WLUML/allies

Iran: Mahboubeh Abbasgholizadeh sentenced to 2 ½ years in jail and 30 lashes for ‘acts against national security'

The Women Living Under Muslim Laws (WLUML) International Solidarity Network and the Global Campaign to Stop Killing and Stoning Women (SKSW) are deeply concerned by the sentencing meted out to our colleague and friend, Mahboubeh Abbasgholizadeh, in May by the Iranian Revolutionary Court for exercising her constitutional right to peaceful assembly. Please see attached our sample letter .

UPDATED: Iran: Imprisoned activist Shiva Nazar Ahari to go on trial for 'acts against national security'

UPDATE: Shiva Nazar's trial, due to take place on 23 May, has been postponed without a future date being set. In March 2010, Women’s human rights defender and WLUML council member, Shadi Sadr, took the extraordinary step of dedicating her International Women of Courage Award to Shiva Nazar Ahari, a young human rights activist and a member of the Committee of Human Rights Reporters (CHRR), currently imprisoned in Iran for ‘acts against national security’. Sadr refrained from attending the award ceremony in the U.S. in the hope that her absence would draw the international community’s attention to Nazar Ahari’s dire situation, urging the audience in a speech recorded for the event that “any measures available to you [be taken] to help to free Shiva along with other human rights activists and journalists in Iranian prisons”. According to Nazar Ahari’s mother, she will be brought to trial at Revolutionary Court No. 26 on Sunday 23 May. The offences she is being accused of carry severe penalties. Please see attached our sample letter . You can follow this link (and scroll down) to watch a series of films in Farsi on Shiva by Iranian WHRD, filmmaker and WLUML ally, Mahboubeh Abbasgholizadeh.

الجزائر: نطالب بحماية النساء في حاسي مسعود

يطالب الموقعون على هذا البيان بحماية النساء في منطقة حاسي مسعود ووضع حد للحماية المقدمة لمرتكبي الجرائم ضدهن. لقد تلقت الشكبة على مدى الأسابيع الماضية من منظمات المجتمع المدني والإعلام الجزائري بيانات ومعلومات عن هذه الجرائم، وهو ما يذكرنا بالأيام الصعبة في تموز- أيلول من عام 2001 حيث شهدت تلك الأيام "تعذيب، ورجم واغتصاب النساء في المنطقة بل ودفنهن حيات"، ويمكن الحصول على تفاصيل أكثر من الملف الذي أعدته الشبكة عن ذلك على الرابط.

Algérie: Massacres de femmes : Appel aux autorités d'assurer la protection des femmes à Hassi Messaoud!

Depuis plusieurs semaines, des attaques meurtrières contre les femmes ont lieu dans le sud algérien, et ont donné lieu à des protestations internationales et à l’intervention des Rapporteurs Spéciaux auprès des Nations Unies. Il est indispensable que ces premières protestations soient relayées et soutenus par un grand nombre d’autres organisations dans le monde.

Algeria: Ongoing massacres of women: Call on authorities to ensure protection of women in Hassi Messaoud!

For several WEEKS now, women have been subjected to murderous attacks in the South of Algeria; this has provoked international protests and calls for the intervention of the United Nations Special Rapporteurs. It is crucial that these initial protests are relayed and supported by a large number of organisations across the world.

Royaume Uni : Engager la responsabilité d’Amnesty International

Le Réseau international de solidarité Femmes sous lois musulmanes (WLUML), exprime sa solidarité à Gita Sahgal, une alliée de longue date, active dans diverses organisations, collectifs et mouvements engagés dans le combat pour le respect des droits humains universels. WLUML a appris qu'elle a, à maintes reprises, demandé des explications sur l’association d’Amnesty International à l'organisation "Cageprisoners", dirigée par Moazzam Begg, autour de la campagne judiciaire du Contre-Terrorisme. Le 07 février 2010, Sahgal était suspendue de sa fonction de Chef de la Division Genre d'Amnesty International. Vous pouvez agir en signant la Pétition globale en soutien à Gita Sahgal qui compte maintenant plus de 1800 signatures.

UPDATE: Malaysia: Kartika’s caning sentence commuted to community service

In a Press Statement issued by Sisters in Islam (SIS), the Malaysian women's group, one of the most well-known nongovernment groups in this Muslim-majority country, registered their happiness with the decision by Sultan of Pahang, Duli Yang Maha Mulia Tuanku Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah, to commute Kartika’s caning sentence to community service. According to Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarno's father, Kartika received a letter dated March 26 from the Pahang state Islamic and Malay Culture Council on Wednesday, informing her the Pahang Sultan had decided to spare her the caning. Kartika, a former part-time model, was sentenced in July last year to six strokes of the cane and a fine RM5,000 for drinking beer in December 2007 at a beach resort, in violation of 'Sharia' laws. Meanwhile, The Malaysian Assembly of Mosque Youth (MAMY) is seeking an order from the High Court to prevent SIS Forum (Malaysia) from using “Sisters In Islam” as its name and identity because of its criticism of the application of these laws.

United Kingdom: Take Action in Support of Gita Sahgal

The Women Living Under Muslim Laws (WLUML) international solidarity network expresses its solidarity with Gita Sahgal, a longstanding ally of the network who is active in various organisations, collectives, and movements committed to upholding universal human rights. WLUML has learned that she has repeatedly raised internal inquiries into Amnesty International’s association with the organisation Cageprisoners, headed by Moazzam Begg, around the Counter Terror with Justice Campaign. On 7 February 2010, Sahgal was suspended from her position as Head of the Gender Unit at Amnesty International. You can take action by signing the Global Petition in support of Gita Sahgal which now has over 1,800 signatories.

Iran: URGENT call to authorities to stop imminent executions

Please write to the Iranian authorities calling on them to halt executions of nine people arrested in relation to protests following the disputed presidential elections. The Women Living Under Muslim Laws (WLUML) international solidarity network urges the Islamic Republic of Iran to halt the executions of political prisoners sentenced to death. The prisoners’ trials did not meet international or even national legal standards set up by the laws of Islamic Republic. The accused faced ambiguous charges of Mahrab, meaning “enmity against God.” Moreover, after the officially confirmed deaths of at least two while in detention, the Iranian public and the international community are greatly alarmed about the extent of torture used against Iranian political prisoners in an attempt to coerce confessions.

Iran: WLUML soutien 'L'Appel pour la liberté et l’égalité des sexes en Iran'

C'est une copie d'un texte original de Gender Equality for Iran: "En Iran, le mouvement des femmes est, depuis ces trente dernières années, à l’avant-garde de la lutte pour la démocratie. Comme les discriminations sexistes sont en lien étroit avec d’autres discriminations : sociales, politiques, religieuses et ethniques, la résistance pacifique des femmes, leur lutte contre les violences et les discriminations impactent de manière conséquente le développement des mouvements démocratiques au sein de la société iranienne. Depuis de nombreuses années, avec l’organisation de différentes campagnes et leurs revendications pour l’égalité, les femmes iraniennes marchent sur le chemin de la liberté. Dans ce processus, elles subissent la répression : insultes, violences, arrestations et emprisonnements. Nombreuses sont celles aujourd’hui emprisonnées.