Jailed After Mahsa Amini Coverage, Iranian Sisters Win Global Journalism Award
New Age Islam News Bureau
16 May 2026
· Jailed After Mahsa Amini Coverage, Iranian Sisters Win Global Journalism Award
· Islamic feminism more widespread in Bosnia and Herzegovina
· Iran Regime Sentences Female Political Prisoner to an Additional Year in Prison
· Women’s Ministry Conference planned at Jordan Hill
· Saudi Arabia highlights women empowerment reforms at Asian Women’s Forum
· Muskan Khan cheers govt’s decision on hijab
· More Baha'is Persecuted in Iran
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
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Jailed After Mahsa Amini Coverage, Iranian Sisters Win Global Journalism Award
May 15, 2026
The International Women’s Media Foundation (IWMF) in Washington has named Iranian journalists Elaheh Mohammadi and Elnaz Mohammadi as the winners of the 2026 Courage in Journalism Award.
In a statement released on Thursday, May 14, the foundation announced: “It is with great pride that we announce the winners of the 2026 Courage in Journalism Awards are Elaheh Mohammadi and Elnaz Mohammadi from Iran.”
Elaheh Mohammadi, a reporter for the Ham-Mihan newspaper, traveled to Saqqez in 2022 to cover the funeral of Mahsa Amini. Her report, published at the onset of the “Woman, Life, Freedom” protests, gained widespread international attention. She was subsequently arrested alongside Niloufar Hamedi and spent over a year in prison.
Elnaz Mohammadi, Elaheh’s sister and the social desk editor at Ham-Mihan, has also faced significant security and judicial pressure in recent years due to her media activities.
Each year, the IWMF presents this award to female journalists who continue their professional work and defend press freedom under difficult and dangerous conditions.
Previously, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) also announced that Elnaz Mohammadi was shortlisted for their 2026 “Courage” award, an honor bestowed upon journalists and media outlets that persist in their professional duties and the defense of journalism despite hostile environments and threats to their liberty and safety.
Source: iranwire.com
https://iranwire.com/en/news/152431-jailed-after-mahsa-amini-coverage-iranian-sisters-win-global-journalism-award/
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Islamic feminism more widespread in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Claudia Mende
May 16, 2026
Religion has become more important since the Bosnian WarImage: Elman Omic/Anadolu/picture alliance
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Usually, it tends to be Muslim men who go to pray on Fridays in the mosques of Bosnia and Herzegovina. As is customary in Islam, women are not required to go to the mosque to pray on the holiest day of the week. However, more and more, devout Muslim women in the Western Balkan country want to attend the mosque, too.
In the secular state of Bosnia and Herzegovina, men and women are equal before the law. In recent decades, the state has made significant efforts to eliminate gender-based discrimination and protect women from violence. However, in certain religious communities, whether these are Muslim, Orthodox or Catholic, social and cultural norms continue to stand in the way of equality.
Since the end of the Bosnian War (1992–1995), religion has played a greater role in all of the country's communities, particularly amid Muslim Bosniaks, Orthodox Serbs and Catholic Croats. In some families, very conservative notions of gender roles prevail, according to which women are expected first and foremost to be mothers and to care for the family.
"Muslim feminists are fighting for women's rights within an Islamic framework," Bosnian sociologist Dermana Kuric from the University of Sarajevo told DW. She said that they were doing this by taking an active role in society without openly challenging misogynistic interpretations of the Quran.
She added that university educated Muslim women were consciously engaging with traditional Islamic scholarship, which has sought to confine women to a subordinate role in the family and the wider community. "Muslim feminists are concerned with gender relations based on autonomy and individual responsibility — as opposed to control or dominance," Kuric said.
Bosniaks part of broader Muslim feminist movement
Bosnian Muslim feminists are part of a broader movement that has been gaining influence in the Islamic world since the 1980s. They interpret the Quran from a female perspective and see it as a source of empowerment in their struggle for greater rights. With her translation of the groundbreaking book by Moroccan sociologist and pioneer of Islamic feminism Fatima Mernissi (1940 – 2015) "The Forgotten Queens of Islam," gender studies scholar Zilka Spahic-Siljak from the University of Sarajevo has made a significant contribution to raising awareness of the ideas of Islamic feminism in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
"Like other religions, Islam has been shaped by male scholars' interpretations of its sacred texts, based on their own experiences," Spahic-Siljak told DW. "Women's experiences are not represented, with a few exceptions. But justice is a central principle in the Quran, and there can be no justice if women are not treated as equals."
In 2021, the academic founded the Feminism and Religion Online School with the Catholic nun Jadranka Rebeka Anic to offer courses into religion and feminism to interested students.
Quran should not be used to justify domestic violence
While in 2023, Spahic-Siljak took part in campaign against domestic violence, criticizing Muslim scholars who legitimized violence by husbands against their wives by citing Surah an-Nisa 4:34, a chapter of the Quran. The influential imam Senaid Zajimovic took up her arguments and expressed an openness to a new interpretation of the Surah. He issued a theological statement, emphasizing that the Quran must not be used to justify male dominance and violence against women.
"Over the past few decades, we have seen Muslim women carving out more space for themselves within the Muslim community," said Kuric. These may be small steps, she said, but progress is being made. For example, with regard to women attending Friday prayers at mosque: "Their participation was never formally prohibited; it was simply a result of a male-dominated culture that they were not there."
In April 2026, the Islamic Community's council for religious affairs in the city of Zenica, which is situated around 70 kilometers (about 43 miles) north of the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sarajevo, encouraged women to attend Friday prayers at all mosques in the district. Two mosques in Sarajevo also explicitly welcome women, who pray in a separate room from men or on a balcony.
The situation is also changing in the academic world. Though there are still no female professors of theology in the country's departments of Islamic theology, there are a number of female research assistants, and it is hoped that they will eventually become professors.
No female imams in Bosnia and Herzegovina yet
There are also still no female imams, even if these now exist in other countries, including, for example, in France and the US, where Amina Wadud caused a worldwide sensation when she led Friday prayers at a mixed congregation in the city of New York in 2005.
Islamic institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina today are more or less the same as those that were established under Austro-Hungarian rule (1878–1918). After the Habsburg authorities occupied Bosnia, they set up an organized religious structure for Muslims that was based on the model of Christian churches, the Islamic Community in Bosnia and Herzegovina. They also introduced the office or Reisu-l-ulema, or Grand Mufti, who remains the supreme representative of Bosnian Muslims.
"It is still difficult for women to attain positions of power and influence within the Muslim community," the political scientist Djevada Garic told DW. "For example, we have many female teachers at Islamic schools, but no women in the Riyaset, the highest decision-making body, or on the Council of Muftis. Only 11 of 87 representatives in the Islamic Community's parliament are women." Garic herself, as the Islamic Community's advisor for international relations, was one of the first women to hold a leadership position.
Kuric wants to concentrate on the positive aspects. Today, she noted, there are more women with the confidence to run for office, for example in the Islamic Community's parliament. In addition, she pointed out, the current Grand Mufti, Husein Kavazovic, has established a dedicated department for the advancement of women. Female Islamic theologians now have career prospects and the opportunity to familiarize themselves with Islamic institutions and their structures.
"There is no resistance from Muslim men against the advancement of women in the sense that they would say 'You are not allowed to hold leadership positions,'" Kuric said, but there is still much to be done she admitted. "What I find lacking is a clear institutional strategy from the Islamic Community to seriously advance women as believers and as theologians and to better integrate them."
Source: dw.com
https://www.dw.com/en/islamic-feminism-more-widespread-in-bosnia-and-herzegovina/a-77163017
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Iran Regime Sentences Female Political Prisoner to an Additional Year in Prison
May 15, 2026
Forough Taghipour, a political prisoner held in Evin Prison, has been sentenced to an additional one year of discretionary imprisonment amid the Iranian regime’s ongoing judicial and security crackdown on political prisoners. The sentence was reportedly issued over a statement she published on Student Day and was formally communicated to her inside the prison.
New Case Opened Against Forough Taqi-Pour
Earlier, in March 2026, Forough Taghipour received an official notice informing her that a new case had been opened against her. According to the notice, she was ordered to appear for questioning via video conference before Branch 2 of the prosecutor’s office.
The charge brought against the political prisoner was described as “propaganda against the state inside prison,” an accusation that Iranian authorities have repeatedly used in recent years against imprisoned dissidents and political activists as a tool for imposing additional pressure on political prisoners.
Denial of Phone Calls and Family Visits at Evin Prison
Alongside the new prosecution, Forough Taghipour has also faced disciplinary restrictions inside Evin Prison. Prison authorities reportedly informed her that she would be banned from phone calls and family visits for one month over what officials described as the “publication of false information.”
The punishment, issued under the prison’s disciplinary committee procedures, reportedly took effect on February 21. Restrictions on communication and family visitation are common methods used by Iranian authorities to exert psychological pressure on political prisoners in Evin Prison and other prisons across Iran.
Who is Forough Taghipour?
Forough Taghipour, 31, holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting and has been serving a five-year sentence in Evin Prison since August 2023. She was initially sentenced to 15 years on charges of baghy-e (armed rebellion) and alleged membership in the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK), but the sentence was reduced on appeal.
She was previously arrested in February 2020 on charges of “assembly and collusion” and “propaganda against the state,” receiving a five-year sentence that she served until February 2023. Only months after her release, she was arrested again in August 2023 and is currently held in the women’s ward of Evin Prison.
Source: wncri.org
https://wncri.org/2026/05/15/iran-regime-female-political-prisoner/
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Women’s Ministry Conference planned at Jordan Hill
May 16, 2026
Jordan Hill Missionary Baptist Church will host a Women’s Ministry Conference on
Saturday, May 16, at 9:30 a.m. The church is located at 1683 Wise Five Forks Rd., Macon.
The community is invited to a day of empowerment, encouragement, and spiritual renewal.
Highlights:
• Polished for Purpose – Bernardine Jefferson, Mary Kay representative
• Strength for the Journey – Angela Somerville , Pink with a Passion
• Turning Early Detection into Healthy Living – Warren County Health Department
• Preached word: The Rev. Sherry B. Garner
• Guest choir: St. John Generation of Praise
A light breakfast and lunch will be served.
Source: warrenrecord.com
https://www.warrenrecord.com/news/article_4f37645c-d6b2-4cdb-b942-5a26f0786d0f.html
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Saudi Arabia highlights women empowerment reforms at Asian Women’s Forum
May 15, 2026
TASHKENT — Assistant Speaker of the Saudi Shoura Council Dr. Hanan Al-Ahmadi highlighted Saudi Arabia’s experience in supporting and empowering women during the second Asian Women’s Forum held in Uzbekistan.
Speaking during the forum, Dr. Al-Ahmadi said the major transformations achieved by Saudi Arabia across various sectors came under the leadership of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz and with the support and follow-up of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, through making women’s empowerment a core pillar of Saudi Vision 2030.
She said the Kingdom implemented broad legislative and institutional reforms aimed at strengthening women’s rights and expanding their participation in national development.
Dr. Al-Ahmadi also stressed Saudi Arabia’s commitment to promoting international dialogue and cooperation on issues of common interest, while praising the warm reception and hospitality extended to the Saudi delegation, which she said reflected the strong relations between Saudi Arabia and Uzbekistan.
She noted that the world, particularly Asia, faces accelerating challenges and crises that significantly affect women, underscoring the need for greater cooperation and exchange of expertise to support women’s empowerment as a key pillar for stable and prosperous societies.
The assistant speaker said Vision 2030 placed significant emphasis on legislative reforms as a foundation for strengthening rights, justice and equal opportunities.
She added that Saudi Arabia has witnessed major legislative and institutional transformation that enhanced women’s status, widened their participation and opened broader opportunities for them across multiple sectors.
According to Dr. Al-Ahmadi, these reforms contributed to Saudi Arabia being ranked among the countries making the most progress in women’s empowerment, gender gap indicators and supportive legal frameworks.
She pointed to the growing presence of Saudi women across different sectors, noting that women’s participation in the technology sector has exceeded global averages, while Saudi women have also achieved strong representation in science, culture and sports.
She added that Saudi women have reached space as astronauts, scientists and researchers, reflecting the success of the Kingdom’s empowerment and qualification programs.
Dr. Al-Ahmadi also described women’s inclusion in the Shoura Council in 2013 as a historic milestone following a royal order stipulating that women represent no less than 20% of council members.
She said the step reflected Saudi Arabia’s direction toward expanding national participation and strengthening women’s role in legislative work and decision-making.
Concluding her remarks, Dr. Al-Ahmadi said Saudi women have become active partners in comprehensive national development, moving from empowerment to leadership and influence as the Kingdom continues to promote moderation, support women’s roles and build a vibrant society, thriving economy and ambitious nation.
She also expressed hope that the forum’s discussions would contribute to strengthening cooperation among participating countries and produce practical initiatives supporting stability, prosperity and development.
The Saudi Shoura Council delegation participating in the forum also includes Shoura Council members Dr. Latifa Al-Abdulkareem and Dr. Ghada Al-Hathli.
Source: saudigazette.com.sa
https://saudigazette.com.sa/article/661386/saudi-arabia/saudi-customs-seizes-426000-amphetamine-pills-at-al-haditha-border
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Muskan Khan cheers govt’s decision on hijab
May 15, 2026
Mysuru: Muskan Khan, popularly known across the country as the “Hijab Girl” during the 2022 hijab controversy, has welcomed the Karnataka govt’s decision to allow students to wear the hijab in classrooms and examination halls. Thanking chief minister Siddaramaiah, she described the move as a long-awaited relief for thousands of students across the state.
Muskan drew national attention on Feb 8, 2022, after she responded with chants of “Allahu Akbar” while confronting a group raising “Jai Shri Ram” slogans during protests linked to the hijab issue. The incident became one of the defining moments of the controversy, which spread across Karnataka, particularly in districts such as Udupi and Dakshina Kannada.
In a video statement released on social media on Thursday evening, Muskan said she was extremely happy that the govt had finally taken a positive step after four years. Recalling the difficult period during the ban, she said several students boycotted examinations and educational activities as protests intensified across the state.
Muskan said the latest decision has restored students’ rights and encouraged girls to confidently continue their education while wearing the hijab. She stressed that politics should remain within the political sphere and should not interfere with the education and future of students. She also thanked ministers Madhu Bangarappa and BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan and speaker UT Khader for supporting the decision. She said the govt’s move restored an important opportunity for students.
Mohammed Hussain Khan, Muskan’s father told TOI, the govt may have taken time, but ultimately arrived at a positive decision. He claimed that after the hijab ban, more than 18,000 students across Karnataka stopped attending schools and colleges. With the latest decision, he said, many girls would now feel relieved and continue their education without fear or hesitation. He recalled that Muskan discontinued her second-semester BCom examinations following the 2022 incident, though she later managed to continue and complete her degree. She is now aspiring to pursue an LLB course. “There should be no politics in education,” he said.
The family, originally from Mandya and now residing in Mysuru, said the incident significantly changed Muskan’s life. During her free time after the controversy, she began studying the Indian Constitution and developed a deeper interest in legal studies. While her elder brother has completed his degree, her younger sister is currently pursuing final-year engineering in computer science.
Source: indiatimes.com
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bengaluru/muskan-khan-cheers-govts-decision-on-hijab/articleshowprint/131119273.cms
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More Baha'is Persecuted in Iran
May 15, 2026
The following cases involve arrests without disclosed charges, prolonged detention, enforced prison sentences, and home searches conducted under allegations such as "cooperation with the Israeli regime" and "propaganda against the state."
On 3 May 2026, Mrs. Flora Samadani was arrested in Yazd, after she and her husband, Mr. Ahmad Naimi, were summoned to the Intelligence Office. Upon their appearance at the relevant office, Mrs. Samadani was taken into custody. Three days after her arrest, no information has been released regarding her whereabouts or condition, raising concerns among her family. No details have been released regarding the nature of the allegations or the circumstances of her detention.
On 6 May 2026, Mr. Riaz Behrad, a Baha’i resident of Karaj, was arrested after appearing at the Karaj Prosecutor’s Office and was transferred to an undisclosed location. His arrest followed a search of his home on 4 May, during which authorities issued a summons to the Prosecutor’s Office. As of the time of reporting, no information has been released regarding the reasons for his arrest, his whereabouts, or any charges against him.
On 9 May 2026 Ms. Romina Goli, a Baha’i resident of Sari, was arrested by security forces and formally charged the following day under Articles 500 and 500 bis of the Islamic Penal Code with “propaganda against the regime” and “propaganda activity contrary to Islamic law,” leading to a one-month detention order. She was arrested at her home after agents approached under the pretext of delivering a package; no warrant was presented, and agents reportedly refused to show one, stating they would have entered by climbing the wall if the door remained closed. Authorities confiscated her mobile phone, her mother’s phone, a laptop, and several religious books, and questioned family members about her online activity. As of the time of writing, no information has been released regarding her place of detention.
On 11 May 2026 Mrs. Anisa Fanaian, a Baha’i resident of Semnan, was arrested at her home and taken to resume serving her prison sentence. She had been released on 2 October 2025 after the Supreme Court ordered a review, but Branch 10 of the Semnan Province Court of Appeals upheld her eight-year sentence. She was originally sentenced to 16 years in March 2024 (later reduced to eight) on charges including “forming a group with the intention of disrupting national security,” “educational or promotional activity contrary to Islamic law,” and “propaganda against the regime.”
On 13 May 2026, it was learned that Ms. Shakila Ghasemi, has been detained for over 103 days without formal charges. Arrested on 2 February 2026, at her home in Kerman, she was held for 47 days in an Revolutionary Guard Intelligence Organization facility, undergoing repeated interrogations, before being transferred to solitary confinement in Kerman Prison. Authorities have rejected bail and informed her she will remain in custody until her court hearing. The prolonged isolation has caused serious deterioration in her mental and physical condition, including repeated nervous breakdowns, requiring transfers to the prison infirmary. No official statement has been issued regarding the reasons for her detention or the status of her case.
On 11 May 2026, Mr. Angha Siavashi, a 19-year-old Baha’i resident of Shiraz, was released from Adelabad Prison after posting bail. He had been arrested on 7 April 2026, by Ministry of Intelligence agents, who searched his residence and confiscated personal belongings. As of the time of reporting, no information has been released regarding the reasons for his arrest or any formal charges against him.
On 5 May 2026, security agents searched the home of Mrs. Afsaneh Jazzabi (Rasekhi), a 66-year-old Baha’i resident of Shiraz, after presenting a judicial warrant citing “cooperation with the Israeli regime.” Agents confiscated books, picture frames, a mobile phone, and a gold pendant and chain, and warned the family about the media activities of one of her children living outside Iran. At the time, Mrs. Jazzabi was solely caring for her 85-year-old mother. The search lasted several hours and was accompanied by threats and insulting behaviour.
On 6 May 2025, security agents raided and searched the residence of Mr. Faramarz Naddafian and his wife, Mrs. Parivash Tofighi, after presenting a handwritten warrant, seizing mobile phones, a computer, books, gold, and jewellery. Agents demanded that a Baha’i household member sign documentation, rejecting the offer of a non-Baha’i neighbour as a witness, and threatened the couple with handcuffs, asset confiscation, and frozen bank accounts. The agents repeatedly questioned the family about the online activities of one of its members, claiming this was the reason for the operation.
These updates cover 1 - 15 May, 2026, and are drawn from bulletins provided by the Baha'i International Community.
Source: iranwire.com
https://iranwire.com/en/religious-minorities/152455-iranian-authorities-have-intensified-measures-against-the-bahai-community-across-several-provinces-including-yazd-karaj-sari-semnan-kerman-and-shiraz/
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