An Iranian’s
Woman’s View on Islamic Laws
My name
is Shiva Mahbobi. I am a women’s rights activist from Iran and a member
of the public relations of the International Committee against Stoning
(ICAS).
First of all, I would like to thank the organizers for inviting
me to this conference and also would like to thank all of you for being
here.
24 years ago when the Islamic regime of Iran announced that all
women must wear the Islamic dress code (Hijab), thousands of women came
to the streets of Tehran to protest against this law. They were chanting
“Women’s Rights are Universal” and “we didn’t take part in the revolution
to go backwards”. They said NO to the compulsory Islamic dress code and
NO to the Islamic rules and policies. Since then women in Iran have been
fighting against the Islamic laws and traditions; they have fought against
sexual apartheid, and have fought for freedom and equality every
day of their lives. I am sure you would do the same thing if you were
told starting from tomorrow:
- You will be separated from men in all public places including universities and transportation
- You have to obey the Islamic dress code and you will be punished if you don’t
- You have no right to travel without the permission of the male of the family
- You have no right to divorce and if you get divorce you won’t have the custody of your children
- You will face imprisonment, flogging and paying fine if you were arrested while walking with your boyfriend or wore make-up
- You have no place to go and seek refuge if your husband abuses you, beats you up or rapes you
- You have no right to work if your husband disagrees
- You will be subjected to oppression and discrimination in all aspects of your life.
- You will be stoned to death if you have sexual relation out of marriage.
In Iran where an Islamic state is governing the country and law
is based on Islam, stoning which is torture and a gradual death and the
most inhumane and horrifying form of punishment is carried out for women
and men (mostly women) for committing extra-marital relationship. Stoning
has been officially introduced in the country’s penal codes.
According to article 102 of Islamic Penal Code, A man is buried
to his waist, while a woman is buried up to her chest and stoned to death.
Article 104 defines the size of stones and stipulates: In stoning
to death, the stones should not be so large that the person dies upon
being hit by one or two of them, neither should they be so small that
they cannot be called a stone.
An eye-witness in Iran has described a scene of stoning in the city
called Gohardasht in Iran:
“To the astonishment of the people, the two sentenced were dragged
to the designated area; their hands were tightly tied behind their backs
and their whole bodies were covered with white shroud. Then the mercenaries
dug holes in the hill of soil and the sentenced were covered up to their
waists in dirt. In order to prevent the sentenced from escaping, water
was added to the soil. Then the cleric ordered the stoning. Within
the first few seconds, the two sentenced lost control because of the
intensity of pain; they bent to the ground while blood leaked out from
under their grave clothes. After a few minutes, the cleric announced
that the “evils” had died and proclaimed the end to the stoning.
“
It’s hard to believe that cruel laws such as stoning are still happening
in the 21 century and in fact it’s the law of a country.
Since the Islamic regime of Iran came to the power, tens of women
and men, again mostly women, have been stoned to death and many including
Ferdos.B, Shahnaz and Sima have been sentenced to stoning and are currently
in prison.
During these 24 years, women have been able to push back the misogynist
Islamic regime and some of its laws. One of these laws is stoning. In
the light of the massive campaigning and protests both inside and outside
the country against stoning, in December of 2002 the Islamic regime of
Iran had to announce the suspension of stoning law. They suspended
stoning not because they believe it is an inhuman law, but because
they believe it gives the Iranian regime a bad image internationally.
Therefore, soon after, they announced execution as a form of punishment
for sexual relationship out of marriage instead of stoning. In mid summer
of 2003, the execution of Shahnaz, 35 years-old Iranian woman, was
finalized and she is awaiting her sentence to be carried out. Prior
to Shahnaz in the beginning of winter of 2003, another woman by the name
of Khair-ol-Nessa was sentenced to execution.
When we talk about women’s situation in Iran and their rights in
conferences, we sometimes face questions like, isn’t this the culture
of people in Iran? Aren’t women in Iran or other Islamic-stricken countries
happy to live in that condition? Etc. These questions are mostly
raised by the defenders of cultural relativism. Cultural relativism bases
people’s rights on where they were born and therefore has double standard
for human rights. This idea believes that, what is happening to women
in the Islamic-stricken countries such as Iran is acceptable by women
and it is in fact part of their culture. They say, stoning and beating
women is part of the culture of these countries and women have chosen
to be treated like this. This idea respects all cultures no matter how
reactionary they are. They don’t realized or don’t want to realize
that, this is in fact the culture of the Islamic regime that is imposed
on people in Iran. I have started my speech with an example of the protest
of women to prove that woman in Iran have always been protesting against
the Islamic rules. More over, I believe, to abolish stoning we have to
address the root of it, which is the Islamic rule. Nowadays, political
Islam is one the main reason for women’s misery in the Islamic-stricken
countries therefore, the first step to save millions of women in these
countries from stoning, abuse and violence is separation of state from
religion and bringing down the political Islam from power.
Finally, what we can do about this situation and how can we help?We
are all here because we do care about women’s rights and we are against
the brutal law of stoning. This conference and other conferences such
as this are a good opportunity to find out about women’s situation in
different countries but more importantly, these conferences are good
opportunity to build international solidarity in defense of women’s rights
as well. At the moment three women Ferdos.B, Sima and Shahnaz are in
prison in Iran and waiting to be killed and as I mentioned previously,
Shahnaz’s sentence has been finalized. Right now the ICAS has two
campaigns, one is to save Amina Lawal in Nigeria and one is to save Shahnaz
in Iran. You can join this committee and its campaigns to save the lives
of these two women and to abolish stoning law in all the Islamic-stricken
countries. No matter where we are from, stoning a woman to death
is an insult to every one of us and to humanity.
We have a resolution condemning stoning in all Islamic-stricken
countries. I would like to urge the conference to adopt this resolution
and send it to the respective governments.
We need to show the world that we will not stand idle while women
are massacred.
We must show to the world that we are united to defend women’s rights.
Women’s rights are universal.
Together we can make a difference.
Thank you
ALSO SEE:
IS THE ISLAMIC HIJAB A WOMAN'S RIGHT?