I wanted to keep a few articles I have read recently handy so just bear with me.
Iran executes woman accused of murdering lover’s wife
Her execution is a defeat for human rights activists around the world who campaigned in the past nine years to stop Iran from carrying out her sentence. Last night, Amnesty International and several human rights campaigners called on Iran to stop her execution.
In 2008, the then chief of Iran’s judiciary, Ayatollah Hashemi Shahroudi, ordered a fresh investigation and did not sanction her execution to be carried out. But today Iran defied the international and domestic outcry by hanging her.
Activists in Iran widely suspect that Jahed was forced to confess to the stabbing. Karim Lahidji, the president of the Iranian League for Human Rights, described her as “a victim of a misogynous society” and said: “Shahla Jahed has never had a fair trial in Iran and has always insisted that she is innocent. Although Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani’s case is about adultery, her case is similar to that of Shahla Jahed because both are victims of the flaws of the Iranian judicial system.”
He added: “We are approaching the Human Rights Day on 10 December and once again Iran is executing another woman. That’s a clear signal that Iran wants to challenge the world on human rights issues.”
This is heartbreaking:
Jahed told the judge at her public trial: “If you want to kill me, go ahead … if you send me back there [where her confessions were taken], I’ll confess again and not only will I confess to killing her but I’d also confess that I killed those who have been killed by others.” She then repeatedly reiterated that she was innocent and that she had not committed any crime.
It is very disturbing that this “victim of misogynous society” was indeed hanged, I wonder what this means for another woman in prison over in Iran…Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani.
Then there is this bit about Angelina Jolie:
Bosnian wartime rape victims slam ‘ignorant’ Jolie
(AFP) – 1 day ago
SARAJEVO — Bosnian victims of sexual violence during the 1990s war on Monday slammed “ignorant” actress-turned-director Angelina Jolie, who is shooting a movie about Bosnia that has sparked controversy.
“Angelina Jolie’s ignorant attitude towards victims says enough about the scenario and gives us the right to continue having doubts about it,” the Women Victims of War (WVW) association said in a letter published Monday.
I think that WVW have a point…
“We wanted to talk woman to woman. She should have asked after the victims, come (to Bosnia) before the shooting to hear our voice.”
“As far as we are concerned a love story could not have existed in a camp. Such an interpretation is causing us mental suffering,” she stressed.
The 1992-1995 war between Bosnia’s Croats, Muslims and Serbs claimed some 100,000 lives.
Government officials estimate that at least 20,000 mostly Muslim women were raped during the conflict.
Again from Guardian,
Erin Brockovich’s town in second battle over pollution
Residents of Hinkley, made famous by Julia Roberts film, fight to stop history repeating itself over contaminated water supply.
I guess being a paralegal for so many years, it makes me appreciate the work that Brockovich did on these cases. I am glad to see she is still fighting and working for the people.
And one more from The New Agenda:
When New is Old: The Men in Charge of Women’s Magazines
And it involves the departure of two women – Ann Moore from TIME Inc. and Cathleen Black at Hearst who is Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s schools chancellor pick.
Their ages? 47, 49, 49, 50. Hey – wait a minute – that’s my generation. Almost exactly. Didn’t I have a lot of women in my generation who, you know, had the same opportunities etc.? Oh well – this isn’t “my” industry. I’m sure someone can explain the absence of women to me.
There is a list of women’s magazines, and there is a lot of them, that are run by men. I find it interesting….like when a male gynecologist tells me that my severe PMS is all in my head. I want to scream: Well what gives you the right to know and understand something that only women experience. Anyway, it is interesting to see just how many magazines that target women, and stand as a commentary about women’s issues are run by men. Hey, I know the difference between “Shit and Shinola” and this sure ain’t shoe polish.
Filed under: Absorbing Cock and Bull, Bosnia, Human Rights, Iran, Jolie, misogynous, Women, Women's issues
