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NEWS & LETTERS, October 2002
OUR LIFE AND TIMES
Resistance in Iran
In the face of the Iranian people's exploding expressions
of hatred for the Islamic Republic, Iranian President Khatami has called for a
referendum to enforce his powers for reform. Khatami's proposal is to convince
the religious fundamentalist Council of Guardians to restore his constitutional
rights as president. The constitution of the Islamic Republic, however, allows
the Council of Guardians to reject any law or candidate deemed to be "unIslamic." For example, recently a bill that would have raised the
legal marriage age for girls from nine to 15 was blocked for months by the
Council of Guardians because it was against the Shariah or Islamic law.
Eventually the Council approved raising the minimum age to 13! Women in Parliament had also proposed that Iran join the UN
Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. But they
were forced to drop this proposal under pressure from fundamentalist clergy.
In this act, the Islamic Republic was one with the Bush administration
which also prevented the U.S. from joining this UN Convention on women. In the meantime, Iran's judiciary continues to ban
newspapers which are critical of the Supreme Religious leader. Even as
newspapers are banned, new newspapers, or banned newspapers which have now
adopted new names, begin publication. Efforts to hold a September 11 commemorative candle light
vigil in Tehran were thwarted by heavily armed police. The day before, however,
angry residents of the Kurdish city of Mahabad attacked local government offices
to protest police killings. —Sheila Sahar |
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