Author: Dawood Mamedoff
Supporters of reformist candidate Hossein Mousavi continue to appeal the results of tenth presidential election which was held on 12 June, 2009 and reports of violence, arrests and attacks on opposition keep coming from Iran. At the same time no one can be absolutely sure that Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was not elected by the majority of Iranians. However another truth is also obvious: those who are in opposition to current regime can’t stand it any longer. Here I’ve tried to list all those regular occurrences that are commonly accepted in most of countries but are prohibited and punishable in Iran:
Conversion from religion. In Iran one of the crimes punishable by execution is an apostasy. In Islam it is commonly defined as the rejection in word or deed of their former religion (apostasy) by a person who was previously a follower of Islam. The major problem is that sentence of death for the crime of apostasy has been applied in Iran even to alleged offenders who have not claimed to have converted to another religion, and whose crime may appear to outsiders to be political rather than religious. Hashem Aghajari, for example was condemned to death for apostasy for a speech urging Iranians to “not blindly follow” Islamic clerics.
Critics of government. Any form of dissent, opposition and critics is rigidly clamped down by authorities. Charges such as “propaganda against the Islamic Republic”, “acting against national security”, “organizing illegal gatherings” have become increasingly common. They are so general that police can detain anyone for anything and give him a prison sentence. Iran is the only country that can ban a journalist from writing for the rest of his life. E.g. one of the leading reformist newspapers Kargozaran has been closed down recently just because of printing a letter from student activist which was critical of Hamas (Palestinian Islamic socio-political organization). Many journalists detained for expressing their beliefs are routinely subjected to physical and psychological abuse as part of the interrogation process. Even if they are eventually released the threat of being returned to jail is often used to intimidate them against any further activism or dissent. Many of them are subject to travel bans preventing them from leaving the country.
Dress code for women. In public, Islamic covering of the body and hair is mandatory. This consists of a “rupush” (a long-sleeved, non-form fitting coat that resembles a raincoat) and a headscarf covering the hair, ears and neck. This outfit must be worn all year around regardless of the temperature. Scarves should be large enough to cover the head and tie under the chin. Even when undertaking sporting activity in public (such as tennis or jogging), the dress code described above must be maintained. Punishments range from a verbal reprimand to 74 lashes with a whip to imprisonment for one month to a year. Moreover authorities are taking legal action against women who do not fully observe hijab, e.g. reveal part of their hair or use a some cosmetics. Teams of patrols are seen on the streets of Tehran, and in some other large cities, busting young girls and taking them into detention.
Dress code for men. Shorts should not be worn outside the house and garden. Short sleeved shirts are also used to be frowned upon. Ties are acceptable although worn rarely by Iranian men since the revolution. Government officials never sport a tie.
Women rights. Many laws have been enacted sharply restricting women’s educational and professional opportunities, reinforcing male control over women in the family, imposing gender segregation in many areas and adding discriminatory features to the criminal code. As an example the woman had to have written permission from her husband to travel outside the country. Custody of children is in the hands of the father and even after his death, in the hands of the male relatives on the father’s side. Citizenship is only through paternity. An Iranian man’s child from any woman would become an Iranian citizen automatically. An Iranian woman’s child from a non-Iranian would not be eligible for citizenship. Other discriminatory points include women’s lack of right to divorce, forced marriages, measuring the testimony of a male witness as equivalent to that of two female witnesses and so on.
Adultery. Under the Article 83 of the Iranian Penal Code sexual intercourse by married persons with anyone other than their spouse is illegal and should be punished by stoning to the death. Despite of making no difference between males and females the law affects women much more than their spouses. When caught in adulterous relationships, men can always claim to have been in a temporary marriage contract with the woman involved. Temporary marriage contracts, for hours or months or years, can be easily made between the partners. A married woman cannot escape stoning in the same way.
Sex outside marriage. Alongside murder and drug smuggling, sex outside marriage is also a capital crime. On 15 August, 2004, Atefah Sahaaleh was hanged in a public square in the Iranian city of Neka. Her death sentence was imposed for “crimes against chastity”. The state-run newspaper accused her of adultery and described her as 22 years old. But she was not married – and she was just 16. She was previously arrested for attending a party and being alone in a car with a boy. Being stopped or arrested by the moral police is a fact of life for many Iranian teenagers.
Homosexuality. LGBT rights in Iran since the Iranian Revolution of 1979 have come under governmental persecution, with public floggings and executions of lesbian, gay and bisexual individuals. According to The Boroumand Foundation, there are records of at least 107 executions with charges related to homosexuality between 1979 and 1990. Gay men are treated far more harshly under the law than lesbians, and some men undergo sex change operations—which the late government declared permissible in a fatwa—to avoid harsh penalties that include imprisonment or execution. However, transsexuals still report societal intolerance as well.
Trade unions. The forming independent trade unions and getting involved into related activities remains illegal in Iran. Section 6 of the Labour Law is vaguely worded in terms of workers forming free trade unions. It is reported that attempts to create a number of workers’ associations and strike actions over wages have been met by arbitrary arrests and violence by the security forces.
Children rights. Despite international condemnation, Iran continues the practice of juvenile executions, and according to Amnesty International at least 130 young offenders remain on death row in Iran’s prisons. At least seven juvenile offenders were executed in 2008, one of whom was under the age of 18 at the time of execution. The age of criminal responsibility in Iran is stipulated by Shari’a law: age 9 for girls and 15 for boys.
About the Author:
Read Dawood Mamedoff’s blog here: www.myhowtoos.com
Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – 10 reasons you would never live in Iran
