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From prison
23-Nov-2007
This article was written by Maryam Hosseinkhah from Evin Prison. Hosseinkhah was called to court on November 17 in relation to her activities and writings in defense of equal rights for women. On the 18th, a very high bail order was issued in her case. Because of her inability to post this high bail, an arrest warrant was issued and she was transferred to Evin Prison, Ward 3, which is general ward for non-violent offenders. Read updates about the case of Maryam and others currently in detention for their activities in support of the Campaign, namely Ronak Safarzadeh and Hand Abdi in Kurdistan, in the Campaigners
section of We4Change website.
This is prison; the women’s ward of Evin prison. This is not my first time here; not the first time I’ve come to Evin. The first time, I came here as a journalist. Alongside the warden, I walked from cell to cell to listen to the stories of women who were here on charges of addiction, prostitution and murder. I heard only a few words from each woman, only what the presence of the warden allowed. That day all the inmates spoke highly of prison conditions in front of the officials and said they had no problems but as I was leaving they slipped a crumpled piece of paper in my pocket that read: "Help us! No one thinks about us here.”
The second time I too was a prisoner. Just like everyone else in the ward. While I was in the general ward, thirty other women’s rights activists were in solitary confinement. I was concerned and disoriented, lost between the uncertain fate of my friends and the misery of the inmates I used to write about. That day I was merely a guest who would soon be able to leave.
This time, the third time, however, everything is different. This time because of a $100,000 bail [which I can not afford], I’m just like one of them; one of the hundreds of women shut up inside the high walls of Evin with no-one to help them. The law doesn’t protect them; neither do their families, nor does anyone else in the world. It is exactly here that you can truly understand the meaning of powerlessness: in the eyes of these women who could have been at home with their children right now, if only the law were slightly more just. Women who bear no resemblance to our clichés about woman inmates; some of these women could not cope with the unequal laws and took the law into their own hands and are now considered law-breakers by our legislators.
Some are locked up as a result of a lack of education and poverty that has always plagued women; some others, like Leila, are here because they asked the court for their nafagheh1. It’s hard to believe this; Leila is 47 and for the past twenty years she has been trying to get some financial support from her husband who left her and their two children one of whom was born with Down syndrome. No court has helped her yet. Leila gazes at the floor with eyes filled with tears.
“Less than two years after we married I found out that my husband had another wife before me. When my second child was born with Down syndrome, he left us. I was alone with two young children one of whom was disabled and I had to pay for her medical expenses. My husband has a house, a car, and money. I only wanted enough to pay for these two poor children. But he wouldn’t pay and no court would declare him responsible and make him pay."
When I ask her, “why didn’t you get a divorce?”, she replies “I’m still hopeful that maybe the law will side with me and I can get the financial support for my children.” She says, “I’d be happy with only $10,000 for those 20 years, but he won’t even give us that.” Two days ago in court, Leila’s husband declared that he will not pay for them and attacked and beat Leila and the kids. For disturbing the peace in his courtroom, the judge sent both Leila, who was beaten, and her husband, who had done the beating, to jail; and not just to any jail! The Evin prison! Her husband posted bail that night and was immediately released. But Leila is here with teary eyes and a gaze full of disbelief, waiting so maybe someone will come and post bail and free her…
Every time we talk about lack of women’s rights, they throw mehrieh and nafagheh in our face. We are only too familiar with the sentence “you have all of this, what else do you want?” But Leila and others like Leila neither have a mehrieh2 to live on nor a nafagheh. Leila’s experience tells us if a man so wishes, he can withhold nafagheh and no law or court can make him pay. Mehrieh or nafagheh—which are sometimes impossible to collect—shouldn’t be used as a pretext to neglect undeniable rights like equality in dieh3, inheritance, testimony, divorce, etc.
Leila is one of hundreds of women whose lives are ruined because of the unequal laws and all she is left with is the sight of a metal ceiling and never-ending walls. As I’m writing these words, a few steps away from me a young woman whose body is completely bruised is weeping. It’s more like a scream. She bangs her head against the wall, and shouts. She tries to suffocate herself with a scarf she has tied around her neck. Maybe it is the complete loss of faith in law and justice that has brought her so close to death.
A few nights ago, when I was being threatened with arrest, I thought about what I can do to survive in prison. But now I feel I might run out of time and not be able to speak to all of these women each of whose stories is a clear example of inequality.
1. Nafagheh: The money that a man is obligated to pay his wife and children for their expenses.
2. Mehrieh: The amount of money that the woman is entitled to when entering a marriage contract.
3. Dieh: The amount of money paid as compensation for a physical injury or death. A women’s dieh is half of a man’s.
Translated by Roja Bandari
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Jahanshah Javid, Hezbollah in Disguise!
by Justice (not verified) on Wed Nov 28, 2007 06:12 AM PSTJahanshah Javid, Hezbollah in Disguise!
Hezbollah's Front Businesses in America!
Part one
//iranpoliticsclub.net/politics/shiite-season...
part two
//iranpoliticsclub.net/politics/shiite-season...
I guess my last post was
by thinkbetter (not verified) on Mon Nov 26, 2007 02:04 PM PSTI guess my last post was ambiguous.
I meant it as a reply to the person claiming that Maryam Hosseinkhah had something to do with bringing the current government into power.
Maryam is not alone, many of men and women (whether or not they wear roosari or not, whether or not their last names are religious or not) have joined together to support each other in order to gain their rights. Those who think they are the only carriers of truth and have no clue about tolerance and nonviolence will not understand.
we are peaceful, we are accepting, we are all different. We are Iranian women and we will succeed. Meanwhile, we can all learn something about tolerance, civil society, and nonviolence.
the lady in the picture was
by thinkbetter (not verified) on Mon Nov 26, 2007 01:56 PM PSTthe lady in the picture was not born at the time of revolution.
To Mr Amir Shahsavan
by Iranian who does not drink! (not verified) on Sun Nov 25, 2007 10:25 AM PSTFunny as the supporter of the IRI,you also think that your time is limited to 20 years in Iran .I think it is a Ferouidan slip on your part.The time has come and God has spoken you and your IRI are not relevant anymore.
By the way not all the Iranians drink in the west.We had to leave our country because of the people like you.Iran is mine too as much as it is yours at this time.
Chardonnay drinking opposition outsie Iran
by Amir Shahsavan (not verified) on Sun Nov 25, 2007 12:32 AM PSTIt must be nice to drink a glass of Chardonnay or Merlot and act like the active opposition and the protector of Iranian massess, specially women! As long as we have idiots like those whose profanity filled commentaries fill the pages of iranian web sites, the Islamic Rep can rest assured that it will survive another 20 years until the current rulers die out or are forced into retirement!
Support Patriotic Women of Iran
by Amir Normandi (not verified) on Sat Nov 24, 2007 01:45 PM PSTSupport Patriotic Women of Iran
Any other movement for democracy shall succeed, when the campaign for women’s equal rights pull through in Iran.
One Million Signatures campaign is an unprecedented grass root initiative by the women of Iran demanding equality. This campaign is insisting on women’s basic rights by petitioning the current legislators in Iran. One Million Signatures campaign is the most civil and well-mannered opposition waged against institutional discrimination.
Maryam Hosseinkhah is a brave patriotic woman that is fighting institutional discrimination of women by the Islamic regime. This patriotic woman and many of her colleagues are challenging the Iranian regime, despite many impediments like gender specific mandatory dress code.
Maryam Hosseinkhah and all other brave activist deserve our whole hearted support; they are in the battle ground facing off with archaic regime of Iran. Democracy can not be sustained in any society if half of the population is subject of gender apartheid. Equal rights for women shall guaranty emergence of democracy in Iran.
She maybe a true Iranian. Scarf in Iran is part of genecide
by Iran and Iranian (not verified) on Sat Nov 24, 2007 11:42 AM PSTShe maybe a true Iranian. Scarf in Iran is part of Iranian cultural genecide forced by Islamist cultists at helm of government.
Her devoution to our Iranian people is valuable and she must get our praise.
Sha'er is right
by Teach (not verified) on Fri Nov 23, 2007 08:42 PM PSTPeople do not accuse her of being MKO for her look. She may be totally innocent. If it is for her hejab that you accuse her, you should know better that everyone must have hajab. If it is for her look and posture, well some people just look that way. Still she is our innocent hamvatan and is in IR prison. Please be respectful of her unless you have definite proof of any claim that you make. Otherwise she is simply a victim. We should not judge her based on her look.
Tane aadami sharif ast beh jaane aadamiyat
Nah hamin lebaase zibaast neshaane aadamiyat
Javid Iran.
Anybody with an Arab name (e.g., Hosseinkhah)
by *uck Imam Hossein (not verified) on Fri Nov 23, 2007 06:17 PM PSTmust be eliminated!
nahidroxan.blogspot.com
by Antibullshit (not verified) on Fri Nov 23, 2007 06:11 PM PSTInstead of wasting time reading this Raghead-Tazi's ramblings read what true Parsi women write and think...
Javid Iran
Equality, Schmiquality....
by Antibullshit (not verified) on Fri Nov 23, 2007 06:02 PM PSTThe woman in the picture has all the writings of the IR's propaganda machine tatooed on her face. Much like Pasdar Akbar and the rest of the Islamic rejects
who have been dumped in the western world to keep us poor saps amuzed!! She will be in the U.K or U.S soon to tour the universities and tells us about the real beautiful, democratic Islam and why we should jump on IR's election bandwagon!
The real struggle is to dimantle the IR and its constitution. Fighting for equal rights with those whose rights are trampled every day is giving the wrong address! This too shall pass!
Javid Iran
The Hizbollahis are bad enough why help the MKO?
by Concerned Iranian (not verified) on Fri Nov 23, 2007 05:13 PM PSTI agree that the lady in the photograph is probably a MKO member. They were the ones who helped bring this government. Now, they should not complain about inequality. Besides, who wants to see one kind of theocracy be replaced by another?
Equality of men and women is inevitable,we have to have hope.
by Tahirih (not verified) on Fri Nov 23, 2007 04:11 PM PSTThe world of humanity has two wings,one is man and the other woman.Not until both wings are equally developed can the bird fly.Should one wing remain weak,flight is impossible.Not until the world of women becomes equal to the world of man in the acquisition of virtues and perfections,can success and perosperity be attained as they ought to be.
She looks more like MKO member than women's rights activist?
by Soltani (not verified) on Fri Nov 23, 2007 03:57 PM PSTEOM
Our Mothers, Sisters, and Daughters
by Shae'r (not verified) on Fri Nov 23, 2007 03:24 PM PSTWhen Justice Was Meted Out ..
The Shortness of Stick Was Obvious ..
...
To Our Mothers ..
Daughters ..
Sisters ..
And all The Women of Iran ..
...
As A Man, ..
I am Embarassed of The Atrocities Towards You ..
The Beatings ..
The Humiliation ..
The "Subjugation" ..
And Finally,
The Very "Breaking" of Your Spirit ..
...
I Ask You My Fellow Men ..
Is Justice Gender-Biased? ..
Is The "Humanity" of A woman Less Than Us? ..
Is the Mother Who Gave Birth to Us Less Than Our Father? ..
Is the Very Essence of Creation and Love to Be Belittled for Her "Physical Weakness"? ..
...
As For Me,
Though I am Just One Person ..
I would like To Bow My Head ..
And Ask For Forgiveness ..
...
A Nation "DOES NOT" Truly Reach Its Full Potential ..
Unless The Very Essence That Gives Life To It Is Raised High ..
A Society does Not Achieve True Greatness ..
Until its Womb Of Creation Is "Exalted" ..
Mankind Will Be "Sub-Human" ..
Without The "Feminine" Spirit Being Fully Manifested ..
...
Love,
Tenderness,
Care,
And Finally,
Life Itself ..
Comes from A "Woman" ..
...
Let's "Honor" It ..