Jailed Scholar, Sedigheh Vasmaghi, Urges Global Action Against Iranian Women's Oppression
New Age Islam News Bureau
29 April 2024
·
Jailed
Scholar, Sedigheh Vasmaghi, Urges Global Action Against Iranian Women's
Oppression
·
Iranian
Journalist, Parisa Salehi, Moved to Karaj Prison to Start Sentence
·
Iranian
Mother Fights Daughter’s Arrest For Not Adhering To The Mandatory Hijab Law
·
UNFPA and
the Islamic Development Bank are joining forces to help women and girls across
continents
·
Taliban's
Treatment Of Women Under Scrutiny At UN Rights Meeting
·
Saudi
Environment Ministry Honours First Female Veterinary Graduates
·
Champions
Al-Nassr End Women’s Premier Ends League Season On A High
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/jailed-scholar-sedigheh-vasmaghi/d/132226
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Jailed Scholar, , Urges Global Action Against Iranian Women's
Oppression
Sedigheh Vasmaghi
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APRIL 29, 2024
The Iranian Islamic scholar Sedigheh Vasmaghi, who is
currently imprisoned, is urging the international community to put an end to
the ongoing oppression of women by the Iranian regime.
In a letter from prison, Vasmaghi issued the plea to
the United Nations Fact-Finding Mission and other international human rights
bodies, detailing her own personal abuses and the systemic oppression under the
Islamic Republic's policies.
A copy of Vasmaghi’s letter was shared with Iran
International.
Vasmaghi, who writes that she has devoted a
significant portion of her life to studying and teaching Islamic jurisprudence,
also asserts that there is no religious mandate under Islamic Sharia for women
to cover their hair.
“The result of my research on women's clothing is that
religious women are not required to cover their hair under Islamic Sharia and some
independent researchers in the field of religion have come to the same
conclusion,” the letter reads.
Security forces arbitrarily detained Vasmaghi on March
16 and transferred her to Tehran’s infamous Evin Prison.
Her arrest followed her public criticism of Supreme
Leader Ali Khamenei as a dictator and her condemnation of the compulsory hijab
laws, which have been central to the 2022 Women, Life, Freedom movement sparked
by Mahsa Jina Amini's death at the hands of the country’s so-called morality
police.
“Many Iranian women have been against the mandatory
hijab law for decades, and I have removed my headscarf in opposition to this
law and to protest against the oppression of women and their dignity,” Vasmaghi
wrote.
Vasmaghi was subjected to interrogation without the
presence of legal representation and transferred to prison without due legal
process.
During her imprisonment, Vasmaghi says she has endured
numerous hardships.
She has been denied access to legal counsel,
appropriate medical treatment, and even basic accommodations for her
disability. Her requests for assistance have been ignored, and she has been
isolated from her family for refusing to wear a hijab. Additionally, she has
suffered from health issues, exacerbated by stress and initially neglected by
prison authorities.
Vasmaghi's opposition and protest extend beyond the
mandatory hijab law itself to encompass the broader suppression of women's
rights and dignity in Iran.
She maintains that the enforcement of such laws is not
based on religious grounds but rather is a misuse of political power,
inflicting psychological, physical, and financial damage on women.
Source: iranintl.com
https://www.iranintl.com/en/202404296872
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Iranian Journalist, Parisa Salehi, Moved to Karaj
Prison to Start Sentence
Parisa Salehi, a journalist
and student activist
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APRIL 29, 2024
ParisaSalehi, a journalist and student activist, was
moved to Kachouei Prison in Karaj on Sunday to begin her jail term.
Her sister, Parinaz Salehi, shared the news on social
media, stating, "Today, my sister Parisa Salehi, a journalist and master's
student in economics at the University of Tehran, was transferred to Kachouei
Prison to start her sentence."
Salehi was initially sentenced to one year in prison,
two years of travel restrictions, a two-year social media ban, and two years of
exile to Zanjan.
Although her one-year prison term was later reduced to
five months by the appeals court, the additional sentences imposed by the trial
court were upheld.
Salehi has pointed out several irregularities in the
legal proceedings, including denying her right to a retrial.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism, an NGO, said,
"Salehi's case highlights the unjust actions taken against journalists in
Iran. We strongly denounce the Iranian regime for its egregious violations of
media freedom, holding the unenviable position as the foremost jailer of
journalists globally."
Source: iranwire.com
https://iranwire.com/en/women/128300-iranian-journalist-moved-to-karaj-prison-to-start-sentence/
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Iranian Mother Fights Daughter’s Arrest For Not
Adhering To The Mandatory Hijab Law
April 29, 2024
In a widely circulated video from the weekend, an
Iranian mother is seen confronting Tehran’s security forces who attempted to
arrest her daughter for not adhering to the mandatory hijab law.
Iran International has not yet been able to
independently verify the authenticity of the footage, but the incident
reportedly took place on April 28 at Hadish Mall in the Shamsabad area east of
Tehran.
In the video, the mother asserts her rights by
shouting at the police, "You won’t take my daughter anywhere," and
insists that they wait for the girl's father to arrive before taking any
action.
This latest video is part of a growing number of
similar confrontations captured and spread on social media, showcasing the
escalating tension between the Iranian populace and the authorities enforcing
the hijab laws.
Recently, Iranian authorities have intensified those
efforts under the regime’s new enforcement plan, dubbed “Plan Noor”.
This surge has resulted in violent crackdowns,
targeting Iranian women on the streets.
Despite the regime’s efforts, there's a noticeable
wave of civil disobedience sweeping across the country, with many women
appearing in public spaces without hijabs, protesting against the impositions.
The ongoing crackdown on women follows several other
troubling cases, including that of 16-year-old Armita Geravand, who fell into a
coma after an altercation with hijab enforcers on Tehran’s subway in October
2023.
Reports suggest that she was pushed by a female
security agent, resulting in a severe head injury – though the regime has
attempted to obscure the incident's details.
The recent crackdowns, following a directive from
Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on April 13, have resulted in the arrest of
hundreds of women across various cities in Iran.
Source: iranintl.com
https://www.iranintl.com/en/202404290192
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UNFPA And The Islamic Development Bank Are Joining
Forces To Help Women And Girls Across Continents
29 April 2024
UNITED NATIONS, New York – The Islamic Development
Bank and UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, have
joined forces to improve maternal and universal health care, sustainable
development, and the empowerment of adolescent girls.
The Islamic Development Bank is a multilateral finance
institution striving to alleviate poverty, enhance health care, promote
education and improve governance and foster societal prosperity. Since the
Memorandum of Understanding in 2001, UNFPA and the Islamic Development Bank
have united around a shared vision of a healthier, and more gender-equal future
across Arab States, Africa and Asia. Learn more about how the organizations are
working together.
Joining forces for health equity in Cameroon
In Cameroon, the Islamic Development Bank and UNFPA
are focusing on improving maternal health and combating the mother-to-child
transmission of HIV. With financial support from the bank, UNFPA has
facilitated the training of health-care workers and midwives, as well as the
provision of essential equipment for medical facilities under the “Maternal,
Newborn, and Child Health Support” Project. Moreover, the Government of
Cameroon, the International Labour Organization Social Finance, the Islamic
Development Bank and UNFPA are collaborating on implementing a
"Micro-Takaful" scheme, a Sharia-compliant microinsurance initiative.
Aligned with governmental efforts to mitigate out-of-pocket expenses, this
initiative aims to enhance access to maternal and neonatal health care
services, striving to diminish preventable neonatal and maternal mortality
rates while promoting financial inclusivity and equity.
Partnering to save lives in Niger through maternal,
neonatal and child health services
In Niger, UNFPA and the Islamic Development Bank are
collaborating to improve the functionality of the health-care system, while
accelerating the reduction of maternal, neonatal and infant mortality rates.
The project seeks to train over 3,000 health-care workers in maternal newborn
and child health-related disciplines, establish a robust referral system for
emergency obstetrical and neonatal care, and upgrade and equip 65 health facilities
to provide integrated community services. Upon completion, nearly 1 million
women of reproductive age across Niger will have access to comprehensive
maternal health services.
Supporting capacity building for health workers in
Tajikistan
In cooperation with the Islamic Development Bank and
the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan, UNFPA is aiming to enhance
maternal, neonatal and child health in the Khatlon Region through inter-related
studies and training courses that support capacity building for health workers.
Together, they have developed and refined standards and clinical guidelines on
cervical cancer screening. These updated protocols serve as a framework for the
training of midwives and obstetrics and gynecology doctors. Furthermore, this partnership
trains health service providers on maternal, neonatal and child health,
fostering improved accessibility to quality health-care services for women and
children across the region.
Exploring innovative collaborations for youth in
Jordan
In Jordan, UNFPA and the Islamic Development Bank are
currently exploring groundbreaking initiatives, including the potential
implementation of a Development Impact Bond aimed at enhancing the health and
well-being of adolescent girls. Through joint efforts, UNFPA and the Islamic Development Bank are
committed to harnessing innovation around financing to empower young people,
cultivate their potential, and build a brighter future for all.
UNFPA’s partnerships with multilateral development
banks like the Islamic Development Bank provide the resources, expertise, and
innovation that would otherwise be out of reach. Since 2018, UNFPA has signed
several new agreements with the Islamic Development Bank for a total value of
US$29 million to support maternal and universal health care, sustainable
development, and the empowerment of adolescent girls. By working together,
UNFPA can expand its programmes and enhance their quality to better address
women’s and girls’ health needs.
Source: arabstates.unfpa.org
https://arabstates.unfpa.org/en/news/unfpa-and-islamic-development-bank-are-joining-forces-help-women-and-girls-across-continents
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Taliban's treatment of women under scrutiny at UN
rights meeting
APRIL 29, 2024
Afghanistan's Taliban face criticism over their human
rights record at a UN meeting on Monday, with Washington accusing them of
systematically depriving women and girls of their human rights.
However, in an awkward first for the UN Human Rights
Council, the concerned country's current rulers will not be present because
they are not recognized by the global body.
Afghanistan will instead be represented by an
ambassador appointed by the previous US-backed government, which the Taliban
ousted in 2021.
In a series of questions compiled in a UN document
ahead of the review, the United States asked how authorities would hold
perpetrators to account for abuses against civilians, "particularly women
and girls who are being systematically deprived of their human rights"?
It also called for the promotion of the rights of LGBTQ
persons, noting an "escalation of threats and abuse" since the
Taliban takeover.
Britain and Belgium also raised questions about the
Taliban's treatment of women. In total, 76 countries have asked to take the
floor at the meeting.
Taliban claims they respect women's rights in line
with their interpretation of Islamic law
The Taliban say they respect rights in line with their
interpretation of Islamic law.
Since they swept back into power, most girls have been
barred from high school and women from universities. The Taliban have also
stopped most Afghan female staff from working at aid agencies, closed beauty
salons, barred women from parks and curtailed travel for women in the absence
of a male guardian.
Under the UN system, states' human rights records are
subject to peer review in public meetings of the Geneva-based Human Rights
Council, resulting in a series of recommendations.
While non-binding, these can draw scrutiny of policies
and add to pressure for reform. The UN Human Rights Council, the only intergovernmental
global body designed to protect human rights worldwide, can also mandate
investigations whose evidence is sometimes used before national and
international courts.
Source: jpost.com
https://www.jpost.com/international/article-799054
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Saudi Environment Ministry honours first female
veterinary graduates
April 28, 2024
RIYADH: The Ministry of Environment, Water and
Agriculture in Al-Ahsa on Saturday honoured the Kingdom’s first female
veterinary graduates.
The event, held on World Veterinary Day, was staged in
cooperation with the National Centre for the Prevention and Control of Plant
Pests and Animal Diseases and attended by officials and stakeholders from the
veterinary field, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The women honoured were from King Faisal University.
The report said the event showcased the ministry’s
commitment to supporting and empowering women and would help to create new job
opportunities for them.
Vets play a vital role in public health as the first
line of defence against diseases that affect both humans and animals. Their
contributions include diagnosing and preventing the spread of disease and
providing care.
The ministry said the national centre supported vets
in fulfilling that role by providing resources and mechanisms.
The centre is also committed to creating an
environment that fosters the growth of veterinary work and promotes sustainable
development in the agricultural sector.
Source: arabnews.com
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2500786/saudi-arabia
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Champions Al-NassrEnd Women’s PremierEnds League
Season On A High
April 29, 2024
RIYADH: Al-Nassr women’s football club, winners of the
2023-2024 Premier League, ended their season on a high with a 1-0 victory over
Al-Ittihad on Sunday night.
Al-Awwal Park Stadium was lit up with fireworks as
Al-Nassr were crowned champions for a second year in a row, having already won
the title last month against Al-Hilal.
Al-Nassr midfielder Lina Boussaha scored the winning
goal in the second minute.
Members of Al-Nassr men's team Otavio and Alex Telles
were spotted cheering from the sidelines as the team secured the league win.
Fans enjoyed a half-time show with prizes including
signed Al-Nassr football shirts.
Source: arabnews.com
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2501166/saudi-football
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URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/jailed-scholar-sedigheh-vasmaghi/d/132226