News from Iran from WFAFI

From the Women’s Forum Against Fundamentalism in Iran (WFAFI)‘s E-Zan 43:

WFAFI News – November 16, 2007 According to Majlis (parliament) Women’s Committee Chairwoman Fatemeh Alia, “Iranian women are free to be active in various political and social arenas.” Yet, they must ask for their husband’s permission to leave the house or attend their father’s funeral! Referring to the recent city council elections, Alia said “women are well represented in local councils”, yet the public hanging and stoning women continues in Iran. MP Laleh Eftekhari stated that in the recent years “the Majlis has made great efforts in protecting the rights of women and children, and also strengthening family structure in the society.” However, Iran holds the highest number of female execution in the world!

RFE/RL – November 16, 2007 The Islamic Revolution, which brought Iran’s conservative clerics to power in 1979, also established shari’a as the basis of all laws in the country. “For that reason, the other sections of Islam — like Sunnis, like Ismaili, like Sufis — not only haven’t the same rights in the constitution and the political and judicial systems of Iran, they aren’t considered real Muslims,” Lahiji says. “For that reason, all kinds of persecution of these kinds of Muslims are permitted in Iran.” In broader terms, Lahiji sees the demonization of Sufi Muslims in Iran as a strategy by Ahmadinejad’s regime aimed at discrediting individuals or groups that pose political challenges to the power of Iran’s conservative Shi’a clerics. “It’s not only about the other sections of Islam. It’s all the sections of society. In the last two years, the civil society of Iran — the journalists, the students, the women, the [labor unions], the teachers, the universities — all are victims of these very, very aggressive politics,” he says. “And the other Muslim groups are [treated] the same. It’s the result of the political aggression of Ahmadinejad.”

The Guardian – November 19, 2007 As a result, the normally vigilant Culture and Islamic Guidance Ministry’s officials waved through the publication of the innocuously named Memories of My Melancholy Sweethearts. Now the ministry has reversed its decision, after conservative media drew attention to the book…Mohammad Hossein Saffar- Harandi, Iran’s Culture and Islamic Guidance Minister, said the book was being banned on grounds of “immorality” and said a negligent official had now been sacked. He also said the Iranian publisher, Niloofar, would be held accountable, despite arguments that the ministry was legally responsible for the mistake. Garcia Marquez’s book is the latest in a series by world-famous authors to be banned amid tightening censorship by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s Government. Many previously available books, including bestsellers and classics as well as academic texts, have been deemed unsuitable.

Ottawa Citizen – November 19, 2007 A Montreal doctoral student who was arrested after traveling to Iran to make a documentary faced a closed trial Saturday on accusations of intending to commit propaganda, a group seeking her freedom said. Mehrnoushe Solouki, who has dual French and Iranian nationality and is a Canadian permanent resident, traveled to Iran last December, but is currently prohibited from leaving the country since her arrest in February. In a statement, the Free Solouki group, which is petitioning for her return, said Ms. Solouki answered all the judge’s questions for three hours before the trial was adjourned to an undetermined date. Ms. Solouki is accused of “intent of committing propaganda” against the Iranian regime. She had been detained at Evin prison, where Iranian-Canadian photojournalist Zahra Kazemi died after she was arrested and beaten to death during interrogation.

Agance France Presse – November 21, 2007 A General Assembly committee on Tuesday passed a resolution expressing “deep concern” at the “ongoing systematic violations” of human rights and fundamental freedoms in Iran. The vote in the assembly’s human rights committee was 72 in favor, 50 against with 55 abstentions. It came after an Iranian motion to adjourn the debate was narrowly defeated. The resolution expressed “its very serious concern” at confirmed instances of “torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, including flogging and amputations. The resolution, sponsored mainly by European countries, the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Israel and Palau, also criticized stoning as a method of execution and “increased discrimination and other human rights violations against persons belonging to religious, ethnic, linguistic and other minorities.” The resolution is expected to be endorsed by the full 192- member General Assembly at a later date.

NCRI Website – November 28, 2007 An Iranian woman activist, Maryam Hossein Khah, was arrested by the Iranian regime security forces on November 17 in Tehran. The mullahs’ Magistrate, accused her of being involved in “public agitation” and “anti government propaganda.” Hossein Khah, a well known journalist, was sent to Evin prison for writing on women’s rights and the need to change discriminatory laws against women. She was also charged for her participation in “One Million Signature Campaign.” The court has set equivalent of $100,000 bail to let her out of prison. Maryam Hossein Khah was quoted as saying in Evin Prison, “This is the third time I come to Evin Prison. First time I came as a journalist to see the state of women prisoners…this time is all different. Now I am one of those unfortunate women prisoners. One of the hundreds of women who are locked for years within Evin’s tall walls where no one hears them; there is no law to defend them and neither their families nor anyone else hear them…”

NCRI Website – November 29, 2007 Ali Reza Jamshidi, mullahs’ judiciary spokesman announced that Ms. Zahra Kazemi [the slain Iranian-Canadian photojournalist] murder case will soon be reopened by the regime’s Supreme Court, the official news agency IRNA reported this afternoon. “The case has been brought to the attention of a branch of Supreme Court. However, the sitting judges in the branch have some reservations as to the way the case was presented and the competence of the [lower] court…The judges have referred the case to the related body for review,” said Jamshidi. Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, President-elect of the Iranian Resistance described the measure by the Iranian regime as a stage-managed show and said: the officials of the regime’s judiciary are responsible for Zahra Kazemi’s murder. They have slaughtered thousands of innocent women in their dungeons. A recent case was Zahra Baniyaqob, a young physician. Forty-eight hours after her arrest by the State Security Forces (SSF) in the western city of Hamedan, she was accused by the judicial authorities of so- called “evident crime.” However, there are credible reports indicating that Ms. Baniyaqob was tortured and murdered while in the SSF custody. Mrs. Rajavi reiterated that the only solution to the case would be to haul Ms. Kazemi’s murderers such as Saied Mortazavi, Tehran Prosecutor General, before an international tribunal. She added that it would be appropriate for Canadian government to take the lead in this matter.

AKI Italian News – November 29, 2007 The word ‘women’ must now be replaced on Iranian state television by ‘family’, reformist Norouz news agency reports. In programmes broadcast throughout the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against women last Sunday, Iranian state TV used the world family instead. In recent weeks, Iran’s Centre for the Participation of Women changed its name to the Centre for Family Matters.

Reuters – December 1, 2007 Iranian police will crack down on women in Tehran flouting Islamic dress codes with winter fashions deemed immodest, such as tight trousers tucked into long boots, an officer was quoted as saying on Saturday. “Considering the start of the cold season and its special way of dressing, police will start early next week a drive against women who wear improper dress,” Tehran police chief Ahmad Reza Radan was quoted as saying by state news agency IRNA. “Tight trousers tucked inside long boots while wearing short overcoats are against Islamic codes,” the police chief said.”Wearing a hat or cap instead of scarves is also against Islamic dress codes.” Police officials were not immediately available for comment. The Iranian week begins on Saturday. Police regularly clamp down on skimpier clothing and looser headscarves in the summer. Usually this is for just a few weeks but this year the campaign has run into the autumn.Women found dressing inappropriately may be warned or, particularly for repeat offenders, can be taken to a police station and fined. Police this year have also cracked down on men sporting what are considered “Western” spiked haircuts. In October, a newspaper said 122,000 people, mostly women, had been warned about their clothing and nearly 7,000 of those had to attend classes on respecting the rules.

Mid East Youth – December 2, 2007 The women’s rights’ activist Jelveh Javaheri was arrested today by the Revolutionary Courts. She was summoned to the court today and was arrested on charges of disrupting the public opinion, anti-regime propaganda, and spreading false news. Javaheri is a sociology graduate student and has been active in women rights’ groups for a long time. Her activities included writing articles as well as translation of related material. Javaheri was amongst the activists who were arrested last March after their calm protest was disrupted by the Police. She will join Maryam Hosseinkhah, another activist who has been in the infamous Evin Prison for about two weeks now

Agance France Presse – December 6, 2007 Iran plans to set up police stations run by women officers in the Islamic republic’s capital to deal only with offences committed by women, the Tehran Emrouz newspaper reported on Thursday. Fariba Shayegan, commander of the capital’s women police academy of Kowsar, was quoted as saying that the authorities plan “probably to set up special police stations for women in Tehran.” Two such police stations have already been launched in the religious, northeastern, city of Mashad, she said. Women police officers, who previously had been seen mostly in administrative departments, have been increasingly involved over the past few years in enforcement of observing Islamic rules in the treatment of female criminals. The most considerable presence of police women has been highlighted in the country’s continuing crackdown on those flouting the Islamic dress code. Thousands of women have been warned this year, by joint crews of male and female officers, for wearing tight, short coats and skimpy headscarves.

Times online – December 8, 2007 On her first day at Basra University this year a man came up to Zeena, a 21-year-old Christian woman, and three other Christian girls and ordered them to cover their heads with a hijab, or Islamic headscarf. “We didn’t listen to him, and thought he might just be some extremist student representing only himself,” she said. The next day Zeena and two of her friends returned to class with uncovered heads. This time a man in the black clothes of the Shia militia stopped them at the entrance and took them aside. “He said, ‘We asked you yesterday to wear a hijab, so why are you and your friends not covering your hair?’. He was talking very aggressively and I was scared,” Zeena recalled. The girls explained that they were Christians and that their faith did not call for headscarves. “He said: ‘Outside this university you are Christian and can do what you want; inside you are not. Next time I want to see you wearing a hijab or I swear to God the three of you will be killed immediately’,” Zeena recalled. Terrified, the girls ran home. They now wear the headscarf all the time. Despite Basra’s increasing similarity to the repressive Iranian theocracy, which many believe has exerted it influence over the city, Britain says that its work here is done, and plans to reduce troop levels to only 2,500. Critics say that will barely allow the Army to protect its own base at Basra airport.

The Associated Press – December 9, 2007 At least 40 women have died this year at the hands of religious vigilantes in the southern city of Basra, the police chief said Sunday, describing the discovery of mutilated bodies accompanied by dire notes warning against “violating Islamic teachings.” Maj. Gen. Jalil Khalaf blamed sectarian groups he said were trying to impose a strict interpretation of Islam by dispatching patrols of motorbikes or unlicensed cars with tinted windows. They accost women who are not wearing traditional dress and head scarves, he said. Before the U.S.-led invasion in 2003, Basra, Iraq’s second-largest city, was known for its mixed population and night life. Now, in some areas, red graffiti warns of dire punishment for any woman who wears makeup and appears with her hair uncovered: “Your makeup and your decision to forgo the headscarf will bring you death.” Khalaf said bodies have been found in garbage dumps with bullet holes, decapitated or otherwise mutilated with a sheet of paper nearby saying, “she was killed for adultery,” or “she was killed for violating Islamic teachings.” In September, he said, the headless bodies of a woman and her 6-year-old son were among those found. He said a total of 40 deaths were reported this year. “We believe the number of murdered women is much higher, as cases go unreported by their families who fear reprisal from extremists,” he said.

The Associated Press – December 10, 2007 Hundreds of Iranian students angry over a crackdown on activists protested Sunday at Tehran University, the second such demonstration in less than a week, witnesses and state radio said. One witness, Mehdi Arabshahi, said the campus protest lasted more than two hours as dozens of students chanted slogans against President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s hardline administration. “Students chanted against policies by Ahmadinejad’s administration, which is imposing pressures on the universities and detaining activists,” Arabshahi said. He said students from other universities joined in the protest and broke one of the university’s gates…33 students and activists including four women were detained Tuesday after they staged a protest on the Tehran University campus.

Agance France Presse – December 12, 2007 Several clerics sitting as MPs in the Iranian parliament have criticized the Tehran police chief for showing excessive zeal by ordering a crackdown on women’s high boots, a newspaper said on Wednesday. “No officials have the right to mix religion with emotions and issue decrees and implement them on behalf of clerics,” clerical MP Seyed Hadi Tabatabai told the reformist Etemad newspaper. “Such behaviour tarnishes Islam.” The police last week launched what was termed a “winter” crackdown on unIslamic dressing, to follow an unusually vigorous summer drive against women whose clothing was deemed overly flimsy. Tehran police chief Ahmad Reza Radan said women who wear high boots with their trousers tucked-in would be targeted by the moral police, as well as those who sport hats instead of headscarves and short tight winter coats.Radan had described such fashions as an example of “Tabarroj”, an Islamic term which means revealing one’s beauty and bodily contours to unrelated men. “A Muslim woman wearing high boots with a coat and other coverings does not contradict Islam,” the daily quoted MP Mohammad Taghi Rahbar as saying. “The clerics should define tabarroj and Commander Radan’s comments are not within police responsibilities. Cultural bodies should make decisions in this regard,” the conservative cleric said.