CRY FREEDOM.net

formerly known as
Womens Liberation Front

MORE INSIGHT MORE LIFE

Welcome to cryfreedom.net, formerly known as.Womens Liberation Front.  A website that hopes to draw and keeps your attention for  both the global 21th. century 3rd. feminist revolution as well as especially for the Zan, Zendagi, Azadi uprising in Iran and the struggles of our sisters in Afghanistan.

This online magazine will be published evey month and started December 2019. Thank you for your time and interest.

Gino d'Artali
indept investigative journalist
radical feminist and womens' rights activist

 

  

                             

 

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                                                                                                            CRYFREEDOM 2019/2020

CLICK HERE ON HOW TO READ ALL ON THIS PAGE

When one hurts or kills a women
one hurts or kills hummanity and is an antrocitie.
Gino d'Artali
and: My mother (1931-1997) always said to me <Mi figlio, non esistono notizie <vecchie> perche puoi imparare qualcosa da qualsiasi notizia.> Translated: <My son, there is no such thing as so called 'old' news because you can learn something from any news.>
Gianna d'Artali.


JINA MAHSA AMINI
The face of Iran's protests. Her life, her dreams and her death.

In memory of Jina 'Mahsa' Amini, the cornerstone of the 'Zan. Zendagi. Azadi revolution.
16 February 2023 | By Gino d'Artali

And also
Read all about the assasination of the 22 year young Jhina Mahsa Amini or Zhina Mahsa Amini (Kurdistan-Iran) and the start of the Zan, Zendagi, Azadi (Women, life, freedom) revolution in Iran  2022
and the latest news about the 'Women Live Freedom' Revolution per month in 2023: August 31 - 18--August 15 - 1
-part2 - August 15 - 1--July 31 - 16 -- July 15 -1--June 30 - 15--June 15-1--May 31 -16-- May 15-1--April--March--Feb--Jan   
So here is where the protests continue and I'll continue to inform you about it. That's my pledge.
Gino d'Artali
Indept investigative journalist
CLICK HERE ON HOW TO READ ALL ON THIS PAGE
When one hurts or kills a women
one hurts or kills hummanity and is an antrocitie.
Gino d'Artali
and: My mother (1931-1997) always said to me <Mi figlio, non esistono notizie <vecchie> perche puoi imparare qualcosa da qualsiasi notizia.> Translated: <My son, there is no such thing as so called 'old' news because you can learn something from any news.>
Gianna d'Artali.
Note by Gino d'Artali: The Zan, zendagi, azadi!> (Women, life, freedom)  will only then end when khamenei and his puppets i.e. the morality police, the basijis and the irgc give way or go away!!
And
For all topics below that may hopefully interest you click on the image:

'THE NO-HIJABIS

 Updated August 20, 2023 

'BIOLOGICAL

TERROR ATTACKS
AGAINST SCHOOLGIRLS'

'IRANIAN JOURNALISTS
UNDER SIEGE'

Updated August 24, 2023

'BLINDING

AS A WEAPON'
Updated July 18, 2023

'THE HANGING SPREE'

 Updated August 12, 2023

'TO WEAR OR NOT TO WEAR A HIJAB i.e. TO BE OR NOT TO BE A FREE WOMAN'
AUGUST 2023
August 15 - 11, 2023
<<The Hijab and Chastity Bill: Parliamentary Commission Approves 39 Articles...
and other news

August 8 - 7, 2023
<...As Iranian women and girls chanted during the uprising, <With or without the Hijab, onwards towards a Revolution.

and
<<Tehran Municipality to Deploy 400 Suppressive ‘Veil Watchers’ to Clamp Down on Women....
and
<<IRGC Chief Warns against Renewed Nationwide Protests....
and
..the coming commeration of Jina Mahsa Amini, heinously murdered by a basij for apparently wearing her hijab wrongfully....
and more!!

JULY 2023:
<<Iranian Woman Handed Harsh Sentence for <No-Hijab Infectious Disease> Disease? It are the mullahs with a non-curable tumor in their heads! Gino d'Artali
and
<<Woman from Kermanshah: Iranian women want to have equal rights with men....
JUNE 2023:
Tribute to
Sadiqeh Dowlatabadi....
and

OPEN SESAME BECAUSE WE (STUDENTS) WILL NOT GIVE IN TO
your demand to to wear the Maghna'eh, a black cloth covering their head, forehead, chin, and chest....
and other oppressive news

<<Defiance Against Mandatory Hijab Grows as Iranian Government Seeks  Stricter Measures....
and more news
or click here for May  2023

August 15 - 4, 2023
<<The Hijab and Chastity Bill: Parliamentary Commission Approves 39 Articles...
and
<<Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi threatens women who remove their hijab....
and

<<Iranian regime's paradox in imposing the compulsory Hijab>>....
and
<<Tehran Municipality to Deploy 400 Suppressive ‘Veil Watchers’ to Clamp Down on Women....
and more news

 

August 7, 2023
<...As Iranian women and girls chanted during the uprising, <With or without the Hijab, onwards towards a Revolution.>
 

August 3- July 31, 2023
<<IRGC Chief Warns against Renewed Nationwide Protests....
and
<<Hijab and Chastity Bill Fosters <National Division>....
and not to forget
..the coming commeration of Jina Mahsa Amini, heinously murdered by a basij for apparently wearing her hijab wrongfully....

 

Updates July 25 - 28, 2023
 July 25, 2023 - Tuesday 21.00 pm. UTC:
About the trials against the jailed journalists Niloofar Hamedi and Elahe Mohammadi who, shortly after Jina Mahsa Amini was murdered by the basiji for apparently wearing her hijab wrongfully, wrote about it are in awaiting the verdicts now. First in line is miss Hamedi...
and more...

Updates July 20 - 28, 2023
This upper-menu and given the fact that the Iranian women more and more refuse to accept the madatory hijab I'll update it  everyday approx. 22.00 pm o'clock UTC time
Click left or right to follow the updates

 

Updates July 20  - 25, 2023
July 24, 2023:
<<Mohammadi: <Tyrannical> Theocracy Uses Forced Hijab to Suppress Women....
and
July 23, 2023: Gino d'Artali's UTC's  of today
and
NCRI - Women Committee: <<
<<30.000 victims we never forget nor forgive....
July 21, 2023: NCRI - July 21, 2023 - in Podcast, Women's News
<<The Relaunch of the Morality Police in Iran...
and
July 22, 2023 - Sunday UTC 21.30 pm.: Opinion by Gino d'Artali

and
July 21, 2023: <<Iranian Sunni Cleric Denounces <Coercive Measures> Against Women without Hijab
....

 
'TO WEAR OR NOT TO WEAR A HIJAB or TO BE OR NOT TO BE A FREE WOMAN'
Unveiled And Unbroken, Woman's Revolution In Iran

A re-newed call to partipate at the upcoming commemoration of the killing of Jina Amini:
http://www.cryfreedom.net/2022-2023-commemoration-of-Jina-Amini.htm


Defiance Against Mandatory Hijab Grows as Iranian Government Seeks Stricter Measures

Updates August 15 - 11, 2023


Young woman tossing turban
NCRI - Womens committee - in women's news - August 15, 2023
<<The Hijab and Chastity Bill: Parliamentary Commission Approves 39 Articles
The legal commission of the mullahs' parliament has so far examined and adopted 39 of the 70 articles of the Hijab and Chastity Bill, officially renamed <Supporting the Family through Promotion of the Culture of Chastity and Hijab> bill. Mullah Naghdali, a member of the legal commission, told the semi-official Tasnim news agency, that the commission had examined and adopted 39 articles over the past two days which primarily deal with the obligations of various ministries and institutions to enforce the Hijab and Chastity bill. (The state-run Tasnim news agency, August 14, 2023) Naghdali said the remaining articles after article 38, are more controversial and will take more time to examine.
Penalties for girls under 18
In the meantime, another MP, Hossein Jalali from Rafsanjan, told the open session of the mullahs' parliament on August 14: <It is said that individuals under 18 will not be imprisoned. This is right, but it does not mean that they would not be punished in other ways. There are financial penalties, deprivation of social rights, etc. enumerated in the bill.> Jalali added, <Anyone under 18 might not have a driving license, but they have passports, jobs, education, bank accounts, internet, and cellphones. Therefore, deprivation of social services and financial penalties will still be applicable.>
Hijab and Chastity Bill examined according to Article 85
The clerical regime's parliament voted on Sunday, August 13, for the Hijab and Chastity bill to be examined by the Legal Commission instead of being debated in the parliament's open floor, in accordance with Article 85 of the Constitution. The MPs explained, considering that 59 representatives had registered over 1600 amendments, the discussion of the bill in the open session is tantamount to its <non-approval,> since it would take a long time. While they needed to pass the bill as soon as possible. The mullahs' parliament voted 175 in favor, 49 against, and 5 abstentions for the bill to be finalized by the Legal Commission and passed to the Guardian Council for final approval and enforcement. The laws adopted under Article 85, will be implemented on a <trial basis> for a period of time determined by the parliament and their final approval will be subject to the parliament’s decision.
Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, the President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, said in her tweet, <Excluding the debate over the inhuman hijab bill from the regressive parliament makes it evident that even Khamenei's hand-picked legislative body is internally divided and apprehensive over the potential consequences of such repression and the escalating public outrage. Iranian young women, girls, and youth valiantly confront the regime's corrupt and oppressive Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) at every turn and are determined to overthrow this criminal regime.>
Resilient Iranians Defy the Return of Guidance Patrols to the Streets
Amanollah Gharaii Moghadam, a state-affiliated sociologist, acknowledged the explosive state of Iran's society and warned that the bill will fail and lead to upheaval. Moghadam stated, <Today, the level of dissatisfaction among the people is high. Besides the high cost of living, society has also undergone significant intellectual changes. This society will never return to the days before the passing of Mahsa Amini.> (The state-run Faraz Daily website, August 14, 2023)>>
Source:
https://women.ncr-iran.org/2023/08/15/the-hijab-and-chastity-bill/

Iranwire - August 15,2023
<<Trio Handed Prison Terms over Mandatory Hijab
A man and two women have been sentenced to one year in prison each, 74 lashes and a fine for <disturbing public order, harassment and appearing in public without proper religious hijab,> local media reported. The trio can appeal the sentence, which was issued on August 14, according to Hamshahri newspaper. The report said that the case stems from a conflict that occurred at a medical center in the central city of Arak over the mandatory headscarf for women. In the incident, a woman <confronted> the trio, accusing the two women of not wearing a proper hijab and demanding that they cover up their hair. A confrontation followed between the woman and the three accused. The incident occurred amid an intensifying state crackdown on women flouting the Islamic Republic's strict dress code, with a growing number of defiant women being arrested and prosecuted in recent months. The government's Hijab and Chastity bill, which would impose harsher penalties for hijab violations, is currently being debated in parliament.>>
Source:
https://iranwire.com/en/women/119508-trio-handed-prison-terms-over-mandatory-hijab/

Iranwire - August 11, 2023
<<Crackdown on Hijab Violators: Hundreds of Vehicles Impounded in Iranian Province
Police in Iran's East Azerbaijan province say they have impounded 439 vehicles and initiated legal proceedings against a number of women accused of non-compliance with the Islamic Republic's mandatory headscarf laws. Provincial police commander Ali Mohammadi said on August 10 that women who disregard police warnings about hijab violations <will be referred to the judicial system.> He declined to provide the number of women facing legal cases. Mohammadi also said that restaurant and coffee shop owners are responsible for ensuring that their customers comply with hijab regulations and warned that those who fail to do so could face legal consequences. According to Saeed Montazer al-Mahdi, the police command spokesperson, a total of 991,176 SMSs were sent to vehicle owners across Iran between April 15 to June 15 warning them to abide by the compulsory hijab rules. As many as 2,000 vehicles were impounded during that period of time, he said. The intensifying crackdown on women flouting the Islamic Republic's strict dress code comes as parliament amended the government's Hijab and Chastity bill from 15 articles to 70. The proposed legislation, which would impose harsher penalties for hijab violations, has been met with widespread criticism from human rights groups.>>
Source:
https://iranwire.com/en/women/119400-crackdown-on-hijab-violators-hundreds-of-vehicles-impounded-in-iranian-province/

----

Iranwire - August 10,2023
<<More Shops, Amusement Park Closed over <Non-Observance> of Hijab
The Iranian government is widening its clampdown on public, commercial and tourist venues allegedly failing to comply with the Islamic Republic's strict dress code for women. A bookstore, a clothing shop and a popular amusement park were among the businesses forced to close in recent days for failing to enforce mandatory hijab rules for women. On August 9, the Didavar bookstore in Tehran announced on Instagram it had been sealed as it prepared to mark its third anniversary. In the central city of Isfahan, a clothing store, the Dopuod Gallery, was shut due to what authorities deemed <non-observance of hijab.> Earlier this month, a robotic-themed amusement park in Tehran was closed down for failing to enforce mandatory hijab rules for women visitors. RoboKids was cited for infractions of headscarf regulations, which led to the closure of one of the two branches it operates in the capital. The amusement park ranked second in this year's Second Innovation Challenge organized by UNICEF Iran and the Pardis Technology Park for offering children <a renewed chance at edutainment using Artificial Intelligence and Robotics.>
It has also won the top company award from Tehran's Amirkabir University.
Separately, Iran's largest online store Digikala had its administrative building sealed shut after images of female employees without a headscarf circulated on social media. Another web-based company, the Azki insurance company, announced a suspension of activities after female employees appeared in a promotional video without hijab. Hossein Islami, the head of the computer trade union organization of Tehran province, said that such suspensions presented a threat to the development of the digital economy in Iran.
<We will show a public reaction,> Islami said. Late last month, the Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance, Mohammad Mehdi Esmaeili, called the removal of the hijab a <red line,> including on online platforms. The Iranian authorities are also enforcing gender segregation in various settings, including universities, hospitals, educational and administrative centers, parks and tourist spots. In the port city of Bandar Abbas, reports surfaced on August 9 about the forced closing of a barber shop known for serving female clients. The head of Hormozgan province's Public Security Police cited <unconventional practices, such as playing Western music and styling women's hair> as the reason for the move. The shop's manager was arrested, and legal proceedings were initiated against him. Anger over the suppression of human rights in Iran has boiled over since the September 2022 death in police custody of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who had been arrested for allegedly wearing a hijab improperly. The nationwide protest movement appears to have waned in recent months, but resistance to forced hijab remains strong, with images of women walking in public spaces being widely shared on social media.>>
Source:
https://iranwire.com/en/women/119353-more-shops-amusement-park-closed-over-non-observance-of-hijab/

JINHA - Womens News Agency - Agust 10, 2023
<<Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi threatens women who remove their hijab
News Center- The crackdown of the Iranian regime on the protests that sparked in Iran and Rojhilat following the killing of Jina Mahsa Amini in custody continues.
Ebrahim Raisi threatened women
Since September 2022, Iranian women have removed their hijab in public spaces to protest the mandatory of hijab law by chanting the slogan, <Jin, Jiyan, Azadi (Women, Life, Freedom)> On Wednesday, Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi threatened women who remove their hijab, by saying, <The removal of the hijab will definitely come to an end.>
Morality police resume patrols
The Iranian regime has been using inhuman practices to quell protesters; thousands have been arrested, detained, tortured, threatened and hundreds, including children, have been killed and seven persons have been executed in the country since 2022. After the protests erupted in the country, the morality police patrols were paused.>>
Read more here:
https://jinhaagency1.com/en/actual/iran-s-president-ebrahim-raisi-threatens-women-removing-their-hijab-33678

Note from Gino d'Artali: Read also or listen to the below:
NCRI - August 8, 2023 - in Podast
<<Iranian regime's paradox in imposing the compulsory Hijab>>
Read more here:
https://women.ncr-iran.org/2023/08/08/paradox-compulsory-hijab/
and/or listen here:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1908986/13372230-the-iranian-regime-s-paradox-in-imposing-the-compulsory-hijab

NCRI - August 7, 2023 - Women's News
<<Tehran Municipality to Deploy 400 Suppressive ‘Veil Watchers’ to Clamp Down on Women
The NCRI Women's Committee issued a statement today, regarding the plan by Tehran Municipality to employ 400 Veil Watchers to prevent women from entering the metro station without covering their hair and handing them over to the police. The text of the statement follows: According to a report by the state-run website Etemad Online on August 6, the clerical regime is seeking to expand an atmosphere of terror and fear by deploying 400 security forces of Tehran Municipality under the name of 'Veil Watchers' in the Tehran metro with a monthly salary of 120 million rials. As claimed by regime officials, the duty of these oppressive forces is to issue verbal warnings and prevent unveiled individuals from entering the metro, reporting them to the police in case of resistance. Paying such high salaries to suppressive forces targeting women comes at a time when, according to the Supreme Labor Council's decision, the minimum monthly wage for Iranian workers in the current Iranian year of 1402 is less than 50 million rials. Unprecedented inflation and soaring prices have placed immense burdens on workers and laborers. Heart-wrenching scenes of men, women, and children rummaging through garbage bins for their meager sustenance trouble the conscience of any human being, except for the ruling mullahs and the criminal authorities who have abandoned all sense of humanity. The NCRI Women's Committee calls on all freedom-loving youth to stand against these oppressive measures targeting noble women and urges defenders of human and women's rights to condemn these actions under the pretext of combatting improper veiling. During the 2022 uprising, Iranian women demonstrated with slogans like <With or without hijab, we march towards revolution,> proving that attaining gender equality and minimum women's rights is contingent upon overthrowing the religious fascism ruling Iran. As Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), has declared, <No to compulsory religion, no to compulsory hijab, and no to compulsory government.> >>
Source:
https://women.ncr-iran.org/2023/08/07/tehran-municipality-veil-watchers/

France 24 - August 6, 2023 - Text by Bahar Makooi
<<Iran forces women defying hijab laws into psychiatric treatment
Authorities in Iran are trying to enforce laws obligating women to cover their hair by sending them into psychological treatment. While healthcare organisations warn the country’s judiciary is hijacking psychiatric medicine for its own purposes, others cite the move as being a sign of the inability to enforce hijab laws. In a symbolic act of defiance, Iranian actress Afsaneh Bayegan has repeatedly posted photos of her unveiled hair on Instagram, and recently attended a public ceremony without a hijab. The move irked Iranian authorities, who have been looking for new ways to force women into covering their hair. Bayegan, 61, was given a two-year-suspended prison sentence and ordered to visit a <psychological centre> once a week to <treat her anti-family personality disorder>, the country's Fars News Agency reported on July 19. Many Iranian women have chosen to start showing their hair since the death of Mahsa Amini in September 2022 after being detained by Iran's morality police for <improperly> wearing her headscarf. Iranian celebrities, athletes and actresses have followed suit in solidarity. <The sentence that [Bayegan] was given sets an example,> explains Azadeh Kian, an Iran specialist and professor of political science at Universite Paris Cite. Bayegan was one of Iran's first cinema stars after the Islamic Revolution in 1979 and is a respected figure on Iranian television. Bayegan's case is not an isolated one. Iranian judges recently <diagnosed> Iranian actress Azadeh Samadi with an <antisocial personality disorder> after she wore a hat instead of a hijab at a funeral. Samadi will also have to seek therapy weekly in a <psychological centre>.
A justice system criticised by Iran's psychiatrists At the start of July, a Tehran court sentenced a woman to two months in prison and six months of psychological treatment for <a contagious psychological disorder that leads to sexual promiscuity> because she didn't wear a hijab. The surge in sentences forcing women to undergo psychological treatment has alarmed the Iranian psychiatric sector. In an open letter sent to the head of the country's judiciary, Gholam-Hossein Mohseni Ejei, on July 23, the presidents of four mental health organisations accused authorities of <exploiting psychiatry> for other purposes. <Diagnosing mental health disorders is the responsibility of psychiatrists, not judges,> they decried. >>
Do read more here:
https://www.france24.com/en/asia-pacific/20230806-iran-forces-women-defying-hijab-laws-into-psychiatric-treatment

Iranwire - August 4, 2023 - by SHADYAR OMRANI
<<Influential Iranian Women: Shahnaz Azad (1901-1961)
When Shahnaz Azad (|born as| Roshdieh) published a sharply-toned article on the necessity of women's education in the autumn of 1920, with the above as the opening sentence, she was only 20 years old. This passionate young woman, whose newspaper, Women's Epistle, appeared more than 100 years ago, lit a bonfire under the deadwood of Iran's patriarchal and misogynistic society. She went on to serve as editor-in-chief of the fourth Iranian women’s newspaper, targeting hijab as the most significant cause of Iranian women's <backwardness> and insisted that women remove it, at a time when no woman was even allowed to leave her house without chador, veil and the permission of her male guardian or husband. Above its logo, her newspaper bore the legend <Women are Men's First Teachers.> Beneath, it said: <This newspaper is to awaken and redeem the rights of deprived and oppressed Iranian women.>
....
Azad was the eldest daughter of Mirza Hassan Tabrizi, the founder of modern education in Iran who became known as Hassan Roshdieh. Originally a native of the city of Tabriz, he went to the Ottoman Empire to continue his education. There, he became familiar with modern elementary schools called Roshdiehs which, contrary to the traditional schools in Iran, taught the alphabet to children aged six to nine years old.
....
When Roshdieh's daughter Shahnaz was born in 1901, he decided to educate his daughter himself.
In the same year when Shahnaz's father began teaching her, the first rumbles of the Constitutionalist Movement were heard. Shahnaz's education coincided with the signing of the Constitutional Order by the Shah and other historic events which later encouraged her to join progressive women's associations at a young age. Shahnaz's father went further than mere homeschooling. He took her and her sister, disguised in boys' clothing, to school and made them promise not to disclose that they were girls. Their clandestine study behind the boys' desks at the school where their father was the principal lasted for several years, until finally, by the efforts of Bibi Khanoom Astarabadi and later Tuba Azmudeh, girls' schools were established and Roshdieh’s daughters took their places there instead. Shahnaz was just 16 years old when she married a famous journalist, Abolghasem Azad Maraghei. Because her husband was an intellectual, the marriage did not hinder her further education or social activities.
....
The marriage gave Shahnaz the freedom she needed to become more active in political and journalistic spheres. Together with Abolghasem, she founded the Women's Epistle newspaper, a radical and progressive publication that criticized the patriarchal society. Shahnaz, who was only 19, wrote the editorials. In the inaugural issue, she wrote: <What is there that hinders us to see with our own eyes, hear with our own ears, and walk on our healthy feet on the highway of progress? Hijab, delusions, and the shackles of fogeyism.> <To be frank, European women work much better than Iranian men. It is surprising that Iranians have still not realized that if women are not educated, men will not become the kind of men they should be. Aren't women their life-companion? In that case how can he allow his house, his life, his properties, his respect and dignity, to fall into the hands of an illiterate woman?> <Women's education,> Azad concluded, <is more imperative than men's because men's knowledge depends on women's knowledge, and not otherwise. In all countries, women number more than men. If they do not see women's education as necessary, then half the world will be out of the sphere of humanity, and the rest, men, will also be out as a result of their mothers' ignorance.> >>
Read all here:
https://iranwire.com/en/women/119182-influential-iranian-women-shahnaz-azad-1901-1961/


<Using smart surveillance systems to identify defiant women>
NCRI - August 3, 2023 - in Articles, Women's News
<<2250 Cases Filed Against Women Defying Compulsory Hijab
825 Women Convicted and Unjustly Sentenced
The spokesperson of the Iranian judiciary recently reported a concerning trend in the first four months of the Persian year (March 21 to July 22). During this period, a total of 2,251 cases were filed against women removing their Hijabs. Out of these cases, 825 resulted in convictions, according to Massoud Setayeshi, who responded to the state-run Fars news agency. Setayeshi explained the consequences of such actions based on Article 638 of the Islamic Penal Code. He stated that those who remove their headscarves would be directly taken to court. A first-time offense would lead to a fine of 15 million Rials, while repeat offenders would face additional punishments along with the fine. Notably, if the accused is a famous person or a celebrity, they may be subjected to supplementary penalties, which are also publicly reported through media channels. (The state-run Fars news agency, August 2, 2023)
In a separate development, the General Justice Department of Qazvin province revealed that 123 instances of people wearing hijabs were captured by smart surveillance systems and public reports in public thoroughfares. Additional identification documents, including images from citywide cameras or submitted by individuals, are currently with the IRGC Intelligence Organization. After proper identification, the results will be made public, and court cases will be initiated for summons and potential criminal prosecution, as stated by the state-run ILNA news agency on August 2, 2023.
Bracing for the Uprising Anniversary
With the approaching anniversary of the Iran uprising on September 16, 2022, the clerical regime is making efforts to escalate repression in an attempt to prevent the upcoming protests. The crackdown on women under the pretext of the compulsory Hijab, along with widespread arrests and the imposition of heavy sentences for protesters and activists, are integral parts of the regime’s general roadmap to maintain its grip on power at any cost.>>
Source:
https://women.ncr-iran.org/2023/08/03/2500-cases-filed-against-women/ 

Iranwire - August 3,2023
<<Pressure Mounts on Opponents to Forced Hijab Ahead of Amini Anniversary
The Iranian government is intensifying measures to suppress opponents of mandatory headscarf rules, as the one-year anniversary of Masha Amini's death in police custody draws near. Judiciary spokesman Masoud Setayeshi has recently announced that over 2,200 hijab-related cases have been filed over the past four months, with 825 convictions. And on August 1, Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi said that <responsible agencies> will deal with those who promotie <nudity.> Vahidi emphasized that such behavior will be considered acts of <lawlessness> and will have <consequences.>Parliament has taken a hard-line stance on the matter in recent months, amending the government's Hijab and Chastity bill from 15 articles to 70.
Hard-line lawmakers and Friday imams have called for harsher measures against those opposing mandatory hijab, including <flogging> or revoking licenses of businesses which fail to enforce mandatory headscarf laws. Political figures, lawyers and the media have opposed such measures.
Azar Mansouri, head of the Reform Front political group, has criticized the Hijab and Chastity Bill, arguing that people should have the right to choose their clothing freely. Former President Mohammad Khatami called on the government to recognize that a significant portion of society opposes compulsory hijab. Despite the government's pressure on the population to abide by the Islamic Republic's strict dress code, images of women walking in public spaces are widely shared on social media.>>
Source:
https://iranwire.com/en/women/119141-pressure-mounts-on-opponents-to-forced-hijab-ahead-of-amini-anniversary/

Iranwire - August 2,2023
<<IRGC Chief Warns against Renewed Nationwide Protests
The commander-in-chief of the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) has warned against a resurgence of widespread protests in Iran on the anniversary of Mahsa Amini's death next month. Last year's anti-establishment protests sparked by Amini's death <represented the most powerful, most dangerous, most serious and far-reaching opposition to the Islamic Republic,> Hossein Salami told officials of the paramilitary Basij force on August 1. <The enemy intends to instigate sedition on the anniversary of the events that occurred during the autumn,> Salami said, calling for a proactive <prevention> approach to <counter this threat.> He also praised the joint efforts by the Basij and IRGC in suppressing the women-led protest movement. Amini, 22, died on September 16, three days after being arrested by the morality police in Tehran for allegedly wearing a headscarf improperly. Her death triggered months of nationwide demonstrations that quickly escalated into calls for the overthrow of the Islamic Republic. The authorities cracked down hard on the demonstrations, killing hundreds of people and unlawfully detaining thousands. While the protests appear to have waned in recent months, resistance to mandatory hijab law for women remains strong. The Iranian government's ongoing crackdown on women flouting the Islamic Republic's strict dress code and businesses failing to enforce hijab rules on their customers appear to be part of a <prevention> strategy promoted by Salami. Recently, the head of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's representatives at the universities has warned that academic institutions could become hotspots for a resurgence of demonstrations. He predicted that if the protesters failed to take significant action during the first anniversary of the <Woman, Life, Freedom> demonstrations, the protest movement would face a <complete failure.> >>
Source:
https://iranwire.com/en/politics/119097-irgc-chief-warns-against-renewed-nationwide-protests/
Opinion by Gino d'Artali: the IRGC are scared like head-less chicken when they'll be running around not knowing where to look first nor what they can do and when the No-hijabis and other protesters commemorating Jina Mahsa Amini' death and killing will not know where to hide when they hear shouts like: there's no way you can hide. Now we'll track and maybe club you down for the kill!!!

Iranwire - July 31, 2023 - by MEHRANGIZ KAR
<<Hijab and Chastity Bill Fosters <National Division>
The administration of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has not only attempted <self-subversion> but has also tried to foster <national division> within Iran. One of the controversial actions taken by the government was the creation and swift approval of the <Hijab and Chastity Bill,> which was sent to parliament and received the green light from the legislature's Judicial Committee with the assistance of some pressure groups. This bill appears to instigate conflict and discord, potentially leading to national fragmentation, which can be even more dangerous than geographical fragmentation. National fragmentation, in this context, refers to the divisive lines drawn between different groups within the country, such as men and women, Muslims and non-Muslims. By forcing citizens to turn against each other, the bill disrupts social harmony and fosters insecurity among the population. This will have severe consequences as people may feel compelled to prioritize personal interests over the rights and security of others. For instance, individuals may be coerced into reporting on women who choose not to wear the compulsory hijab, which would lead to their unjust persecution by security agencies. The repercussions of this bill have already shaken national unity, creating an atmosphere of tension and mistrust among the Iranian populace. The proposed law aims to incite conflict and control the population through fear and intimidation. It involves various governmental and non-governmental institutions that will violate basic human rights. Criminalization of disobeying hijab legislation, as supported by Ruhollah Khomeini and his associates, disregards the principles of human authenticity and equality that are fundamental to a just society.
Principle of the Personal Nature of Crime and Punishment
This principle prohibits any legislator, regardless of their school of thought or profession, from imposing punishment on a person based on the assumption that another citizen has committed the crime. However, in the bill, sellers of goods and services, taxi drivers, pharmacies and numerous other business owners will face punishment if a woman without hijab enters their business or taxi and is not immediately reported to the security forces.
Principle of Proportionality of Crime and Punishment
Under this principle, the legislator establishes punishments proportionate to the harm caused by a specific crime to others. Consequently, even if we were to accept the criminalization of not abiding by hijab laws, which is not a common practice, it remains important to recognize that a woman without a headscarf does not inflict financial or personal harm to others. As such, a severe punishment should not be imposed upon the violator of the law. The notion that religious individuals feel disturbed by seeing women without hijab is an illusion that allows the legislature to unjustly impose significant financial fines and long-term prison sentences on those who protest against compulsory hijab rules. However, such claims are baseless and serve as excuses to deprive women of their freedom to choose their attire. Furthermore, the bill's provision establishing financial penalties and job suspensions for business owners, artists, media workers, celebrities and others, without considering people's rights, lacks legal validity. It violates the principle of proportionality, as the punishments are disproportionate to the supposed harm caused by their actions.
Principle of Comprehensiveness and Hindrance of Legal Definitions
This principle is neglected in the bill. Examples of violations of <hijab and chastity> rules are unexpectedly vague and ambiguous. The legislator has not provided a comprehensive definition of hijab, leaving room for confusion and uncertainty. Additionally, the meanings of terms such as <nudity,> <semi-naked,> <tight,> and <revealing clothes> are not clearly defined, raising questions about how these definitions will be interpreted and applied in practice. Moreover, it is concerning that judges, bailiffs and officials are granted the authority to subjectively use criminal definitions based on their personal preferences, leading to potential abuse of power. Overall, the definition of <bad clothing> remains quite vague and open to multiple interpretations.
Principle of Territoriality of Laws and Lack of Inclusiveness
Contrary to the principle of territoriality, the bill mandates the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to participate in the establishment and fortification of global initiatives aimed at <defending family unity among nations.> This aspect of the bill reveals the interventionist policy of the Islamic Republic and represents another facet of the <exporting of the revolution> claim. It appears that the authors are ensnared in a self-conceited belief that they can wield influence by drafting agreements that oppose gender and sexual equality, ultimately reinforcing gender apartheid worldwide.
Principle of Adherence to International Rights Standards
Legislative institutions in countries violating this principle lose global credibility.
In the aftermath of the Mahsa Amini movement, Iranians have become highly sensitive to any attempts to undermine the Islamic Republic through infiltration and subversion. Both citizens within and outside the country closely follow the actions of the Islamic Republic's leaders, given the extensive scrutiny applied to Iranians' lifestyles and actions by the Basij, IRGC and other security institutions. This scrutiny aims to expose any falsehoods and excessive wealth, particularly when obtained through illicit financial means. Leaving aside the legal principles governing legislation, the Iranian government's recent bill has failed to elicit the excitement and support of mourners during Ashura. It is evident to ordinary citizens that the bill's implementation is impractical and destined to fail. The issue of mandatory hijab has been a point of failure for the Islamic Republic since its inception and led to continuous conflicts with women. The government has employed various means to enforce mandatory hijab, but despite 44 years of efforts, it has faced significant resistance, especially from the Mahsa Amini movement. This bill does not quell opposition to mandatory hijab; instead, it inadvertently alienates seemingly silent segments of society such as businessmen, business owners and employees of the service sector. The government's ongoing battle with opponents of mandatory hijab engulfs all sectors of production and trade, the press, cinema and more, intensifying anger and reinforcing the belief that the Islamic Republic must be ousted at any cost. The authors of the bill seem to have anticipated their government's short life and aim to sow division among the people. Without a doubt, millions of women opposing mandatory hijab are aware of the hate literature that has been directed at them for decades. The approval of <hate laws governing gender apartheid> only strengthens their resolve. While these women will continue to fight for their rights, the tension in society is escalating. Women without hijab face increased security risks, and those with optional hijab, previously protected by civil activists, become even more vulnerable. Heightened vulnerability contributes to national division. The Raisi administration hopes to divert the nation's focus away from reconciliation and prosperity under a secular government.>>
Source:
https://iranwire.com/en/blogs/119032-hijab-and-chastity-bill-fosters-national-division/
 

 
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