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RedditJust relax and take it if a rapist attacks you in Iran. If you fight back, you may find yourself sentenced to death, like 18-year-old Nazanin. Oh, but wait, I forgot, if you do get raped and don't have four male witnesses to the actual physical act, you can be imprisoned, flogged or stoned for having sex outside of marriage. Here's the shocking story, from Iran Focus via Feministing:
Tehran, Iran, Jan. 07 – An Iranian court has sentenced a teenage rape victim to death by hanging after she weepingly confessed that she had unintentionally killed a man who had tried to rape both her and her niece.
The state-run daily Etemaad reported on Saturday that 18-year-old Nazanin confessed to stabbing one of three men who had attacked the pair along with their boyfriends while they were spending some time in a park west of the Iranian capital in March 2005.
Nazanin, who was 17 years old at the time of the incident, said that after the three men started to throw stones at them, the two girls' boyfriends quickly escaped on their motorbikes leaving the pair helpless.
She described how the three men pushed her and her 16-year-old niece Somayeh onto the ground and tried to rape them, and said that she took out a knife from her pocket and stabbed one of the men in the hand.
As the girls tried to escape, the men once again attacked them, and at this point, Nazanin said, she stabbed one of the men in the chest. The teenage girl, however, broke down in tears in court as she explained that she had no intention of killing the man but was merely defending herself and her younger niece from rape, the report said.
The court, however, issued on Tuesday a sentence for Nazanin to be hanged to death.
I'm trying to get an update on the case, and will report back if I find out more, but meanwhile, take action.
Write the UN High Commissioner of Human Rights, Louise Arbour and ask for the UN to raise the case of Nazanin with Iran.
Sign the petition to Kofi Annan and Arbour.
And check out Amnesty International's page on underage executions in Iran-- Nazarin is far from alone. (I know this is just their bureaucratic language, but it bothered me that AI refers to Nazarin as a "child offender," when, in fact, she not only committed no crime in protecting herself and her niece but behaved with great courage.)
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This is disgusting. When is Iran going to join the 21st century?
Posted by Frank Thomas at 02/16/2006 @ 4:32pm
It is the kind of thing that almost makes me hate religion, or at least, fundamentalist religion. Then again, the whole idea of a theocracy is absurd in this day and age. The again, Israel is a theocracy of sorts. Then again, they don't do things like this in Israel.
In any case, I hope the world can save this young girl's life. If it is taken, it will be a terrible injustice. (And if, as the Iranian clerics might insist, it is truly "God's will" to take it, then God is a monster, and I want nothing to do with him!
Posted by Frank Thomas at 02/16/2006 @ 4:35pm
Exactly, Frank.
I am torn between Israels behavior in actuality and the fact that, technically, we are supporting a theocracy. (Seemed very un-American to me, until our current theocratic wanna-be regime.)
But it is a tough one. Of course, if they let palestinians in, being a democracy, (A good thing.), it would dilute and then destroy Israel. (A bad thing.)
So they are a theocracy. (A bad thing?)
Seems to me, if everyone joined the 21st century, (As you put it. I call it reality). Then we wouldn't need to support a bad thing, to prevent a bad thing.
It seems, overall, all our problems throughout the world are due to us "doing a bad thing to prevent a bad thing". The old "enemy of my enemy, is my friend" thing.
This is one topic, I (and the rest of the world), are glad I'm not in charge.
And people wonder why I think religion is not just for me, but bad for all.
Anyway...
Eric
Posted by malcontent3 at 02/16/2006 @ 4:53pm
Still wondering, if this is what a 'conservative' muslim does, how did christians spin 'conservatve' into a good word.
Change a few letters. To, say 'conservation' and they run screaming.
Sigh.
Eric
Posted by malcontent3 at 02/16/2006 @ 4:55pm
God is the monsters under our beds...all grown up.
Eric
Posted by malcontent3 at 02/16/2006 @ 4:56pm
Eric are you and I the ones who had a little debate/discussion about religion a few days ago on a different blog? You argued that it is ALL bad, and I was arguing that it is (or can be) a force for good at times?
Posted by Frank Thomas at 02/16/2006 @ 5:08pm
We could continue that discussion here perhaps.
Posted by Frank Thomas at 02/16/2006 @ 5:08pm
If they didn't have religion, they'd find some other excuse to execute her. This is about (certain) men hating and fearing women and wanting to maintain their power, as anyone in power is wont to do.
Posted by nothingruler at 02/16/2006 @ 5:09pm
Nothing, you may be right. Religion can be and often is used as an excuse for all manner of crimes (particularly, it seems, against women). Religion is sexist more BECAUSE men are sexist, rather than the other way around.
--On the other hand, religious dogma can and does reinforce sexist beliefs and attitudes, so it is a bit of a "what came first the chicken or the egg" kind of thing.
Posted by Frank Thomas at 02/16/2006 @ 5:16pm
In any case, codifying and divinely sanctioning sexism in the words of alledged "holy books" is undoubtedly one of the most clever and diabolical schemes ever hatched by the male half of our species.
Posted by Frank Thomas at 02/16/2006 @ 5:18pm
Though I agree that ultimately it comes from men first, who then codified it in religious works and thought.
By the way, if God DOES exist, I don't believe "he" is a sexist.
Posted by Frank Thomas at 02/16/2006 @ 5:25pm
Religion is the ultimate weapon of mass destruction. Just as nuclear energy has wonderful potential for good things, it can be harnessed to destroy the world. Religion, which has such wonderful potential no matter what religion you want to talk about, yet when used against the intent of its origin, religion can (and is) destroying the world.
Posted by BlueTexan at 02/16/2006 @ 5:45pm
Still wondering, if this is what a 'conservative' muslim does, how did christians spin 'conservatve' into a good word.
Posted by MALCONTENT3 02/16/2006 @ 4:55pm
Hey if Iran is doing it, Oklahoma can't be far behind.
give it time
Posted by Will C. at 02/16/2006 @ 5:47pm
what no wingers here to say this is a good thing? "keep them women in line if they were scared all the time. being scared is a good thing. that's what we need more of around here--fear. let them be afraid to show any part of their bodies. it would get all those little sluts under control. we'd have less poor young single mothers."
Posted by loveloki at 02/16/2006 @ 6:01pm
chip thornton, aren't you going to come to the defense of the iranians here? after all, iran would not tolerate women, who so get under your skin, like eve ensler. they would probably even let you stone her to death.
Posted by loveloki at 02/16/2006 @ 6:07pm
.
There is not going to be a hanging. This will be a test of the tensile strength of rope. Iran has a right like any other country to manufacture rope, naturally it must be tested. Naturally somebody has to do it. Naturally the Zionists are blowing this out of all proportion.
The truth is the girl is only too glad to offer her services. She volunteered. She was offered the alternative of burial up to her head in the ground so that Iran's Olympic baseball team could practice hitting her with little stones.
.
Posted by nacl at 02/16/2006 @ 6:09pm
Has anyone here read Daniel Quinn? He has some very interesting things to say about religion and religious thought - not that it has anything to do with hanging young women in Iran . . .
Posted by LClaire at 02/16/2006 @ 6:11pm
NACL -
I said it yesterday, and I'll say it again today.
You're sick.
Posted by New Dawn at 02/16/2006 @ 6:13pm
He'll probably bring the bag of rocks....
Posted by leftofcenter at 02/16/2006 @ 7:12pm
Seems to me that, despite this contemptible evil, there is hope in the story. First, both teenagers thought that they were morally right and the accusations were morally wrong. In other words, they did not buy into the evil frame. Second, the one teenager's parents thought she deserved competent legal representation. They too rejected the evil frame. This is where the hope lies.
The majority of Iranians are not insane religious fanatics. The majority of Iranians believe in justice and honor and morality. But right now the rational majority are living under the thumb of the Islamic equivalent of Dobson, Falwell, or Robertson. Instead of treating all Iranians as if they were immoral, irrational monsters, we should respect them for their best qualities. Instead of assuming all Muslims are are crazy as Pat Robertson, we should reach out and support those who have the courage to embrace our common humanity.
Fundamentalist religious fanatics are the same in every nation--America as well as Iran--regardless of their faith or theology. They are sexist. They are obsessed with violence. They are completely closed to reason. So it goes. But that a nation is controlled by evil fanatics by no means indicates that the nation itself is evil. Look at the U.S.! Cut the same slack to Iran. Appeal to the rational, moral majority.
Posted by Scarabus at 02/16/2006 @ 7:30pm
barbarians acting like barbarians...imagine that...
unfortunately the barbarians are well entrenched, and since we abandoned any effort to develop and implement alternitive energy 36 years ago when the smiling fascist took power, which would have financially neutered the barbarians and allowed us to leave them alone, we are cursed to evoke their stupid ire by practicing free speech and not sharing their barbaric version of religion. we got our own barbaric version of religion...
barbarians will be barbarians...and we just stirred up a whole mess of 'em...
Posted by ibbleblibble at 02/16/2006 @ 7:43pm
I signed similar petitions distributed by feminists back when the Taliban were in power. (Remember the good old days when the Left was against Islamic fascism?) Neither the petitions nor the United Nations accomplished anything for the women of Afghanistan. But the Taliban are gone....
Posted by RonS at 02/16/2006 @ 9:31pm
And, isn't it ironic that Bush's war to force democracy on Iraq will most likely end up creating another Shiite-controlled Iran?
Posted by bachbeet at 02/16/2006 @ 11:29pm
Posted by FRANK THOMAS 02/16/2006 @ 5:08pm
Yes, that was me.
Not a very good place to start a discussion from your defense of religion, is it?
As for the 'chicken and egg' "condundrum"...religion is made up by men.
It was, to me, obviously a method to keep women in their place since I was a small child.
Eric
Posted by malcontent3 at 02/16/2006 @ 11:40pm
Katha Pollitt: (I know this is just their bureaucratic language, but it bothered me that AI refers to Nazarin as a "child offender," when, in fact, she not only committed no crime in protecting herself and her niece but behaved with great courage.)
Maybe, just maybe, Amnesty International is a more reliable source than Shah-supporting Iran Focus? If the facts as described by the girl are true I would find her innocent and recommend her for a medal. But there is no particular reason why I should assume that her testimony is true . . . or that I should believe the accounts of the "Western" news media, or "liberals", when it comes to reporting on the Muslim world.
Is it another of these stories that a "liberal" poster was ranting about here last week in a case where the US news media made it appear that a "Sharia court" in Pakistan ordered a girl raped when in reality it was the Sharia court that overturned the dismissal of charges against the rapists by a civil court and demanded a new hearing? The US news media and much of the "Western" news media twisted the story into it's exact opposite.
Posted by fromredbird at 02/17/2006 @ 02:11am