ISSUE #59 CONTENTS:
- One Mile of Global Solidarity
- The "Duty Free" Detention Center
- WANTED for Exposing Honor Killing
- QUIZ: Why is a Widow Getting Deported?
SPOTLIGHT CASES:
One Mile of Global Solidarity: Brooklyn Bridge Goes Green
On September 24th, the day after Mahmoud Ahamdinejad read his speech at the UN Assembly meeting in Manhattan, hundreds of activists gathered on Brooklyn Bridge in New York to protest him. In their hands, they carried a mile-long green banner, which had been signed by thousands of people around the world. The banner was created by a group of 20 volunteers who worked for 20 hours to have it ready on time.
This banner is a “very visual symbol that echoes the voices of our brothers and sisters in Iran," said Roshan PourAbdollah, 27 year old participant holding up part of the banner. She and other protesters marched across the bridge and eventually concluded their rally in front of the City Hall in Manhattan. The demonstration was meant to symbolize the unity of the Iranian community and the solidarity with the pro-reform movement in Iran. Protesters shouted: “Freedom, independence, Iranian democracy” and urged the release of political prisoners – repeating slogans shouted on the streets of Tehran.
The New York Times reported that the New York protests were the largest organized in the US by the Iranian diaspora since the Islamic Revolution of 1979. Thousands of Iranians traveled from all over of North America to join the rally.
The "Duty Free" Detention Center
On Tuesday, Swedish journalist and blogger Per Bjoklund was detained upon arrival at Cairo airport. According to Bjoklund, as he passed through passport control, officials informed him that "his name came up on the computer." He was taken to another building, interrogated by the security service, and then transferred to "a storage room with 24 beds" that housed 50 detainees by the end of the night.
Accoring to Bjoklund's blog, this detention center at Cairo International Airport is “tucked somewhere behind the tax free shop in Terminal 1.” Some of his "cell-mates," mostly Palestinians, reportedly had been held for months without any charges or explanation from authorities. At the end of his 48-hour detainment, Bjoklund was deported.
According to the Swedish Embassy, Bjoklund has been named a "persona non grata" by the Egyptian officials. While no official charges have been filed, the Egyptian Embassy in Stockholm blamed his detention on an unnamed crime previously committed in Egypt. Still defiant after his ordeal, Bjoklund declared that this incident is proof that he must “have done something right.”
WANTED for Breaking the Silence on Honor Killings
Jordanian journalist Rana Husseini uses her profession to expose the truth behind honor killings. Her work has raised the profile of a subject that is still considered taboo and has helped push legal reforms for tougher punishments for perpetrators. In her new book, Murder in the Name of Honor, Rana Husseini breaks through the silence to tackle the issue of honor killings and tell the story of one woman’s heroic struggle against this practice.
How did you get involved in this campaign?
In September 1993, I started a job as a journalist for The Jordan Times's Crime Report. One of the very first stories I covered was of a 15 year old girl who was raped by her brother and then killed by her family, in the name of so-called family honor. This story moved me very much and I began to take much interest in this practice. From my research, I realized how these incidents were being minimalized, by society and the court system. Men were getting away with these crimes, with maybe a one or two year jail sentence! I got involved in this campaign, so that I could be the voice of these women who had no voice!
What would drive a father or brother to kill his own daughter or sister?
Tradition and customs define society and family life, and honor is a major factor. The family of a rape victim is looked down upon by society, and male relatives of the victim believe killing is the only solution to redeeming their family name. This practice not only places a constraint on a woman's body, but it maintains a patriarchal structure - instead of going after the male perpetrator the female is the one who is persecuted!
What challenges have you experienced since you began this campaign?
When I first began writing on this topic, my work was not well received by the people of Jordan, especially amongst the more traditional and conservative sects. You have to realize that before me, honor killings was never written about, and many, even those that did not agree with this practice, shied away from public discussion. Even now, my work is not well received by all Jordanians. However, I am hopeful that change will come. There is a growing number of individuals who are pushing for just reforms and laws that will treat these females not as criminals but as victims!
Quiz: Why is a 75-year old Saudi widow facing lashing, imprisonment, and deportation?
Answer: Because she “mingled” with her nephew and his friend. Saudi law has the crime of “khilwa” or “mingling with men to whom a woman is not immediately related.” Khamisa Sawadi, a 75-year old widow, has been sentenced to 40 lashes, four months imprisonment, and deportation after her nephew and his business partner dropped off bread at her home. In court, her nephew had to defend himself by arguing that Ms. Sawadi breast-fed him as child, which, according to Shari’a, grants her a status equivalent to that of his own mother. The Saudi court dismissed the argument and sentenced both men to lashes and imprisonment.
BECOME A PARTNER IN CRIME:
Here are quick ways to contribute to the Middle East civil rights movement:
- Forward this newsletter to friends & encourage them to subscribe.
- Write a letter to imprisoned Egyptian blogger Kareem Amer.
- Join 10,000 others in demanding Nokia stop aiding Iran's crackdown.
- Apply to participate in HAMSA's civil rights fellowship program.
