Comments on: Last Year, Iran Executed a 16-year-old Girl

By: Sadra Amiri

Sadra Amiri — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 10:13:39 +0000

I am Iranian , but realy shame when read about these news

By: Aslan

Aslan — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 01:13:09 +0000

It is hard to believe but as an Iranian who lived most of my life in Iran i know that this was a true story and sadly not the only one. we have hundreds of these kind of stories.

by the way, thank you blog owner for doing this.

check the 6 part documentary on youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=C6385E6EB7C8297C

By: Nick

Nick — Fri, 01 Sep 2006 16:22:09 +0000

This Judge shouldn’t still be employed or at puzzlingly best, still alive, as in any normal country one or the other would have ended his murderous existence. Personally, I know that if I were living there, the land wouldn’t be big enough for the two of us.

By: The Heretik

The Heretik — Thu, 25 Aug 2005 14:18:35 +0000

WOMEN LEFT HANGING IN IRAQ

WOMEN LEFT HANGING IN IRAQ The fools who insist the proposed IRAQI CONSTITUTION is progress should look at the face of SHARI’A in next door neighbor SHIA dominated IRAN. Consider the case of sixteen year old ATEFEH RAJABI, a

By: sungoddess

sungoddess — Sun, 31 Jul 2005 10:33:19 +0000

In Muslim countries, the Qu’ran has little to do with the way men treat women. Men can find all manner of reason and justification for cruelty and inhumanity; in a glance, in a book. I believe this sort of injustice has continued apace for far too long and it will be the undoing of many, not least of which are innocents. I fear that human society will experience a shake up like none in recent memories, and it will be this sort of evil that becomes the stone that topples the mountain. Believe me when I say this, NO GOD condones this; this is the work of human kind.

By: Asher Abrams - Dreams Into Lightning

Asher Abrams - Dreams Into Lightning — Fri, 29 Jul 2005 00:42:30 +0000

Ampersand, thanks for posting this. Readers interested in Iranian evente may want to visit the Free Iran news forum and the SMCCDI homepage, Activistchat, and SOS Iran.

By: L33tminion

L33tminion — Sun, 24 Jul 2005 05:10:29 +0000

What a horrible, horrible thing.

And hoisted by a crane, too. Being lifted instead of dropped from a height practically guarantees a slow and painful death.

By: Bookgirlwa

Bookgirlwa — Sat, 23 Jul 2005 17:07:12 +0000

This is a truly horrific story, unfortunately one of many. I have no words to describe how enraged I am that this sort of thing goes on. What courage and bravery that young woman showed, to stand up to these evil men. She is a great loss to this world

By: Lynne

Lynne — Sat, 23 Jul 2005 16:43:56 +0000

I soooo agree with you, Barbara. I think that the United States’ favorite foreign policy of bombing away problems doesnt ever really solve anything.

One of the very interesting things I have noticed about Iran from talking to my friends is that it really matters who your father is since fathers control their families. My friend’s father was educated in Europe and holds the belief that women should be educated, outspoken, opinionated, and equal under the law to men. So she gets to speak her mind at home and she gets to learn English and her parents give her interenet access so she can email her friends. But, she is totally dependant on her father and will be until she gets married. If he were to cast her out of his home, she would be in big trouble. Can you imagine the effect that kind of power given to one member of the family must have on family dynamics?

By: Barbara

Barbara — Sat, 23 Jul 2005 04:27:18 +0000

If we bomb Iran we will set the cause of women’s rights back indefinitely. Also greater freedom and liberalization for Iranian people in general. The idea that scores of Iranians will rise up to join us is as risible as the notion that scores of disaffected Americans would join with a foreign invader whose principle motivation is to change our foreign policy. Bombs are not subtle. They tend to piss off everybody who is affected by them. They are a heck of a lot more threatening than the ultra-conservative busybody next door.

By: alsis39

alsis39 — Sat, 23 Jul 2005 01:48:10 +0000

Robert, I’ve got news for you. There are anarchist and libertarian sites on the ‘net so far to the left that they make Brian or myself, not to mention Nader, look like the joint spawn of Sam Walton’s widow and the John Birchers’ current magnate. If you have yet to notice that, it’s hardly Brian’s fault.

I have no doubt this story is true, but I never thought for two seconds that our little junket in Afghanistan had fuck-all to do with women’s rights, and if we bomb Iran, it won’t have fuck-all to do with women’s rights, either.

By: Barbara

Barbara — Fri, 22 Jul 2005 21:36:38 +0000

In truth, Iranian liberalization is going to take another generation, and will be a two steps forward and one, two or three steps backward process. The current “chilling” of liberalization began in early 2002 with the axis of evil speech, although moderates have been under constant attack since they began winning elections.

I could go on and on about this because I had to become so enmeshed in everything having to do with Iranian repression for about a year. Suffice it to say that (a) Iran is not a democracy because veto power over everything, literally, belongs to a reigning clerical council that is not elected; (b) notwithstanding (a), Iran educates its citizens well, including females, and (c) an increasing majority of Iranian people have no memory of the Shah.

Other fun facts: prostitution and drug rings in the hinterlands (outside of Teheran) are controlled by clerics, some of the same clerics who are gung ho for the execution of “unchaste” women; there are about 8 separate police forces whose job it is to spy and harass “undesirables” (Savak lives!); and there are many vigilante groups who act as “lifestyle” police unchecked by any formal authority.

I am not going to do a rip apart comparison of Iran and the West, but the treatment of women in Iran can be brutal, a point that is made most evident by the disparate treatment of men and women who engage in identical conduct. As my client and friend used to say, it is the job of women to make sure they do everything possible to keep the wild animals (men) at bay — and if they can’t, it’s their own fault, and they are harshly punished for their failure. How many women in the U.S. had acid thrown in their faces last year because they were considered to be inappropriately dressed? This happens in Iran, and when it is done there is virtually no expectation that hte police will do anything. It really is different.

By: Lynne

Lynne — Fri, 22 Jul 2005 21:06:41 +0000

I have some friends in Tehran. Female friends. It is quite shocking, the things they must endure. It is a well known fact that people are often executed in Iran for being “unchaste” or for being gay. It is wrong and I think it is very appropriate that people in this country speak up about such things.

I just wouldnt want it to go any further. I would hate for our government to decide to liberate the Iranians by bombing them to pieces.

By: Brian Vaughan

Brian Vaughan — Fri, 22 Jul 2005 20:12:40 +0000

Ampersand, the problem is linking to Frontpage. They’re trying to portray extreme reactionary politics as legitimate — and you’re helping them.

By: Ampersand

Ampersand — Fri, 22 Jul 2005 19:58:46 +0000

Brian, I’m quite aware of what Frontpage is, and until today every article I’ve ever read in Frontpage has been utter garbage. If the only reason to think this event had happened was a report in Frontpage, I’d be skeptical; but as Kim pointed out, this execution was well-documented.

The Frontpage article is analysis, not reporting. However, I read this article and thought that Hughes’ comments in particular were well worth reading. Hughes seems more right-wing than I am, but she nonetheless seems to be a legitimate scholar and feminist.

I guess I’d find criticism of the article itself more compelling than criticism of it for where it was published.

By: Robert

Robert — Fri, 22 Jul 2005 19:57:40 +0000

Brian, you’re equally removed from the mainstream. Should everyone right of Ralph Nader ignore you if you report on an event, because your views are so extreme?

By: Kim (basement variety!)

Kim (basement variety!) — Fri, 22 Jul 2005 19:45:30 +0000

Well here’s another link then:

http://web.amnesty.org/library/index/engmde130362004

By: Brian Vaughan

Brian Vaughan — Fri, 22 Jul 2005 19:41:25 +0000

You’re linking to Frontpage Magazine? Are you insane? Those people are the most extreme reactionaries you can find outside a KKK rally. They’re organizing campaigns to ban leftists from universities, call for antiwar activists to be tried for treason, and praise Auguste Pinochet and condemn Nelson Mandela as a terrorist. They’re careful to never actually call for genocide against Arabs, but they hint at it frequently.

I don’t really doubt that this story about the execution of a young woman in Iran is true. But even Hitler would have accurately perceived the sky is blue. That’s no reason to treat ultra-right fanatics as credible.

By: Kim (basement variety!)

Kim (basement variety!) — Fri, 22 Jul 2005 19:35:05 +0000

Many of them do and many of them don’t. Just like us. As for what we take for granted, I think liberals, especially feminists have very much shown that we value and don’t take for granted equality of women, freedom of speech and study etc., etc..

In fact, while much more barbaric in many cases, I’d say in many ways it’s still similar to the problems we face. Many men in the United States feel it’s absolutely appropriate, if not at the very least understandable to ‘punish’ ‘lippy’ women.

By: Susan

Susan — Fri, 22 Jul 2005 18:47:17 +0000

You can defend these people as you wish. However, do not pretend that they sign in on values we take for granted, like, the integrity of the individual, the equality of women, freedom of speech and study, all that garbage.