Muslim Women Across Iran are Standing Up for their Rights
The 22- Year-Old Mahsa Amini Was Killed Standing Up For Her Beliefs By Iran's Morality Police. Now The Women Of Iran Are Protesting Across The Country For Equal Rights.
By Hector Rivera | Friday, October 20, 2003
Mahsa Amini, honored with the European Union’s (EU’s) highest human rights prize for her courage to stand up for women’s freedom and human rights to be treated fairly and with respect in Iran. The EU’s Sakharov Award, “The Prize for Freedom of Thought,” was announced by the European Parliament President Robert Metsola on Thursday, October 19th. It is a distinguished prize given out yearly to a remarkable person(s) and/or group(s) who defend human rights and the rights of freedom. It was established by the European Union (EU) in 1988 honoring the Russian Physicist — Andrei Dmitrievich Sakharov (1921-1980) who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1975.
Mahsa (Jina) Amini, murdered because of her beliefs; her spirit, imagery, and her stance. She now serves, in her death, as a “Martyr” for justice and women’s rights not only in Iran, but around the world. Amini, the 22-year-old Kurdish woman from Sanandaj in western Iran, was arrested for the act of improperly wearing her “hijab.” For this she was severely beaten prior to being jailed by Iran’s “Guidance Patrol Officers” to later die in police custody.
This shining light of Iran did not die for nothing. She will always be remembered for her gallantry. It was the sole action and the underestimated decision by Iran’s “Morality Police” that sparked widespread unrest and demonstration across the country, including in its schools and universities. It was initially reported by authorities that Amini death was as a result of a medical condition which led to her slipping into a comma within a couple hours of her arrest, a claim vehemently denied by her family.
To illustrate the control Iran places on its citizens, in 2022, during the labor union strike and the union’s ongoing protest against rising prices, it was met with extreme and violent force by the Iranian government. According to Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), in or around May 2021/2022, over 69 worker’s rights activist had been arrested, dozens more summoned for interrogations with many subjected to violence and torture.
Authorities have shown absolutely no willingness to investigate serious human rights violations committed under their control. It should be noted that the protest and the surrounding issues pertaining to the “women’s protest” in Iran was not to initiate a military style coup on the Iranian government: the illegal and most often violent takeover of Iran’s administration or, it’s top leadership.
The Iranian women only seek to be treated fairly and humanely by its government. They want to remove the archaic and abusive restrictions placed on women and girls in Iran. Laws and regulations which prevents Iranian women from gaining a decent education and having the ability to traveling to America or anywhere — as the males — to further their academic studies should they find it necessary.
Just as the women in America in 2023, the women in Iran want to secure the same freedom of choice to do what they want with their bodies as the American women now protest their Supreme Court’s decision on Abortion rights. We, the women of the world are no less than our male counterparts and we demand equal rights, freedom to choose, and nothing more. The violent attacks and oppressive body of laws governing women must stop.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) documented security forces using shotguns, assault rifles, and handguns indiscriminately against protesters, in what was largely a peaceful and crowded setting. According to (HRW), On September 30, 2022, security forces opened fire on demonstrators in the town of Zahedan (Sistan and Baluchistan Province), killing and injuring dozens. And as of November 14, of that same year, human rights groups were investigating the reported death of 341 protesters, including 52 children. (HRANA English on Twitter: “Daily Statistics on Iran Protests #Iran #IranProtests https://t.co/Sfeqm84h4p”/TwitterProtest)
Women’s freedom is not much to ask for as it should be automatic. No one has the right to cast restrictions on another human being, and especially when they only seek to better themselves without causing harm to others. The Muslim women of Iran do not have a problem with men. It is the autocratic system of government, the physical and mental abuse carried out by the ruling class of men and the ruthless police and their methodology in policing that is the problem. It has been far too long that the women of Iran have had their dreams, and beliefs destroyed by the historical and current autocratic fascist regime seeking to restrict women’s self-determination, and ultimately their success.
The forceful suppression of women or any opposition to Iran’s authoritarian governmental policies must cease and desist immediately, so we (the women of Iran or, others) don’t have another incident like the murder of Mahsa Amini and the ongoing protest for human rights.
We at BUTO Magazine will keep you abreast of all the latest news on the Iran’s women protests and their condemnation of the government for Amini’s death, as well as the progress toward eradicating Iran’s outdated [draconian] laws governing women’s rights to think and be free.
