisioned as a platform to showcase, support, and celebrate creative talents among the youth in various sectors.
“The JISCIW will serve as a platform for identifying, nurturing, and promoting innovation in fields such as technology, design, entrepreneurship, and the arts,” Musa said.
He concluded by reaffirming the government’s dedication to fostering innovation, inclusiveness, and human capital development across Jigawa State.
Source: punchng.com
https://punchng.com/jigawa-mandates-hijab-for-female-security-operatives/#google_vignette
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Model and Miss Bangladesh Meghna Alam Shown Arrested In Extortion Case Involving Foreign Envoys
Apr 17, 2025
Model and Miss Bangladesh Foundation Chairperson Meghna Alam was shown arrested today in an extortion case filed with Dhanmondi Police Station.
Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Masum Mia passed the order after Investigation Officer of the case Md Akhtar Hossain, an inspector of the Detective Branch of Police, produced her before the court with an application in this regard.
In the application, police said, "Meghna Alam, her close associate Dewan Samir, and two to three others were involved in luring foreign ambassadors into love affairs with beautiful girls."
They conspired to extort Tk 50 lakh from each of the diplomats. The IO said in the application that Meghna needed to be shown arrested in the case for the sake of a fair investigation.
Denying the allegations, Meghna told the court that she had been falsely implicated in the case. She also claimed she did not know Dewan, and said that Saudi Arabia's Ambassador to Bangladesh, Issa bin Youssef Al-Duhailan, had contacted her for building a relationship. She appealed to the court to reject the application filed for showing her arrested.
Public prosecutor Omar Faruq Faruqi told The Daily Star that Meghna informed the court the Saudi envoy had proposed marriage to her. She added that she never initiated contact with the envoy, but he frequently called and messaged her.
Meanwhile, the same court placed Dewan on a five-day remand in the case after he was produced before it with a seven-day remand prayer.
On April 15, Mohammad Abdul Alim, an inspector of Dhanmondi Police Station, filed the case against Meghna, Dewan, and two others.
According to the case statement, Meghna and Dewan, along with two to three unidentified individuals, are allegedly active members of an "organised fraud ring".
They reportedly used "attractive" women to lure diplomats and representatives of foreign missions in Bangladesh, as well as wealthy local businessmen, into romantic and illicit relationships, and then used various illegal tactics to extort money by threatening to tarnish their reputation, the plaintiff mentioned in the statement.
Dewan Samir is the CEO of a business organisation called KAWAII Group and owner of a manpower firm named Sanjana International. He also previously owned a company called MIRI International Event Management Limited.
As part of a scheme to gain access to diplomats and wealthy businessmen, Dewan allegedly appointed attractive and smart women as brand ambassadors in his companies, using them to blackmail diplomats and extract large sums of money, the case statement said.
They also reportedly held a meeting on March 29 at a Japanese restaurant in Dhanmondi, intending to demand Tk 50 lakh from one diplomat, the statement said.
Earlier, Meghna was picked up from her residence in Bashundhara Residential Area in Dhaka on April 9.
On April 10, another Dhaka court ordered Meghna to be kept in jail for 30 days under the Special Powers Act. Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate MdSefatullah issued the order following an application by the Detective Branch (DB).
On April 13, the High Court issued a rule asking relevant government authorities to explain in two weeks why Meghna's arrest under the Special Powers Act, 1974 should not be declared illegal.
Source: thedailystar.net
https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/crime-justice/news/meghna-alam-shown-arrested-extortion-case-involving-foreign-envoys-3873371
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Exiled Afghan Women Cricketers Welcome ICC Funding with Hope and Tears
By Ahmad Azizi
April 17, 2025
MELBOURNE, Australia — A pledge of support from the International Cricket Council has given a group of exiled Afghan women cricketers a renewed sense of hope — and for some, tears — as they look to revive their careers and reclaim visibility on the international stage.
The ICC, the global governing body of cricket, announced on Sunday that it will establish a dedicated fund to support Afghan women cricketers who fled the country following the Taliban’s return to power in 2021. Most of the players have resettled in Australia, with others living in the United Kingdom and Canada.
While the ICC did not disclose financial details or a timeline for disbursement, the announcement was received as a major step forward by the players, who have lived in exile without official recognition.
“We feel inspired and valued,” said NahidaSapan, a former player with the Afghanistan women’s team now based in Melbourne. “This news gave us a lot of confidence for the future. We messaged and called each other about it — some of the girls were crying because we worked really hard for it.”
Sapan was among 25 women offered contracts by the Afghanistan Cricket Board in 2020, a move that had raised hopes for a pathway to international competition. Those hopes were extinguished when the Taliban seized control of Kabul the following year and dismantled most women’s sports programs.
In January, the exiled players, led by Sapan, played their first match in exile — an exhibition game against a local team organized by Cricket Without Borders, an Australian non-profit promoting women’s cricket. Though unofficial, the match was supported by Cricket Australia and local government officials.
The ICC said it would coordinate efforts with the Indian, Australian and English cricket boards to create a task force focused on sustaining the players’ development and access to the sport. However, the governing body stopped short of acknowledging whether the players might one day be formally recognized as a national team.
Human rights organizations have repeatedly called on the ICC to suspend Afghanistan’s full membership status over the Taliban’s ban on women’s sports and other restrictions on women and girls. Despite those calls, the Afghanistan men’s team continues to receive ICC funding and participate in international tournaments.
Australia and several other cricketing nations have refused to engage in bilateral series with the Afghanistan men’s team, citing the deteriorating rights of women under Taliban rule. Since returning to power, the Taliban have barred women from secondary and university education, restricted their ability to work, and imposed strict dress codes and limitations on their movement.
The Taliban have said they support women’s rights in accordance with their interpretation of Islamic law and Afghan culture.
Sapan said the women were not surprised that no male Afghan cricketers had reached out following the ICC’s announcement.
“It’s difficult,” she said. “We know about the situation in Afghanistan. We know the cricket board can’t support us because if they do, they might lose the chance to keep the men’s team playing. Supporting us might close the cricket board’s door entirely.”
Still, she and her teammates remain determined to keep playing — and to keep being seen.
Source: amu.tv
https://amu.tv/169018/
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UK Supreme Court rules Transgender individuals are not Legally Recognized as “Women”
By Fidel Rahmati
April 17, 2025
The UK Supreme Court ruled that transgender individuals are not legally considered “women” under the Equality Act of 2010.
The UK Supreme Court ruled that only biological women, not transgender individuals, qualify as women under the Equality Act. This decision has sparked frustration among transgender advocates but was welcomed by the government as a clear interpretation of the law.
The judges clarified that the ruling should not be seen as a victory for one group over another. The Equality Act still protects transgender individuals from discrimination. The Court’s interpretation stressed that “woman” and “sex” in the Equality Act of 2010 refer specifically to biological women and biological sex, not acquired gender.
The Scottish government had argued that transgender individuals with a gender recognition certificate should receive legal protections based on gender. However, the group “Women for Scotland” contended that these protections should only apply to those born as women.
Media outlets reported that the ruling could have far-reaching implications across Scotland, England, and Wales. This decision has raised concerns about its potential consequences on policies regarding transgender rights in the UK.
Following the ruling, “Women for Scotland” released a statement saying they were carefully reviewing the judgment. The group called for calm, acknowledging that different interpretations of the ruling might emerge, potentially exaggerating the effects of the decision on the transgender community.
The Supreme Court’s decision brings clarity to the legal definition of “woman” under the Equality Act but also reignites ongoing debates regarding the rights and protections of transgender individuals. It remains to be seen how this ruling will impact future legal challenges and public discussions on gender identity and equality.
Source: khaama.com
https://www.khaama.com/uk-supreme-court-rules-transgender-individuals-are-not-legally-recognized-as-women/
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French Legal Icon Dominique Attias: Iranian Women Are the Heart of Resistance
April 16, 2025
Dominique Attias, French Human Rights Lawyer Honors Iranian Women’s Resistance: “Say No to Executions in Iran”
On April 11, at a conference held at the town hall of Paris’s 5th arrondissement, attended by French mayors, elected officials, and prominent figures, Florence Berthout, the mayor of the 5th arrondissement, announced a statement signed by over 1,000 French mayors. The statement supports the call by Mrs. Maryam Rajavi to end executions in Iran and affirms her firm commitment to abolishing the death penalty.
At this moving ceremony in Paris, Dominique Attias, the President of the European Law Society Federation as of March 2021 and the former Vice-batonniere of Paris from January 2016, who had just been awarded the Legion of Honour, delivered a passionate speech in support of Iranian women and the resistance against the clerical regime.
“Madam Mayor, I thank you for hosting this event and for your commitment to the core values that are the foundation of any democratic system,” said Attias.
She praised the Committee of Mayors and its members across France:
“Please tell all the mayors: Bravo. Bravo to the women and men who proudly proclaimed, ‘No to executions in Iran.’”
She described them as the most beloved politicians—those connected to the ground realities and not misled by the political theatrics of Iran’s murderous regime.
Iran’s Execution Machine and the Silencing of Women
“France should be proud to host the Iranian Resistance on its soil,” Attias asserted. “The regime tries to portray the opposition as terrorists, but the people are not fooled.”
She reminded the audience that the event was held near the Panthéon, where the remains of Robert Badinter, the French Minister of Justice who abolished the death penalty in 1981, would soon be laid to rest.
“Badinter fought against the death penalty until his final breath. Today, the Iranian regime has turned brutality and fear into daily life—especially for women, but truly for all under the rule of this religious dictatorship.”
A Judiciary Without Justice
Quoting Maryam Rajavi, the President-elect of the Iranian Resistance, she emphasized: “The regime uses fear to silence protest. Public executions—carried out in front of families and children—have become routine.”
She continued: “Torture, stoning, amputations, and even gouging out eyes have been institutionalized. There is no justice. There are no defense lawyers. Trials last five minutes. The fate of the accused is predetermined.”
Each day brings new hangings and arbitrary executions — a horrific continuation of what happened in 1988.
Iran’s 1988 Massacre: A Genocide Still Seeking Justice
Attias recalled the 1988 massacre:
“Thirty thousand people were hanged—women, many of them pregnant, men, students—all arrested and tried within minutes. To this day, their bodies have never been returned to their families.”
She admitted:
“I only learned of this in 2016, thanks to Mayor Jean-François Legaret of Paris’s 1st district, who, in collaboration with the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran, held a powerful exhibition at City Hall.”
Unshakable Support for Iranian Women
“Since that day, my support for the brave Iranian opposition has been total and unwavering,” she declared.
“I offer unconditional support to the women who are executed so cruelly, and to the children under 18 who are killed for minor offenses in blatant violation of international law, as the UN Human Rights Council has also noted.”
She continued passionately:
“This regime truly believes it can break the spirit of the Iranian people. It is wrong. These women—some awaiting execution—refuse to be silenced. Every Tuesday, across Iran’s prisons, they go on hunger strike to protest these inhumane executions.”
Global Women’s Movement Must Stand with Iran
“Yes, we are witnessing crimes against humanity,” Attias stated, “as confirmed by the United Nations. These executions must end—just as the European Parliament has demanded.”
“To all French mayors,” she concluded, “you are our pride. You have joined the fight against the death penalty and shouted with clarity: ‘No to executions in Iran.’
Thank you. Long live a free Iran. Long live Iranian women. Long live the people of Iran.”
Source: wncri.org
https://wncri.org/2025/04/16/dominique-attias-iranian-womens-resistance/
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CAIR-Ohio Calls for Hate Crime Probe into Islamophobic Threat Sent to Muslim Woman’s Home
April 16, 2025
The Ohio chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Ohio) today called on state and federal law enforcement authorities to conduct a hate crime investigation into an Islamophobic and threatening letter reportedly sent to a Muslim University of Cincinnati student’s home.
The woman, who heads the Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) chapter at her college, allegedly received a long letter filled with anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian insults. She recently moved to the house to which the letter was sent, and the address was not on her license, BMV records, or White Pages. The woman went to campus police and the Warren County Sheriff’s Office, who told her to get “bear mace” and remain hypervigilant.
“We call on University of Cincinnati officials and state and federal law enforcement authorities to investigate this incident as a hate crime. Ignoring these threats in this atmosphere of intimidation of pro-Palestinian, anti-genocide voices emboldens bigots. These alleged threats cannot be allowed to escalate to violence against students protesting the Israeli genocide in Palestine.”
Last month, CAIR released its 2025 Civil Rights Report “Unconstitutional Crackdowns,” which reveals that Islamophobia continues to be at an all-time high across the country. CAIR said viewpoint discrimination against those speaking out against genocide and apartheid was a key factor in many cases.
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
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Source: cair.com
https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-ohio-calls-for-hate-crime-probe-into-islamophobic-threat-sent-to-muslim-womans-home/
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Prince Harry's charity cuts ties to Muslim women's group over leader's anti-Israel comments
By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
APRIL 17, 2025
Prince Harry's charity has stopped donating to a Muslim women's group after the leader of the group made anti-Israeli comments, the media reported on Saturday.
The Archewell Foundation, a foundation that was founded by Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markel in 2020 and named after their son Archie, have cut ties with the Wisconsin-based group, Milwaukee Muslim Women's Coalition, after receiving an inquiry from NewsNation.
The founder of the coalition, Palestinian-American JananNajeeb, described Israel as an "apartheid state" in a blog post, according to NewsNation.
"Israel's 75-year occupation of Palestine and the genocide in Gaza are a grave injustice," Najeeb wrote in 2024. "We demand a permanent ceasefire, an end to arming the apartheid state of Israel and the liberation of Palestine. From the river to the see, Palestine will be free. From the sea to the river, Palestine will live forever."
In February 2023, Najeeb wrote in an online post for the Wisconsin Muslim Journal "from the river to the sea" slogan and had called for "an end to arming the apartheid state of Israel."
The Milwaukee Muslim Women's Coalition was founded in 1994 as a non-profit "to empower Muslim women and girls through education, leadership, outreach, and wellness programs." According to its website, the Archewell Foundation donated to the non-profit in 2024.
According to tax returns from the foundation, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex donated $27,960 to the charity in 2023.
Cutting ties to the foundation
The senior executive of the Archewell Foundation reportedly wrote to Najeeb earlier last week about them no longer donating to her organization.
"Janan, we've recently been notified of a blog post you wrote that goes against the values of the foundation. As a foundation, we celebrate different perspectives and backgrounds but we have zero tolerance for hateful words, actions, or propaganda," the executives, James Holt and Shauna Nep, wrote in the letter, according to NewsNation.
"When we started the welcome project, we did so to support Afghan women in finding community, and we are proud of the work we have done to support women in Milwaukee. We remain committed to fostering partnerships that reflect and reinforce the values our foundation stands for.
"We will be removing Muslim Women's Coalition from our network effective as of today. At this time, the foundation will be making no additional grants to MMWC."
The Duke and Duchess set up the foundation as a way "to unite and uplift communities, both locally and globally." The foundation has raised around £4.3 million in grants in 2023 and have donated more than £1 million to charities.
Source: jpost.com
https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-850412
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