The Fate of Iran's Women's Rights Advocates

In the nation of Iran, fighting for the rights of women can be dangerous, even fatal.  Women who dare to stand up for their rights risk everything, even their lives.  Here are some of the courageous women who dared to stand for their rights, against one of the most oppressive regimes on the entire planet. 

Shaparak Shajarizadeh: Shaparak is a women's rights activist who removed her hijab in protest of Iran's "mandatory hijab" law.  Shaparak's actions led her to be arrested along with 37 other women.   Shaparak's recent act of defiance earned her a sentence of 20 years in prison.  Fortunately, she was able to flee to Turkey.  Unfortunately, her attorney, Nasrin Sotoudeh, was not so lucky.  Nasrin was also arrested for speaking out on behalf and Shaparak and others female protesters and sentenced to 38 years in prison.  Today, Nasrin remains behind bars.  
Maryam Faraji: Maryam was a 33-year-old women's rights activist.  Maryam started the "White Wednesday" movement in Iran with five other women, which is dedicated to helping Iranian women gain equal rights.  Maryan also assisted in rescuing many Iranian women and girls who were trapped in abusive homes and get them to safety.  During the protests in the summer of 2018, Maryam was arrested, sentenced to three years in prison, and banned from leaving Iran for two years.  A short time after posting bail, Maryam's body was found.  Her body had been completely burned, so there's no telling how much this poor woman suffered.
Link to Video
Maedeh Hojabri: Maedeh was a 17-year-old child who was recently sentenced to 2 years in prison and 80 lashes.  Her crime?  Posting a video on Instagram of her doing a traditional Persian dance in her own bedroom.  In Iran, it's not only a crime for a woman to fight for their rights, it's can also be a crime for woman, even a young teenager, to express their artistic talents.  For many in the West, public dancing is seen as an expression of joy, of one's love for life.  In Iran, it's seen as a crime.  The Iranian regime not only seeks to destroy a woman's desire for equality, they also seek to destroy a woman's right to experience joy.  
These women are but a few of many who suffer under the despotic laws passed by the Iranian regime.  One would think that the Feminist of the West would unite and fight for women who suffer so much and cannot experience the simplest joys in life, like the right to dance.  However, it a twist that one can only describe as bizarre, not only are many Feminist groups in the West failing to stand up for these women, they're actually coming out in support of their oppressors!  In February of 2019, a 28-person delegation representing Code Pink met journeyed to Iran and met with Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.  Their purpose: to express solidarity with the Iranian regime against what they view as a "bullying U.S. government."  Code Pink, which identifies itself as a feminist & human rights organization, chose to meet and express solidarity of officials who help enforce one of "gender-apartheid" regimes on the entire planet.  Code Pink has officially become traitors to their own cause.  
Sources:

Collins, Liat.  "My Word: Code Pink Crosses a Red Line in Iran."  The Jerusalem Post.  March 15, 2019.  Accessed from: https://www.jpost.com/Opinion/My-Word-Code-Pink-crosses-a-redline-in-Iran-583519

Cooper, Celine.  "Shaparak Shajarizadeh and the Fight for Women's Rights in Iran."  OpenCanada.org.  January 3rd, 2019.  Accessed from   https://www.opencanada.org/features/shaparak-shajarizadeh-and-fight-womens-rights-iran/.

"Dissident's Burned Body Found, Identified by Family."  Radio Farda.  July 15, 2018.  Accessed from https://en.radiofarda.com/a/iran-dissident-faraji-burnt-body-found/29366088.html.

Osborne, Samuel.  "Iranian Woman 'Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison' for Removing Headscarf in Protest."  Independent.  July 10, 2018.  Accessed from   https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/iran-woman-hijab-protest-arrest-jailed-prison-shapark-shajarizadeh-headscarf-white-wednesdays-a8439816.html

"Sharia for Women: A Female Sharia Survivor Shares her Story."  ILFamilyInstitute.  Youtube: 39:18.  Published Nov. 17 2018 at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OuQZ19Om1JA&list=FLtBWXjdjbfcoalxW7dYxI2Q&index=2&t=1849s. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Honor Killing in Chicago

Image
On Jan. 23rd, 2024, 63-year-old Palestinian-Muslim resident Maher Kassem was arrested by the police for murdering his wife Majeda Kassem as well as his three adult daughters.  Police report this to be a clear case of domestic violence while Maher is on record stating that he felt his family didn't appreciate him and treat him in the manner that he deserved to be treated.   "The defendant was recorded volunteering things about having just retired, and that 'She treats me like a [expletive] dog," said Cook County Assistant State's Attorney Scott Clark. "'I worked 40 years.' and 'I worked all my life to give my family a better home, and they treat me like  [expletive].'"   A family member of Majeda Kassem said there was constant verbal abuse going on in the home - adding that Kassem's wife contemplated leaving, but stayed for the sake of her children. Maher Kassem Maher Kassem & His Three Daughters Muslim-American activists claim tha...
Read more

Apartheid in the Middle East

Image
THE MIDDLE EAST'S REAL APARTHEID By Efraim Karsh "Israel Apartheid Week his cities and campuses throughout the world.  This charge, of course, is not only completely false, but the inverse of the truth.  If apartheid is indeed a crime against humanity, Israel is actually the only apartheid-free state in the Middle East.  By contrast, apartheid has been an integral part of the Middle East for over a millennium, and the Arab Muslim nations continue to legally, politically, and socially enforce this discriminatory practice against their hapless minorities. Religious Intolerance:  Muslims historically viewed themselves as distinct from, and superior to, all non-Muslims.  Non-Muslims, known in history as "Dhimmis," never enjoyed equal rights under Islam.  Even non-ruling Muslim factions have been historically oppressed by their dominant co-religionists Ethnic inequality:  This legacy of intolerance extends beyond the religious sphere...
Read more

ISIS Terrorists Slaughter Christians in the Congo

Image
For years the Democratic Republic of the Congo has been a region of great instability & violence with a dozen armed groups and over 100 criminal gangs operating in the Eastern region of the DRC alone.  Among those groups is the Allied Democratic Forces, a Jihadists terrorist organization that pledged allegiance to ISIS in 2018.  During the month of June, the group claimed responsibility for attacks that killed over 150 Christian villagers, 38 killed on the 8th of June alone.  The Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) recently released images posted by the Allied Democratic Forces on a Telegram account that detailed some of the recent horrific attacks.   Christian Villagers Slaughtered by the ADF Militants These Jihadists Militants, armed with guns & machetes, attacked soldiers and civilians alike.  Images revealed dozens of victims, some of whom were shot while others had their hands tied behind their backs & their throats slashed, clearl...
Read more